On August 1, Beijing time, in the men's basketball group stage of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the United States men's basketball team defeated South Sudan 103-86.
The match showed the strength of the United States team, but it also exposed some problems.
As soon as the game began, the United States team quickly controlled the tempo on the field.
Durant's return has clearly strengthened the overall strength of the team, and the performance has been very active.
In the opening game, Durant showed his offensive ability, not only scoring 14 points with ease, but also grabbing 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.
His performances on the pitch made it feel like he was fully integrated into the team's tactical system.
Especially on the offensive end, Durant's performance is even more eye-catching.
South Sudan apparently defended Durant's three-pointers very tightly and didn't dare to leave him any open space.
Whenever Durant tries to attack from beyond the three-point line, he always attracts a few South Sudanese players, and in this case, his shots almost always result in a foul.
Taking advantage of those free throws, Durant held the score advantage firmly in his hands.
Every one of his free throws seems to have a calm and confident atmosphere, as if he is an unstoppable offensive machine on the court.
Curry, meanwhile, was a bit disappointing.
Defensively, Curry's pace can't keep up with the opponent's breakthroughs, and he is often easily broken by South Sudanese players, creating a lot of scoring opportunities for opponents.
On the offensive end, Curry's shooting is also in a slump, with an incredibly low shooting percentage.
Curry's every shot was a bit reluctant, and his shooting trajectory was often off target, as if his confidence in his shot was waning.
In this state, Curry clearly feels his predicament, and his anxiety and dissatisfaction on the court are palpable.
After the game, Curry will inevitably be quite frustrated with his performance in this game.
His sluggish form not only affected the tempo of the game, but also undermined his individual performances.
Faced with such a situation, Curry may reflect on his problems after the game, hoping to find his form and regain his feeling in the next games.
South Sudan pulled out all the stops when defending Durant.
They know that Durant is a threat on the offensive end, so they put a special emphasis on defending him.
The confrontation on the court became very intense, and whenever Durant got the ball, he could always see South Sudanese players surrounding him, sometimes even two people attacking him.
In order to prevent him from scoring, the South Sudanese player not only used his body to push Durant, but also fouled him the moment he shot.
Every time Durant jumps and shoots, he is always pulled down or bumped roughly, causing him to stand in front of the free throw line frequently.
This defensive strategy is also a double-edged sword for South Sudan.
While they tried to limit Durant's scoring by constantly fouling him, this practice instead allowed Durant to get some easy free throw opportunities.
The situation sparked a lot of discussion in the audience and on social media.
Some netizens expressed their opinions in the live comments of the match.
Some netizens wrote on the forum: South Sudan is really hard, and the whole game is against Durant. Their defense, while hard, felt more like luck, and the result of the foul was that Durant kept taking free throws, which was a self-grave.
Another netizen commented on Twitter: Although South Sudan is fiercely defensive, in the face of the overall strength of the United States team, individual defense really looks weak. Even if Durant is restricted, others can step up and score, completely breaking down the defensive strategy.
In a fan base after the game, someone joked that South Sudan's defensive strategy was really peculiar, and he didn't expect to give the opponent so many free throws. It seems that their concerns about Durant have been completely shattered by the overall strength of the United States team.
While South Sudan's defense did cause some trouble, the United States team was overwhelmingly strong.
South Sudan's defensive strategy failed to contain the United States' offense, but instead exposed their defensive deficiencies.
Overall, the United States team easily overcame the opposing defense and continued to stabilize the rhythm of victory.
After the game, the discussion among netizens also became hot.
There were different opinions and opinions on this game, especially regarding the performance of Durant and Curry, which sparked a lot of discussion.
In the instant comments of the game, some netizens joked: This game is Durant's personal show, South Sudan's defense is completely weak, as soon as he comes on the court, it is like turning on the scoring mode, and the free throws are so free throws that people want to doze off.
This comment attracted a lot of likes, and everyone felt that Durant's performance was indeed too eye-catching.
Some netizens expressed concern about Curry's sluggish performance.
A netizen posted in the post-game forum that Curry's state is really worrying, the defensive end is always broken through, and the shot is not hit. He is so inconsistent that it will really affect the performance of the United States team in the next games.
Another commentator said: Is Curry's sluggish form due to injuries? Hopefully he can adjust soon, otherwise it doesn't bode well for the United States.
Some netizens who follow the South Sudan team have criticized their defensive strategy.
A netizen who commented during the live broadcast of the game said: South Sudan's way of defending Durant is really a bit naïve, constantly fouling Durant to score free throws, and it seems that they have not found an effective way to defend at all.
Another netizen expressed a similar opinion on social media: South Sudan should change its tactics, and it is unrealistic to limit Durant by fouls alone. The overall strength of the United States team is too strong, and this strategy simply does not work.
Other fans expressed their satisfaction with the result.
One netizen concluded: There is no suspense about the victory of the United States team, although Curry is not in good shape, but Durant's performance does save the team.
The winning streak in the group stage gives confidence in their prospects.
Another netizen also said: Seeing the overall performance of the United States team, I feel that their strength is really strong, and the next game is worth looking forward to.
The victory made it two straight wins for the United States in the group stage, further cementing their position in the group.
Although some players are not in good form, the overall performance still makes people look forward to the next games of the United States team.
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