Adebayo-led bench helps U.S. topple South Sudan

LILLE, France — Worrying about which superstar player might not play on a given night isn’t Team USA’s problem, it might end up the trademark.

This team’s unrelenting depth will continue to lead to some uncomfortable moments when the coaching staff grapples with how to manage it all, but it continues to be the Americans’ fuel as they work toward trying to take a fifth consecutive gold medal.

Wednesday it was again the engine in a 103-86 win against upstart South Sudan that moved Team USA to 2-0 in Olympic play and punched its ticket into next week’s quarterfinals.

The Americans’ bench was devastating, racking up 66 points (compared to just 14 from South Sudan’s) and going on two key runs that essentially defined the game.

Bam Adebayo, who got extended minutes because it was Joel Embiid‘s turn to sit out the game, had perhaps his best-ever game with the national team as he came off the bench with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting with seven rebounds.

Kevin Durant reprised his bench role and provided his traditional firepower with 14 points, and Derrick White put in 10 points with three steals and a block among a string of excellent defensive plays.

In the win over Serbia on Sunday, what turned out to be the most important moment of the game was when Durant entered off the bench in the first quarter. Six minutes into the game against South Sudan, with the score tied 10-10 and the Bright Stars starting to gain confidence, the shrill horn at Stade Pierre Mauroy blared and U.S. coach Steve Kerr sent in his subs.

It’s so tempting and even natural to pay attention to who starts these high-profile games. And on this night it was extra intriguing because Jayson Tatum, who was the odd man out in a controversial decision against Serbia, was with the opening group. As were LeBron James, Steph Curry and Anthony Davis, players with six Most Valuable Players awards and nine championship rings between them.

But that’s missing the underlying power of this roster.

When the group of Durant, White, Adebayo, Jrue Holiday and Anthony Edwards came in, it changed the game. That group is filled with excellent defenders and still plenty of offensive punch.

South Sudan, which has excellent athleticism with a group of former NBA players and shooters, is a great story and a dangerous team with a bright future. But it just can’t compete with that depth.

That group, which was also supplemented by Devin Booker, went on a 23-4 run during the first and second quarters that essentially decided the game. That group reprised the role in the second half when South Sudan, led by hot shooting from Nuni Omot (24 points) and Bul Kuol (16), cut the lead from 19 points down to 10 against the American starters. Then the bench pushed it out to 16 points by the end of the third quarter.

Then starters James, Davis and Booker, who combined for 30 points, made plays down the stretch to keep the lead comfortable down the stretch.