US men's basketball team locks up top seed with win over Puerto Rico

Kevin Durant is close to officially becoming basketball's Captain America.

The Phoenix Suns star, after scoring 11 points in the U.S. men's basketball team's 104-83 win over Puerto Rico, has 483 career Olympic points. He will enter Tuesday's quarterfinal just six points away from passing women's star Lisa Leslie to become the leading scorer in U.S. Olympic basketball history.

Here are the USA's all-time leaders in men's and women's Olympic basketball (active players in bold).

• 1. Lisa Leslie, 488 points (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008)
• 2. Kevin Durant, 483 points (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024)
• 3. Diana Taurasi, 416 points (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024)
• 4. Carmelo Anthony, 336 points (2004, 2008, 20212, 2016)
• 5. LeBron James, 316 (2004, 2008, 2012, 2024)
• 6. Sheryl Swoopes, 274 points (1996, 2000, 2004)
• 7. David Robinson, 270 points (1988, 1992, 1996)
• 8. Teresa Edwards, 265 points (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000)
• 9. Katrina McClain, 258 points (1988, 1992, 1996)
• 10. Michael Jordan, 256 points (1984, 1992)

The U.S. men's basketball team will enter the knockout round as the top seed.

Team USA finished pool play 3-0 after defeating Puerto Rico 104-83 on Saturday. Two other teams also finished 3-0, but the U.S. held the point-differential tiebreaker at plus-64 to top Germany (plus-47) and Canada (plus-20).

The U.S. had six players finish in double figures, led by Anthony Edwards, who had 26 points. Joel Embiid added 15 points. Kevin Durant had 11 points and four rebounds, grabbing the 126th board of his Olympic career to pass Carmelo Anthony as the U.S. men's team's all-time leading rebounder. LeBron James, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Davis each scored 10 points.

The U.S. trailed by as many as eight in the first quarter before building a comfortable lead with a 39-13 third quarter.

The U.S. men's basketball team's all-time leading scorer is also now its all-time leading rebounder.

Kevin Durant has passed Carmelo Anthony in another category, grabbing the 126th rebound of his Olympic career to become the team's leader in the category.

Durant, who had 11 points and four rebounds in Team USA's win over Puerto Rico on Saturday, also leads the team with 483 career Olympic points. He will enter Tuesday's quarterfinal just six points away from passing women's star Lisa Leslie to become the leading scorer in U.S. Olympic basketball history.

Anthony Edwards is putting on a show in Paris.

The Minnesota Timberwolves star has scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter for Team USA, including a play in which he intercepted a pass and cruised down court all alone for the windmill slam.

Edwards has a team-high 26 points on 11-for-15 shooting for the U.S. in the fourth quarter against Puerto Rico.

There have only been three triple-doubles in men's basketball Olympic history. LeBron James has one of them, and he could potentially add another if playing time permits.

James has 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds through the third quarter with the U.S. leading Puerto Rico 87-59.

James had his Olympic triple double in the semifinals of the 2012 London Olympics with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists.

The first Olympic triple-double, per USA TODAY, was at the 1976 Montreal Games when Alexander Belov posted 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic had the most recent men’s basketball triple-double at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when he finished with 16 points, 18 assists, and 10 rebounds in a semifinal loss.

No way, Jose.

Puerto Rico's Jose Alvarado might want to think twice next time about driving the lane. He was blocked by Anthony Davis earlier while doing so, and he was just denied again by Joel Embiid.

Alvarado, however, does lead Puerto Rico with 15 points midway through the third quarter with the U.S. leading 73-54.

In Team USA's opener, it was Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton who didn't get any playing time. In the second game, it was Joel Embiid. Now, it's back to Haliburton.

The Indiana Pacers All-Star guard got a DNP in the first half of the U.S. men's basketball team's matchup against Puerto Rico. Haliburton is averaging a team-low 7.6 minutes per game.

