The 12-man roster of the U.S. Men's Basketball Dream Team has been finalized, and led by LeBron James and Stephen Curry, who is competing in the Olympics for the first time, is clearly hoping to reclaim the gold medal and re-establish itself as the number one basketball powerhouse in an increasingly competitive international event.
Here's what Team USA will do at Paris 2024:
Point guards: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics)
Shooting guards: Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Small forwards: LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
Power forwards: Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers)
Centers: Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
The 12-man roster for this year's men's basketball team can be said to be star-studded, but men's basketball general manager Grant Hill also made it clear that it is important for the team to tailor it for international games, because international games have a looser penalty scale, so there is more emphasis on physical confrontation than NBA games, so it is important for players to reach this level on both the defensive and offensive ends. So what should the starting lineup of this American team look like? The following are the candidates who should start, for entertainment only, please spray lightly.
Starting point guard: Curry
Curry is a must-have presence in a squad with multiple ball-handling players, his off-ball movement and offense are among the best in the world, and he can make a huge impact on the team without having to carry the ball, which is crucial for the U.S. team, and the four-time NBA Championship winner has the ability to instantly grab the attention of defenders and make room for others to attack.
And Curry is also a very capable playmaker, averaging 6.4 assists per game in his career, if needed. In addition, U.S. men's basketball coach Steve Kerr is also very familiar with Curry's style of play, having coached the former regular season and Finals MVP for 10 seasons, and he knows what it takes to bring out the best in Curry.
Starting shooting guard: James
The 39-year-old James, despite his dip in form, is still one of the best players in the league, averaging 25.7 points and 8.3 assists per game this season, and can be the playmaker of this American team, and his 41 percent three-point shooting this season will be very valuable for the team. In addition, while James is not as good defensively as he used to be, his defensive responsibilities in this roster are much smaller, and he can play a role in defense if needed.
Starting small forward: Durant
Durant is an absolute killer on the international stage, his scoring ability is irrefutable in any situation, and he is especially experienced at the Olympics. He holds the highest points per game average in U.S. history (19.8) and the three highest averages in Olympic history (20.7, 19.5 and 19.4) while winning gold medals at every Olympics he has competed in. And the two-time NBA champion will have two of the greatest playmakers of all time by his side — Curry and James. Without the massive defensive pressure, Durant could simply do what he does best, which is scoring.
Starting power forward: Davis
Davis has made it clear that he prefers to play power forward, and that can be done in this lineup. He is averaging 2.3 blocks per game this season and can further maximize his blocking ability by roaming around the No. 4 position. Some may prefer Tatum, who is a better shooter, to play this position, but I think Davis' interior defense will be essential against France with Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert or Serbia with Nikola Jokic. And Davis is also very offensive and can average 24.7 points per game this season and can use his physical gifts to weaken opposing interior players.
Starting center: Embiid
Embiid's size and shooting percentage (38.8 percent from three-point range this season), combined with Davis' athleticism in the frontcourt, will put a lot of pressure on defenders. Embiid was able to open up the offensive space while keeping the interior scoring going, taking most of Davis' burden off his shoulders. In addition, Embiid's defensive ability cannot be underestimated, and his presence can also give Davis free play to his weak-side defensive ability.
All in all, the U.S. team is definitely capable of winning the Olympic gold medal for the fifth time in a row, what do you think of this lineup?