Kevin Durant Won't Start for USA vs Brazil

The Americans will still utilize one of their top scorers from their second unit.

Jul 31, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; United States guard Kevin Durant (7) in the third quarter against South Sudan during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- Team USA head coach Steve Kerr still has no plans on starting Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant ahead of their Tuesday quarterfinal matchup against Brazil.

"There's no plans on changing that, but of course as the games get more difficult, my guess is Kevin will be playing more and more minutes. Keep coming off the bench for now, but we will lean on him more and more as we go," Kerr said (h/t The Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin).

Durant has been a strong presence for the Americans in a bench role, which initially began after Durant missed all exhibition games ahead of their time in Paris due to a strained calf.

The player himself isn't getting caught up on who starts and who doesn't.

"It's basketball, it really doesn't matter who starts," Durant said on not cracking the starting lineup.

"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."

Durant reached 11 points in Team USA's final group stage game vs Puerto Rico and has arguably been the squad's best player alongside LeBron James thanks to his overall ability to impact the game.

"If Kevin had been here from Day 1, chances are he'd be starting," said Kerr.

"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. When we brought him back, he was only going to play a certain amount of minutes against Serbia. And he played so well and he fit so well with that group, and it was devastating to see that group together."