The U.S. is playing a man down with Jrue Holiday missing the game because of an ankle injury.

John David Mercer/USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Durant is a few buckets away from making Olympic history.

The Phoenix Suns star, who already has the most points in the history of the U.S. men's basketball team, entered Saturday's game needing 17 points to pass women's star Lisa Leslie as the leading scorer in U.S. Olympic basketball history.

Durant scored eight points in the first half against Puerto Rico, going 3 of 5 from the field. That puts him at 480 career points in the Olympics, which is nine away from breaking Leslie's total of 488.

Leslie, a four-time Olympian, won gold medals with the U.S. women’s team in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. Durant is attempting to win a fourth gold medal, which would break a tie with Carmelo Anthony for the most in men's basketball history.

It wasn't easy as the score indicates, but the U.S. men's basketball team went into halftime with a lead.

The U.S., which trailed by as many as eight in the first quarter, heads into the break with a 64-45 advantage.

Team USA opened the second on a 6-0 run to regain the lead, going in front on a Kevin Durant 3-pointer that made it 29-28. Puerto Rico regained the lead on a layup for a one-point advantage before the U.S. responded with an 8-0 run for a 44-37 lead. After Puerto Rico got back within three, the U.S. blew the game open, closing the quarter on a 20-4 run to end a 39-point quarter.

Anthony Edwards has a team-high 12 points at the half. Jayson Tatum, LeBron James and Kevin Durant added eight each.

Kevin Durant's 3-point streak is over.

The Phoenix Suns star had connected on his first seven attempts from deep during the 2024 Paris Olympics, but he finally missed one on Saturday. The miss came with 8:40 remaining in the second quarter against Puerto Rico.

Anthony Davis then got the offensive rebound and kicked it back out to Durant, who immediately fired again and connected to give the U.S. a 29-28 lead. A new KD streak is underway.

The U.S. men's basketball team is losing after the first quarter. Yes, you read that correctly.

Team USA, seeking a fifth straight gold medal, is trailing winless Puerto Rico 30-25 heading into the second quarter. Puerto Rico, which is 0-2, shot 54.5% from the field in the quarter, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. The U.S. trailed by as many as eight at 25-17 after an 11-0 Puerto Rico run.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado led Puerto Rico with nine points. Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards had six points each for the U.S., which shot 57.1% in the quarter, going just 1 of 4 from deep.

Puerto Rico came to play against the USA.

The team, which entered Saturday's game shooting just 34% from 3-point range, has started 4-for-6 from deep. Puerto Rico went on an 11-0 run, capped with a three by Aleem Ford, to take a 25-17 lead and force a timeout by Steve Kerr.

LeBron James is playing in his fourth Olympics. That mean's a lot of red, white and blue headbands.

Take a look...

For a few minutes, it felt like 2004 all over again.

Puerto Rico jumped out to a quick 12-6 lead over the United States in Saturday's pool-play game, but order has been restored. Steph Curry hit a 3-pointer to cap a 7-0 run and put the U.S. men's basketball team back in front at 13-12.

Puerto Rico, of course, stunned the U.S. in 2004 by handing the team it's most lopsided loss in Olympic history at 92-73.

Three games, three different starting lineups for the U.S. men’s basketball team.

For the team’s third and final pool-play game on Saturday, head coach Steve Kerr has elected to start Steph Curry, LeBron James, Devin Booker, Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum.

In Team USA’s first game against Serbia, the starting lineup was Booker, Curry, James, Embiid and Jrue Holiday. In their second matchup against South Sudan, Kerr went with Booker, Curry, James, Tatum and Anthony Davis.

Kerr said his original plan for Saturday's game was to return to the starting lineup from the team's opening game. Holiday, however, is reportedly out with an ankle injury and was replaced by Tatum.

Through two games at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Team USA has primarily been led statistically by two of its eldest stars: LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

Here’s a look at the U.S. leaders heading into Saturday’s third and final group-play game...  

