Team USA defeated Serbia in convincing fashion for the second time this summer, and once again Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo proved why he earned his Team USA selection by being a team player. Team USA won its opening game of the 2024 Paris Olympics by defeating Serbia 110-84.
Adebayo did not need to do much scoring in this game. LeBron James and Kevin Durant combined for 44 points on extremely efficient shooting. Bam only scored four points in 20 minutes in this game.
Instead, Bam made an impact with his playmaking. Although he only had two assists, he made an impact by making the right plays and giving the ball to the hot hand. He even showed his versatility as a center on some possessions in which he took the ball up the court. His unselfishness as a basketball player has helped him lead Miami to two NBA Finals and that unselfish play style has carried over to Team USA.
Bam also made a defensive impact in this game. Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis were dealing with illnesses and dealt with foul trouble throughout this game. This allowed Bam to take over some minutes at center and defend Serbian superstar and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Bam led the bigs in minutes played.
Team USA will play its next group game against South Sudan on July 31. The exhibition between the two teams came down to a few key plays. Adebayo and Team USA will need to stay focused to make sure they come away with the victory.