In an interview with the media ahead of Team USA’s quarterfinal match against Brazil, the veteran head coach revealed that the Suns superstar will continue to come off the bench and won’t start any of their remaining fixtures. Kerr said,
“We’ve found a good groove. I think if Kevin had been here from day 1, chances are he would be starting. That was the plan coming in but given that he missed all of our friendlies and came in late, we had kind of established a lineup that we liked.”
Durant came into training camp with a calf strain and sat out of all five of Team USA’s exhibition games before their flight to Paris. He marked his return to the national team with a stellar display off the bench in their Olympic opener against Serbia. He shot 8-of-9 from the floor, including 5-of-5 from beyond the arc, and went 2-of-2 from the free throw line to finish with a game-high 23 points.
The veteran forward followed that up with an efficient 14-point outing against South Sudan and finished with 11 in Team USA’s final group-stage game against Puerto Rico. Many believed that Durant would use the group stage to find his groove and return to the starting lineup in the quarterfinals.
However, Kerr is satisfied with his impact off the bench and doesn’t want to tinker with the role ahead of the knockouts. Durant has taken the news in stride and is seemingly on board with not starting games.
Durant accepts Kerr’s decision to keep him on the bench
When asked about Kerr’s decision to use him as a sixth man, Durant told NBA insider Brian Windhorst that he isn’t bothered about it. He claimed that he was willing to help the team in any way possible, saying,
“It’s basketball, it really doesn’t matter who starts. It’s about really who finished the game, who put their impact on the game while they’re in the game. So I just try to do my best to impact it any way I can.”
While the veteran forward’s exclusion from the starting lineup is surprising, it hasn’t affected Durant’s production. On the contrary, his exceptional performances off the bench at critical junctures have helped Team USA build nearly unassailable leads in each game.
Kerr may be unsure about the best starting lineup, but he’s confident that the three-time gold medalist playing as a sixth man is optimal for the team.
