Kevin Durant showed why he is still one of the best scorers in basketball as he helped the USA Men’s basketball team win by 26 points in the Olympic opener against Serbia. The squad was struggling on the offensive end during the initial parts of the game. But KD’s efficient scoring saved them from trouble and helped set the foundation of a blowout victory. Therefore, Skip Bayless rightfully made a bold claim on FS1’s UNDISPUTED about Durant’s performance against Nikola Jokic and Co.
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KD connected on all of his eight attempts from the field in the first half, which helped USA widen their margin as the game progressed. “Jayson Tatum didn’t play a single second yesterday and they did that, because of HIM [KD]. He was HIM yesterday. Mr. Olympic,” Bayless told his UNDISPUTED co-hosts.
“To me, if for whatever reason, Kevin had not been cleared to play and Brian Windhorst reported he wasn’t cleared less than an hour before the game.. If for whatever reason if the calf wasn’t quite ready and they said no to him yesterday.. I don’t think we win that game,” the veteran journalist added.
He referred to Durant as Mr. Olympic since he is the top scorer in Team USA’s men’s basketball history. Before the game, KD was not declared fully healthy by the medical staff. He has been dealing with a calf injury and had missed all the exhibition games prior to the Olympics opener.
But luckily, KD was cleared to play just a few minutes before the game as a bench player. Bayless argued that if KD had missed the game, Team USA would have lost to the Serbs.
He pointed out that KD’s twin triples tied the game as soon as he entered the hardwood. Before that, the Serbians were leading the game 20-14. This shifted the tide in favor of Team USA as they built a nine-point first-half lead. It was clear that Durant’s efficient performance took the wind out of Serbia’s sail.
While referring to his comments on UNDISPUTED, Bayless quote-tweeted on X later, “If Durant had not been cleared to play, I don’t think we win that game.”
If Durant had not been cleared to play, I don't think we win that game. https://t.co/FkKK7hnR0O
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) July 29, 2024
In multiple tweets, Bayless showcased further admiration for Durant’s performance. He hailed this outing as the best in Olympic history. Meanwhile, he also used the opportunity to downplay LeBron James’ near triple-double performance on high efficiency.
The 72-year-old declared that he’d rather trust KD over LBJ during clutch moments, “In big games, I’ll take KD over LeBron every time.”
At any rate, it is understandable why KD’s performance wowed Skip Bayless. His electric showdown betrayed that the two-time Champion had suffered a long layoff because of a serious calf injury. However, we’ll have to see how the Team USA tandem adjusts in the next few games with KD potentially earning a starter spot.
