thelesterlee
On Sunday, Team USA opened up their 2024 Paris Olympic campaign against Serbia. They won 110-84 thanks mainly to their elders, LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, reminding the world they are the greatest to ever do it.
Durant led the team with 23 points on only 9 shots. LeBron was right behind him with 21 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists.
Team USA looks like they’re winning the gold but here are 3 takeaways from their blowout victory over Serbia:
1. The Knicks are winning the East
Before the Olympics began, I thought the Knicks were winning the East.
Re-signing OG Anunoby, trading for Mikal Bridges and bringing Julius Randle back from shoulder surgery, the Knicks were already set to dominate the conference.
But this game against Serbia turned my thoughts from a hot take to a definitive fact.
Joel Embiid looks like dogshit.
He had 4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers and 3 fouls one of which being a flagrant foul.
Team USA is astronomically better than when Embiid is on the bench watching Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo.
After last year’s first-round series when Embiid was limping around, chucking up terrible midrange jumpers and diving on the floor begging for free throws—Joel has established himself as a loser.
And I cannot wait until perennial loser, Paul George, joins the squad and the two of them evaporate in the playoffs together before they go on Paul’s podcast and take turns blaming anyone but themselves.
Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum spent the Serbia game clapping and waving towels. I have no worries about the Pacers. But it’s nice to see that, like myself, Steve Kerr also thinks Tyrese Haliburton ain’t that great.
Sure, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White still look like premier defenders but their leader, Jayson Tatum, didn’t even touch the floor.
How is Tatum unplayable? How terrible does he look in practice?
The Celtics were already going to take a step back—especially with Kristaps Porizings out to start the season—but now, Jaylen Brown is angrily tweeting about not making the Olympic roster and Tatum isn’t good enough to play.
Knicks in 4.
2. Bronny James is going to ruin the Lakers
If Joel Embiid and Tyrese Haliburton looked like the worst players then LeBron James and Anthony Davis looked like the best. LeBron truly looks like the best basketball player on the planet. He turns 40 this year.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was juuuust yapping about the Nuggets believing they should’ve lost in the first round to the Lakers.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on why the Denver Nuggets struggled in the playoffs:
“We had no gas. We felt like the Lakers should have beat us. We was down every game”
[via https://t.co/16WEM9gMgq] pic.twitter.com/lMydIwZkpy
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) July 24, 2024
In what may be LeBron’s final season in the NBA, the Lakers chose to hold onto their draft picks, make no free agent signings or trades and just run back the same exact team that barely made the playoffs last year.
Again, LeBron and AD look like the most dominant players in the world over in Paris.
GET OUT OF HIS WAY‼️
LeBron James is FEELING IT. #ParisOlympics
📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/SrLSfseX7z
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 28, 2024
They are going to be LOCKED in this season. Especially now that Darvin Ham isn’t on the sidelines watching, forgetting he was the head coach.
And now this entire season is going to be about LeBron’s son. All eyes are on that boy’s development instead of actually winning games. D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Cam Reddish aren’t enough.
3. Nikola Jokic is HIM
The final score doesn’t tell the whole story. Nikola Jokic played 30 minutes and 45 seconds. In the 9 minutes and 15 seconds, Serbia was -26. Team USA beat Serbia by 26 points.
Jokic is so good at basketball, he could singlehandedly beat Team USA 1-on-5. Shout out to Bogdan Bogdanovic and his little 14 points but yea, it’s Jokic, a random NBA player and 10 mine workers—and Serbia would’ve won if Jokic played every minute of the game.
Nikola Jokic cooking Embiid even in July pic.twitter.com/Pq8aPefGPH
— Jokic Muse (@_JokicMuse_) July 28, 2024
Serbia might win the silver medal just on the back Jokic, who may win his 4th MVP this year.
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