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Steve Kerr Reveals Decision on Joel Embiid Amid Chemistry Concerns with Team USA Starters LeBron James and Stephen Curry
Team USA head coach Steve Kerr isn't planning to deviate from his current starting lineup featuring LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Joel Embiid, despite recent struggles
Team USA's head coach, Steve Kerr, has no plans to change his current starting lineup, which includes LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Joel Embiid.
Team USA played an exhibition game against Serbia on Wednesday to prepare for the 2024 Olympics. However, Embiid has not been performing well leading up to the Paris Olympics. His struggles continued on Wednesday, with only 2 of 8 shots made, resulting in eight points, eight rebounds, and three assists.
Despite that, after the 105-79 victory over Serbia, Kerr was asked if Embiid, James, and Curry would stay in the starting lineup. He told reporters, "I like" the group with those three players.
Kerr likes the trio of Joel Embiid, Steph Curry, and LeBron James together
In a post-match interview, Kerr said, "Yeah, I like those three guys in the starting lineup. We've been looking at other guys around them, and we obviously have a lot of great options, but I do like those three guys in the lineup."
Kerr has experimented with the other starters in his lineup during the three showcase games, but James, Curry, and Embiid have been constants in the first unit. Jayson Tatum has started the last two games, while Devin Booker started against Canada.
Jrue Holiday was back in the starting lineup against Serbia, replacing Anthony Edwards, who started in Monday's win over Australia.
One reason for Kerr's adjustments could be Kevin Durant's injury. The three-time Olympic gold medalist is recovering from a strained calf but managed some on-court work before Wednesday's game.
If healthy, Durant would likely start alongside James in one of the forward positions.
Embiid has had a slow start with Team USA. The Philadelphia 76ers star had the worst plus-minus in the win over Canada (-4) and scored only eight points on 2-of-8 shooting in 16 minutes against Serbia.
The spotlight on Embiid is even brighter given the strong performances by Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo. Davis had a double-double against Canada and six blocks in 16 minutes against Serbia.
Adebayo is averaging 11.0 points on 12-of-20 shooting and 5.7 rebounds in three showcase games. Having Adebayo and Davis off the bench is a luxury, as no other team in the world can match their defensive abilities with two big men.
Unless there's clear evidence that Kerr's lineup with James, Curry, and Embiid isn't working, there's no need for a major change. There might come a time during the Olympics when a different matchup calls for a change, but that's hard to foresee now.
Team USA's quest for basketball gold at the 2024 Olympics might not be as easy as some think
The news about Steve Kerr’s lineup came after a surprising report earlier suggesting that ‘egos’ among the star-studded team could see them ‘exposed’ in Paris. LeBron James and Steph Curry are part of the talented squad aiming for the USA's fifth-straight basketball Olympic gold medal.
Team USA gathered in Las Vegas, Nevada, earlier this month before heading to Abu Dhabi for training games. They nearly lost to Australia on Monday, winning 98-92 after fending off a late comeback.
An unnamed source, quoted by The Daily Mail, claims there's a potential for ‘embarrassment’ at the Games due to the big personalities on the team.
"The ego that lies within the team—everyone is out for their own and not for the team as a whole," the source said.
That can and will be a disaster if they all don’t change their thought process, they have to play like a team. The source also mentioned that it's suspect and troubling that the team hasn't been dominating in recent warm-up games.
Before the six-point win over Australia, Team USA beat Canada 86-72. Coach Steve Kerr admitted after the close call against Australia that his players were still working on becoming a cohesive unit. Team USA doesn’t have the continuity of a team like Australia, Kerr admitted, per NBA.com.
READ MORE: Insider Reveals Team USA Is Struggling with 'Ego and Other BS' Ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics
