Team USA is getting set for its quarterfinal matchup against Brazil on Tuesday in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The U.S. went 3-0 in pool play, and enter the single-elimination round as the tournament’s No. 1 seed.
After going 5-0 in exhibition play but suffering some close calls, including three single-digit wins, the U.S. dominated pool play, going 3-0 with an average margin of victory of 21.3 points.
The U.S. will look to continue its dominance against Brazil, who went 1-2 in pool play. Their lone win came against Japan, while they lost to Germany and France.
The U.S. will look to continue its team dominance. In its first game, a 110-84 win over Serbia, Kevin Durant led the way in scoring with 23 points while LeBron James did a little bit of everything, scoring 21 points, bringing down seven rebounds, and dishing out nine assists. Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker, and Stephen Curry rounded out the double-digit scorers.
SAMEER AL-DOUMY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
In the United States’ 103-86 win over South Sudan, Bam Adebayo led the way with 18 points, Other double-figure scorers were Durant, Anthony Edwards, James, Booker, and Derrick White.
Finally, in their most recent game, a 104-83 win over Puerto Rico, it was Edwards who led the way with 26 points. Joel Embiid had 15 and Durant had 11, while James, Jayson Tatum, and Anthony Davis each had 10.
Davis has continued to be a dominant force for the U.S. on both sides of the ball whether he’s been a starter or spark off the bench. Across the three games, Davis is averaging 8.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 58.8 percent from the field.
Davis’ ability to do a little of everything has made him a vital piece of the United States’ run to the quarterfinals. In a recent conversation with Andscape, he talked about his mindset in doing anything to help his team.
“I’m an adjustable player, man,” Davis said. “I can play with anyone. I can play alongside anyone, start, come off the bench, whatever. I just love to win … and do whatever I got to do. When you have an unselfish mindset like I do where I don’t have to score — I’m a two-way player, so I don’t have to score every time down the floor or try to score the basketball — I can let these guys do what they do best, and I can defer to the defensive end and block shots.”
Davis also isn’t taking these Olympic Games lightly. He knows the must-win feeling in these upcoming games, and is treating them as if they were Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
“It’s go time,” Davis said. “We play Brazil. We have to get prepared for them. And we have to play mistake-free basketball and also be as perfect as possible knowing that these teams are also playing for gold and trying to compete.
“Every time that we step on the floor it’s somebody’s Game 7 of the [NBA] Finals. We have that mentality to come out and dominate.”
Davis’ mindset is the perfect one for the entire team as they look to claim the United States’ fifth consecutive gold medal in men’s basketball.