Only DeMarcus Cousins (21) scored more for the U.S.
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Despite only tallying 13 points on 50 percent shooting, Durant didn’t disappoint his new home crowd. A loud one. And just the first one. He scored the first 10 points for the United States.
Durant, who led the United States gold medal effort in London with 19.5 points a game and was second on the 2012 team with 5.8 rebounds a contest, and Carmelo Anthony are the only players on the team with Olympic experience. “The atmosphere was great”. If you enjoy basketball in its purest form, you can appreciate how far our league has come and the great players in our league.
“I’m looking forward to the season, but it was good to get out there in front of them and play well”.
Durant reiterated that he’s just going to “be myself”, and said he feels the Warriors will accept him for the player he is. In contrast, Los Angeles Clipper DeAndre Jordan was booed, owing to the rivalry between the Warriors and Clippers. He emerged for pregame warmups to huge roars. This game isn’t going to be exactly like the Warriors’ home opener in the fall, but it will be awfully close. Even 1 fan held a sign proclaiming “KD is NOT the VILLIAN” just to the left of the placard. “The crowd, the welcoming for Kevin was fantastic”. “I mean we’re just getting to know each other”. Durant finished the first half with 13 while leading Team USA to a very comfortable 52-24 lead. The first time America’s professional athletes played in the games.
“I didn’t lose sleep over today”.
Said Durant: “I knew I would pull the first shot – since yesterday”. “Luckily it went in”.
“It’s still a little fresh but being able to focus on this makes it a little easier to get past it”, Durant said.
When it comes to the National Basketball Association, all eyes are on the Golden State Warriors moving forward.
Durant isn’t taking anything for granted. His former Thunder teammate Steven Adams once celebrated Durant’s own 3-pointer too early. He is ready to chase a championship with Curry and Co.
Green, joined on the court by Durant and Thompson, took the microphone before tipoff to thank the fans. The US team are heavy favorites to win the gold medal again this year.
“This kind of intensity level we rarely face”, China’s head coach Gong Luming said after the game, referring to the barrage of three-point shots and fast breakaways.
For a guy who spent the last nine years coming into Oracle Arena as a visitor, including this past season as the Warriors’ toughest challenger, Durant admitted afterward it was an adjustment. China lost by a margin of 50 points this time, 107-57.
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To the great joy of the Oracle crowd and Durant’s new teammates.