Points per game: Keving Durant (18.5), LeBron James (16.5), Anthony Edwards (12.0)

Rebounds per game: Anthony Davis (7.5), LeBron James (7.0), Jayson Tatum (5.0)

Assists per game: LeBron James (7.0), Devin Booker (5.5), Steph Curry (3.5)

Kevin Durant has a chance to rewrite the Olympic history books on Saturday.

The Phoenix Suns star, who already has the most points in the history of the U.S. men's basketball team, can pass women's star Lisa Leslie to become the leading scorer in U.S. Olympic basketball history.

Durant enters Saturday's game against Puerto Rico with 472 points in his Olympic career, which is 16 shy of matching Leslie's total of 488. Leslie, a four-time Olympian, won gold medals with the U.S. women’s team in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. Durant is attempting to win a fourth gold medal, which would break a tie with Carmelo Anthony for the most in men's basketball history.

Durant, while coming off the bench in Team USA's first two games in Paris, is the team's leading scorer at 18.5 points per game. He is shooting 71.4 percent from the field and is yet to miss from 3-point range, hitting all seven of his attempts.

The U.S. men’s basketball team is 140-5 all-time in the Olympics.

Perhaps the most shocking of those losses came almost 20 years ago to the day against Puerto Rico -- which Team USA plays on Saturday at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Puerto Rico handed the U.S. what remains its most lopsided loss in Olympic history with a 92-73 defeat in the opening game of the 2004 Greece Olympics. The U.S. team, which at the time had won three straight gold medals and was favored to get a fourth, went on to lose three games in Greece and managed only a bronze medal.

A loss to Puerto Rico on Saturday, however, is highly unlikely. Puerto Rico enters 0-2 in Paris, having lost its first two games to South Sudan and Serbia. New Orleans Pelicans' Jose Alvarado headlines the team, alongside Memphis Grizzlies G Leaguer Davon Reed and former Sacramento Kings wing Isaiah Piniero.

Puerto Rico is averaging 72.5 points per game on just 35.7% shooting. The U.S., at 2-0, is averaging 106.5 points per game on 57.6% shooting.

SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images

Jrue Holiday is out for Team USA's matchup on Saturday.

The Boston Celtics guard suffered a minor ankle injury in the U.S. men's basketball team's win over South Sudan on Wednesday.

Holiday has played a key role as a two-way player and is averaging 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 19.4 minutes per game. 

Head coach Steve Kerr said his original plan was to return to the starting lineup he used in Team USA's opener at the Paris Olympics -- which included Holiday, Steph Curry, LeBron James, Devin Booker and Joel Embiid. If Holiday is unable to play, his Celtics teammate Derrick White could be a candidate to replace him in the starting unit.

Anthony Edwards launched and made a 3-pointer with four seconds remaining in Wednesday's game. The U.S. at the time was up by 17 over South Sudan.

In the NBA, this kind of lead padding might be seen as disrespectful. In the Olympics, it's fair game when every point counts. Point differential is the tiebreaker used to determine seeding for the knockout round in the Olympics.

The unbeaten United States, which defeated Serbia by 26 and South Sudan by 17, enters its third and final group play game on Saturday at plus-43. Germany finished at 3-0 with a point differential of plus-47. Steve Kerr showed the U.S. men's basketball team the standings on Friday to emphasize the importance of point differential.

"We want the No. 1 seed," Kerr told reporters at practice Friday. "It gives you the best matchup in the quarterfinals. So, if we drop down to two or three -- which I think is unlikely, but we've got to take care of our business -- we possibly have a much tougher opponent."

The U.S. had already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals, but with another lopsided win on Saturday, it will likely secure a matchup with an opponent that finished 1-2 in group play.

Team USA is on its way.

The men's basketball team is headed to Pierre Mauroy Stadium for Saturday's matchup against Puerto Rico at 11:15 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. It will be the unbeaten team's third and final game of group play as it looks to secure the top seed in the knockout round.