Kevin Durant Scores 23 to Lead US Team to Victory Over Serbia in Paris

Kevin Durant made a triumphant return to the U.S. Olympic team, showcasing his skills at the Paris Games. In his first game back, Durant scored 23 points on 8-for-9 shooting in just under 17 minutes, leading the U.S. to a 110-84 victory over Serbia.

Durant's performance was remarkable, especially considering he had been dealing with a calf strain for about a month. "I eased him in," said U.S. coach Steve Kerr. "He didn't ease himself in." Durant's five 3-pointers in the first half helped the U.S. secure a 58-49 lead at halftime.

Durant's Impact on the Game

Despite missing his only shot in the second half, Durant's early contributions were enough to set the tone for the game. "Oh, man," Durant said about his missed shot. "Felt good leaving my hand. I definitely wanted to finish the game perfect." His teammates and fans were quick to praise his performance.

Durant was the fifth substitute off the bench, making it only the fourth time in his last 1,320 games that he wasn't a starter. "We're talking about Kevin Durant as a sixth man," said U.S. guard Stephen Curry. "That tells you how good this team can be."

Social Media Reactions

Even during halftime, social media was abuzz with reactions to Durant's performance. Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter tweeted, "Just get KD the ball, pretty simple." Rhode Island women's basketball associate head coach Ali Jaques wrote, "KD ridiculous." Rich Kleiman, Durant's longtime business partner, added: "easy money!! what we talking about??!!!"

Durant's teammates also expressed their admiration after the game. "He was excellent," said U.S. guard Devin Booker. "Actually, no, he missed a shot. I don't know what the expletive is wrong with him. It's good to have him back out there."

Preparation and Recovery

Durant had been doing post-practice work with U.S. center Bam Adebayo, including a traditional Miami Heat drill session. "If I'm making your shot difficult, against anybody else, it should be easy," Adebayo said. Durant agreed, saying, "He's right."

USA Basketball announced Durant's availability about an hour before the game. He had missed all five pre-Olympic exhibitions due to his calf strain, which occurred just before training camp in early July. "There were days where I had good days and then I had a little setback," Durant said.

Durant's Olympic Legacy

Durant is aiming to become the first four-time Olympic men's basketball gold medalist. He has already won titles at the London Games in 2012, Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016, and Tokyo Games three years ago.

Durant returned to full practice last week and by Friday, his teammates knew he was ready to play. By Sunday, everyone else saw it too. "Nothing he does is surprising," Curry said. "To shoot perfect in the first half — he had 21 or something like that? — is special."

The all-time leading scorer in U.S. men's Olympic history showed why he holds that title with his performance against Serbia. His return has undoubtedly boosted the team's confidence as they aim for another gold medal.