PARIS — Most of the Olympic men’s basketball quarterfinals were stressful for the favorites, with the top seeds in the first three games falling behind by double digits and one (Canada) going down in an upset. Team USA? Not so much. The Americans routed Brazil on Tuesday night at Bercy Arena, 122-87, on the night Kevin Durant became the all-time leading scorer at the Olympics for USA Basketball, on the men’s or women’s side.
The U.S. will play Serbia for the third time this summer at 3 p.
m. ET on Thursday in one semifinal. Defending World Cup champion Germany plays 2021 Olympic silver medalist France in the other semifinal.
Devin Booker was the United States’ leading scorer with 18 points and five 3s, LeBron James continued his Olympic dominance and Joel Embiid’s best night with the American team was interrupted by a minor ankle injury. The Americans have outscored opponents by 99 points in four games. “These guys have really turned it up,” Team USA coach Steve Kerr said.
“They’ve played really well for these four games, but our two toughest games will be the next two, no matter what happens. So we’ve got work to do.” Embiid, clearly no longer bothered by whatever the French fans have to say to him, or about him, played his best game for Team USA this summer with 14 points and seven rebounds on 5-of-6 shooting, all in the first half.
Kerr said Embiid approached him at halftime, complaining of a rolled ankle, and was held out for the second half. “He�.