Eleven members of the Team USA men’s basketball team played in Wednesday’s matchup with South Sudan at the Paris Olympics.
Sixers superstar Joel Embiid was the only American player who never left the bench.
The seven-time NBA All-Star and two-time scoring leader suited up and was on the sidelines, but he received zero minutes in a 103-86 Team USA victory to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Embiid, who'd missed practice Saturday with an illness, played 11 minutes Sunday vs. Serbia. He had a subpar Olympic debut, posting four points on 2-for-5 shooting, one block and two turnovers.
After a DNP against Serbia, Jayson Tatum started Wednesday and had four points, five rebounds and two assists. Team USA head coach Steve Kerr went with Tatum and Anthony Davis as starters in place of Jrue Holiday and Embiid.
The Americans jumped out to a 6-0 edge, but South Sudan briefly surged in front following a timeout by head coach Royal Ivey. Former Sixers wing Marial Shayok scored the last five points of a 10-2 run.
Bam Adebayo backed up Davis and played on a bench unit with Holiday, Anthony Edwards, Kevin Durant and Derrick White. Team USA soon started to pull away, grabbing a 33-14 lead early in the second quarter on an Adebayo slam. The Heat big man notched a team-high 18 points in the game on 8-for-10 shooting and seven rebounds.
NBA
Kerr subbed Tyrese Halliburton in for his first Olympic action with 5:38 left in the second quarter. Haliburton sunk a three-pointer on his first possession and finished with six points and an assist over eight minutes.
South Sudan had a spirited start to the third quarter and cut Team USA’s lead down to 11 points on threes from Bul Kuol and Nuni Omot, but the Americans never appeared in serious danger of an upset loss. After a one-point exhibition win over South Sudan, they knew Wednesday's game wouldn't automatically be a breeze.
Team USA’s final Group C contest will be Saturday at 11:15 a.m. ET against 0-2 Puerto Rico.
Kerr told reporters in Paris postgame that Embiid will start vs. Puerto Rico, according to The Washington Post's Ben Golliver. He said Embiid's DNP was matchup-based.