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USA Basketball's Kevin Durant expected to play vs. Serbia in Olympics opener
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- USA Basketball's Kevin Durant expected to play vs. Serbia in Olympics opener
PARIS – U.S. men's basketball star Kevin Durant is expected to play against Serbia on Sunday in the Group C opener at the 2024 Paris Olympics after missing the team's five exhibition games with a sore calf.
Durant, the men's all-time leading scorer who is trying to become the first men's basketball player to win four gold medals, practiced Wednesday , participated in a scrimmage Thursday and planned to practice Saturday.
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"We'll see how things go in practice (Saturday)," U.S. men's basketball coach Steve Kerr said. "So far so good. He came through the scrimmage two days ago pretty well. … Having coached him before, he's one of the few guys I've been around who can step back out on the court and look like Kevin Durant, a player of his caliber. Most players it would take some time to get your rhythm back, and it will, too, for him to a certain extent. But he's pretty special."
In Durant's most recent meeting with reporters Thursday, he said, "Each day has been getting better. Just checking things off the list."
Kerr said he hasn't made a decision on Durant starting or coming off the bench against Serbia. Durant hasn't played in a game since Phoenix's first-round playoff loss in late April.
Video posted on USA Basketball's social media showed Durant participating in the scrimmage and dunking. "He looked extremely well the other day in practice," LeBron James said. "His wind, his rhythm will continue to come. But if we're able to get him back, it makes a huge impact for everybody."
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The U.S. already had to replace Kawhi Leonard (recovering from a knee injury) with Derrick White , but Kerr said there is not a concern now that Durant won't be able to play in the Olympics.
Kerr said Wednesday USA Basketball men's team managing director Grant Hill is in communication with team trainers, Durant's management and the Phoenix Suns .
"This is not going to be like us going out and saying, 'Hey, let's just throw him out there,'" Kerr said. "This will be a big collaboration."
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kevin Durant injury status: He's expected to play in USA vs. Serbia
