LeBron James, Kevin Durant Lead US to Dominant 1st Olympic Win

Strong shooting propels the United States past Serbia to start the tournament.

Kevin Durant #7 of Team United States shoots the ball against Filip Petrusev #3 of Team Serbia during the first half of the Men's Group Phase-Group C game between Serbia and the United States on day two of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille on July 28, 2024. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The United States’ men’s basketball team took its first step toward winning a fifth consecutive gold medal at the Summer Olympics on July 28 with a 110–84 victory over Serbia.

Serbia started its tournament with medal aspirations of its own. Led by three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia had won two silver medals in its history in the Olympics. But having Jokic on the roster raised the confidence level of the entire country.