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Team USA superstar forward Kevin Durant is reportedly aiming to play in Monday's final pre-Olympic exhibition matchup against Germany. His expected return comes after the Durant-less Americans nearly avoided a colossal upset against South Sudan on Saturday.
Through four tune-up contests, Team USA is undefeated, dispatching Canada, Australia, Serbia and South Sudan. However, it needed a late-game drive from superstar forward LeBron James to hang on for a 101-100 victory against South Sudan despite being 43.5-point favorites.
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The nearly unfathomable letdown sparked questions about the Americans' focus ahead of this summer's Paris Olympics. So, they should be much more locked in against Germany, especially after being eliminated by the Germans in the 2023 FIBA World Cup semifinals.
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Germany, led by stars Dennis Schroder and Franz Wagner, is 3-1 in pre-Olympic play. After splitting a pair of matchups against France, the Germans secured blowout victories over the Netherlands and Japan. So, they should present another challenge for Team USA in its second London showcase game.
What happened to Kevin Durant?
Kevin Durant missed Team USA's first four exhibition contests due to a strained right calf that he suffered in mid-June. However, on Friday, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that he returned to practice in London and was targeting a Saturday or Monday return.
Durant also touched on his progress on Friday, noting how he was taking things day by day.
"I’ve seen progress every day," Durant said. "It’s one of those things, just got to monitor it every day. I’ll see how I feel after I do certain exercises. My thing is to keep running and see what happens."
Kevin Durant latest injury update
On Sunday, ESPN's Brian Windhorst provided a follow-up report on Durant's calf injury. Per Windhorst, the one-time NBA MVP has been ramping up in hopes of playing on Monday.
"Kevin Durant has increased his workload over the last several days here in London with Team USA and is expected to try to play a few minutes when the squad takes part in its last pre-Olympic exhibition game Monday night against Germany," Windhorst said.
If available, Durant will look to gain chemistry with his new Team USA teammates as he gets set to pursue his fourth Olympic gold medal. The 14-time NBA All-Star previously won gold medals at the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympics. He ranks first all-time in USA Basketball scoring (435 points).
UPDATE: Despite being expected to play, Kevin Durant has been ruled out for Monday's showdown against Germany.
Team USA vs Germany game details
Team USA's final Olympic tune-up contest against Germany takes place in London, United Kingdom at 3 p.m. ET on Monday. Fans can watch the contest on Fox or live stream it on Fubo, with live stats available at usab.com.
NBA Report: South Sudan’s triple-double star against Team USA might land NBA spot
