On Sunday, Team USA basketball will officially begin what it hopes will be a successful run at a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal when it faces Serbia in its first game of group play.
That means going up against Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić, who has won three of the last four NBA regular season MVPs.
Team USA faced a challenge in recent days when Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis came down with illnesses. However, Davis seems on track to play on Sunday.
Via ESPN:
“Having the two best big men dealing with illness when facing a three-time NBA MVP isn’t ideal, but that is what Team USA is dealing with as it readies to open Olympic play,” wrote Brian Windhorst.
“Joel Embiid missed practice Saturday with an illness, while coach Steve Kerr said that Anthony Davis had missed practice time over the past several days with illness just ahead of the national team’s opener against Nikola Jokić and Serbia on Sunday.
“Kerr, however, isn’t worried anyone will be forced to miss the game, as Davis was able to practice Saturday.
“‘I’m confident we’ll have everybody ready [Sunday],’ Kerr said.”
Davis, of course, has battled against Jokic in the last two postseasons when his Los Angeles Lakers got ushered out by Jokic’s Nuggets. But it seems he’s looking forward to the matchup.
“Jokic, with what he’s able to do, obviously we know what he does at NBA, but maybe a little bit higher usage in the international game,” said Davis, who was still a little stuffed up. “It’s going to be fun.”
It will not be easy for the United States to claim the gold again, but the squad seems focused and ready to do just that.