While Team USA’s first two games of group play in men’s basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics only strengthened their case as gold-medal favorites, their victories have come with a unique quirk. Head coach Steve Kerr has opted to change his starting lineup and rotations based on matchups, which in turn has led to high-profile players receiving DNP-CDs.
This began with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Indiana Pacers standout Tyrese Haliburton not playing during an impressive 110-84 win over Serbia in the opener. Then on Wednesday, Team USA extended its record to 2-0 with a 103-86 victory against South Sudan, in which Kerr opted not to play 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid, who started against Serbia.
Kerr cited the shorter games (40 minutes) and focusing on matchups for the decision in the opener. He echoed a similar sentiment on matchups following the decision on Embiid against South Sudan. While it’s been strange to see the high-profile players on the bench, it appears they’ve taken it in stride. On Wednesday, Kevin Durant tipped his cap to Tatum, Haliburton and Embiid, stating that they “didn’t complain” about not playing, as Ben Golliver of the Washington Post revealed.
“Last game, we had a champion and an All-NBA guy not play any minutes, and tonight we had an MVP not play any minutes. They didn’t complain. We had guys who stepped up and filled those roles perfectly,” Durant said.
It’s an extremely unique situation, but the Americans are loaded with talent from top to bottom. Kerr also vowed that Tatum would make an impact in the tournament following his decision on the opener, and the 26-year-old received the nod to start against South Sudan, logging 17 minutes and scoring four points with five rebounds, two assists and one block.
Embiid’s time on the sideline won’t be long, either. Golliver revealed that Kerr said Embiid will return to the starting lineup for Team USA’s third game, a matchup with Puerto Rico on Friday. But now the big question will be what the means for the rest of the group, as at least one player is likely bound for a DNP-CD in the third group-stage game.
