Kevin Durant wasnât listening.
So Kobe Bryant spoke to him first. LeBron James followed.
âI told him, âIf we donât have the K.D. from Oklahoma City on this team then it makes no sense for you to be here,ââ James said Tuesday while getting ready for practice. âWe need that guy. We need the scoring champ on this team. We got guys who can do everything else, but we need that from him.â
James stopped and smiled.
âIâm happy,â he said, with a laugh. âHeâs doing that.â
Doing. Shooting. Scoring.
Durant has become the Olympic teamâs primary offensive weapon on an American roster filled with those types. James and Carmelo Anthony have scored on a par with him, but the majority of the U.S. teamâs offensive sets are designed to get the ball in Durantâs hands.
On Monday night, Durant scored 28 points, including 17 during a torrid third quarter of deadly outside shooting, as the U.S. outslugged Argentina 126-97 in a rough game that included accusations of punches and cheap shots.
Durantâs performance was just what the Americans had been waiting for from the modest 23-year-old.
For weeks, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski, his staff and Durantâs teammates have been urging him to shoot more, to score more and to dominate the way he did in leading the Thunder to the finals this season. Durant, though, has been reluctant, almost afraid. Itâs not his nature to be forceful.
âI donât want to step on nobodyâs toes,â he said. âThe last thing I want is for guys to say âAll right, itâs time for you to stop shooting.â But they get on me so much for not shooting when Iâm wide open.â
Bryant was one of the most vocal. After seeing Durant pass up too many open looks instead of stepping up and shooting a 3-pointer, Bryant pulled Durant aside.
His advice was simple.
âJust do me,â Durant said. âHe told me to do what I do. Coming from one of the greatest players to ever play, Iâll take that.â
Durant has been inspired ever since â" heâs averaging 18.6 points and shooting a mind-blowing 61 percent (20 of 33) on 3-pointers in five games. Heâll need to stay motivated if the U.S., which plays Australia in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, intends to win a second straight Olympic gold.
After James softened up Argentinaâs defense inside early in the third quarter, Durant was the one who buried the South Americans by making five 3-pointers in the third quarter.
One was longer than the next, and every time Durant prepared to shoot, players on the U.S. bench stood and grabbed each otherâs arms in excited anticipation before dancing, waving towels or in Andre Iguodalaâs case, diving on the floor when his shots splashed through the net.
The Americans threw a similar bench party a few nights earlier when Anthony made a record 10 3s in an 83-point win over defenseless Nigeria.
âThat gives you more confidence than seeing your shot go in,â Durant said of the sideline support. âSeeing these All-Stars and these champions and these guys that carry franchises and cities on their backs, to see them cheer for you like that, that gives me the ultimate confidence to go out there and play hard.â
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