Kevin Durant spearheaded the USA’s effort with 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting. Despite missing all of the exhibition games leading up to Paris, Durant looked exceptionally sharp coming off the bench.

The U.S. men’s basketball team kicked off their gold medal defense on Sunday at the Paris Olympics with a commanding 110-84 victory over Serbia to start group play.

Durant’s impressive performance led the way for the USA, while LeBron James, participating in the Olympics for the first time since 2012, contributed 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists, picking up where he left off in London 12 years ago. Nikola Jokić, a three-time NBA MVP, led Serbia with 20 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. Despite Jokić’s efforts, Serbia struggled against the USA’s superior talent. After a close first quarter, the United States seized control and maintained their lead for the remainder of the game.

The USA’s shooting was exceptional in their opener, hitting 62.3% of their field goals and 56.3% from beyond the arc. The movement of players like Devin Booker and Stephen Curry off the ball created significant problems for the Serbian defense, allowing the USA’s perimeter shooters to capitalize. Additionally, the front-court trio of Joel Embiid, Bam Adebayo, and Anthony Davis played strong defense, effectively shutting down the paint for all Serbian players except Jokić.

The U.S. roster saw contributions from various players, including Jrue Holiday with 15 points and strong on-ball defense, while Booker added 12, and Curry and Anthony Edwards chipped in with 11 each. Edwards also showcased his signature style, drawing attention with some flashy moves.

Durant’s return to the lineup enhanced the USA’s offense but also led to a tighter rotation, putting Jayson Tatum on the bench for this game. Tatum, a reigning NBA champion, did not see action as coach Steve Kerr chose to pair defensive-minded players like Holiday and Derrick White with the offensive stars, a strategy that temporarily sidelined Tatum.

Despite being a strong favorite for their fourth consecutive gold medal, the USA’s performance on Sunday was impressive. Serbia, while lacking NBA depth, compensated with strong team cohesion and had notable recent success, including a silver medal at the FIBA World Cup and current NBA stars like Nikola Jović and Bogdan Bogdanović.

The USA will face South Sudan in their next group game on Wednesday, having narrowly defeated them 101-100 in a recent matchup on July 20.