USA Men’s Basketball vs. South Sudan Preview: Can LeBron and Durant Lead the Team to a Second Consecutive Victory? Will South Sudan Cause Trouble Again?

At 3:00 AM on August 1st, the Group C men’s basketball group stage of the Olympics will feature a highlight match between the USA and South Sudan.

The USA men’s basketball team is the biggest favorite to win the championship in these Olympics, currently ranking first both in world rankings and in the power rankings. This USA team is filled with top NBA stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, and Anthony Davis, forming the strongest avengers alliance. In their first game, the USA won by a 26-point margin against another title contender, Serbia, which has players like Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic, showcasing their terrifying strength. The USA scored 110 points throughout the game, which is the highest single-game score in these Olympics so far.

In their first game, Kevin Durant made his comeback debut as a substitute, shooting 8-for-9 for a team-high 23 points, living up to his reputation as an FIBA powerhouse. LeBron James contributed 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists, just shy of a triple-double. Six players scored in double digits, and all ten players who took the court scored. Apart from Joel Embiid having a somewhat disappointing performance (with a negative plus-minus rating of -8), there were no controversies regarding the other players’ performances.

Tatum and Haliburton did not play in the first game, which caused some controversy afterward, especially Tatum being a Did Not Play (DNP) was quite surprising. However, head coach Steve Kerr clearly stated in a previous interview that Tatum would return for the game against South Sudan. Durant played off the bench in the first game, and given that Embiid’s performance as a starter wasn’t ideal, it remains to be seen whether Coach Kerr will adjust the starting lineup.

In their first game, South Sudan defeated Puerto Rico by an 11-point margin, securing their first victory in Olympic history. Five players scored in double figures, with Carrick Jones scoring 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. The two foreign players playing in the CBA, Shaye Okpala and Luol Deng, also scored in double figures. Although South Sudan does not have any superstar players, the team boasts incredible physical talent. In terms of sheer athleticism, they are even comparable to the USA men’s basketball team.

South Sudan is only ranked 33rd in the world and 9th in the latest power rankings (previously at the bottom). On paper, they are not in the same league as the USA. However, in a pre-Olympics exhibition match, South Sudan nearly upset the USA. Thanks to LeBron James’ buzzer-beating shot, the USA barely won by one point. In that game, South Sudan was incredibly accurate from beyond the arc, making 14 three-pointers and leading by as much as 15 points at one point, giving the Dream Team a scare. If South Sudan can maintain high efficiency from the perimeter, they will be a very tough opponent and can compete with any strong team.

In this rematch, the USA remains the clear favorite, bolstered by Durant’s return and a better understanding of South Sudan compared to their first encounter. It would be difficult for South Sudan to pull off an upset. For South Sudan, even if they cannot win, they should try to minimize their loss to gain an advantage in the fight for third place in the group and improve their differential. They will undoubtedly put in a full effort for this game.

USA 12-Man Roster: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, Tyrese Haliburton.

South Sudan 12-Man Roster: Makoi, Jok, Majok Deng, Olivier Omot, Bull Kuel, Carrick Jones, Malual Chieng, Kuany Kuany, Gabriel, Sandy Dej, Shaye Okpala, JT Thor.

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