Heading into the Paris Olympics, the U.S. basketball team is blessed with centers including Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo.
Embiid has started the team’s first two warmups against Canada and Australia, raising the question of whether AD or Adebayo will assume the starting center role.
“We’re going to continue to experiment with our lineups over the next few games,” head coach Steve Kerr told reporters on Monday. “Joel’s getting better every day. Usually, a bigger guy takes a little bit longer to get into rhythm and flow, but I love Joel. He’s a dominant player. I think it’s going to be a matter of figuring out what the best combinations are and getting the right people together, but it’s still a work in progress.”
The 30-year-old Embiid struggled in his U.S. debut against Canada, finishing with just five points and six rebounds in 12 minutes before fouling out in the third quarter, but played much better against Australia on Monday, with 10 points, five rebounds and two steals.
Meanwhile, Davis has been the most impressive player for Team USA, at least on the stat sheet, with his second consecutive double-double. He and Adebayo have combined on Team USA’s second unit, and the group has performed very well so far in the warmup games.
The benefit of starting a guy like M’Bied is that he provides a level of physicality down low that a Davis or Adebayo can’t replicate, creating the gravity that leads to wide-open shots on the perimeter when the defense collapses into the paint.
Sure, Davis is a great two-way player and Adebayo adds a playmaking dimension to the mix, but Embiid has become a much better passer from the post as his career has progressed and remains a better rim protector defensively.
The U.S. goal is to beat opponents in as many ways as possible. Embiid has the ability to overpower smaller teams in the post, but the U.S. team can play smaller guys, attack bigger teams with perimeter shots and good scoring wings who punish mismatches. And the U.S. has the athleticism to play lockdown defense, another path to success.
Ultimately, Kerr will likely be in good form in the flow of the game in Paris regardless of who starts. It will depend on which player can find a good rhythm as a pair. As of now, Davis and Adebayo are in good shape as a second-unit duo. Tipping the balance by starting either of them over Embiid might not be particularly beneficial.
