On July 29, in the Paris Olympic Games group stage, the USA men’s basketball team started strong with an easy 110-84 win over Serbia.
In this game, the USA men’s basketball team secured a significant victory. However, starting center Joel Embiid had another lackluster performance, seeming out of place on the court and not fitting in with his teammates. Without the ball, he was more of a hindrance than a help. After he was substituted off in the first quarter, the USA team went on a 12-2 run to take the lead, which they maintained for the rest of the game. When Embiid returned in the second half, there was little improvement in his play; he struggled to connect with his teammates and ultimately only played for 11 minutes. Even more painful was the fact that every time he got the ball, he was booed by the crowd, as he had chosen to play for the USA over France.
Embiid had the least playing time of all the USA players and still couldn’t better integrate into the team. He shot 2-for-5, scoring just 4 points, and missed all three of his free throws, committing two turnovers and three fouls. During the game, he also received a technical foul for a move, giving the opposing team two free points. Additionally, his plus-minus rating was -8, making him the only player on the USA team with a negative rating—a truly grim sight.