Kevin Durant BREAKS USA Basketball SCORING RECORD, CRUSHES Brazil in Quarterfinals | CBS Sports

Got you an update from the Olympics this one coming from men's basketball team USA is on to the semi-finals after a dominant 122 87 win over Brazil. Devin Booker led the way with 18 points. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant added 11 to become the all-time leading scorer in men's and women's U.S. history, passing Lisa Leslie on the way. So up next, here's how the bracket looks. It is the semi-finals on Thursday, and they are facing a team they have seen very often leading up to this point, Nikola Jokic and Serbia. Of course, if you remember, Team USA defeated Serbia in their Olympic opener. They also defeated the Serbians in a Olympic tune-up prior to that. So with more on reaction to this big win, we bring in our girl Ashley Nicole Moss. Ashley, we talked about this in the lead up to the game, right? Steve Kerr emphasizing defense and rebounding as keys to victory here. But to be honest, it was the offense that was on full display. What did you make of Team USA's overall performance in this one? I mean, it was well, just continuity basketball. I know people hate that term because it's just so generic. It's used so much. But this was team basketball displayed at its finest. And you're right. I mean, offense. But what happens is defense creates your offense when your offense isn't clicking. And if you look at that second quarter specifically, that is exactly what this team did. In that second quarter, there was a little bit of stagnant play from Team USA. Shots were there. They just weren't falling. The looks were there. They just weren't finishing. But it was the defense that helped go ahead and keep Brazil out of the game. Now, ultimately, Brazil did go on a slight run. But with the defensive abilities and capabilities and just tenacity of the defense as a whole, when you look at that first half specifically, it was just hard for them to go ahead and stop the bleeding. I mean, every single way they looked on that court, there was a guy in a white jersey, a dark blue jersey. I forget what color jerseys we were even wearing. That's how dominant that game was. Just all over them. I mean, this was such a beautiful display. If you are somebody like myself who still believes in the old school mantra that defense wins championships, this was a perfect example of just how potent defense can actually be regardless of how many scorers you have on your team. It was team basketball at its finest. Like I said, everyone got a touch. Multiple players in double digits. Multiple players shooting well from the field. Multiple players shooting well from the three. But everybody was committing to the defensive effort of this game. And ultimately, it was just perfect textbook basketball. Yeah, you're looking here at some of the top performers in the game today. We talked about Devin Booker. Anthony Edwards is kind of finding his way there. And then Joel Embiid getting in the mix. You know, it's hard with this team, Ashley, because, you know, to your point, it's the depth that's been on display here that's been so challenging for the rest of the world to really compete with. We do have to keep our eye on LeBron James. He went down there in the third quarter, got an elbow to the face. So that's obviously something to monitor going forward. But we have to talk about Kevin Durant. He passed Lisa Leslie to become the USA's all-time leading scorer. And he did it in a much different role than what we've seen in the past coming off the bench. So when it comes to just the individual performances here, if you had to give out a game ball, who are you giving it to and why? It's hard, right? I think Kevin Durant, for one reason, you know, him being able to be more passive but still being such an intricate part of the success of this team. Specifically, the bench unit has been monumental, right? Devin Booker had a phenomenal game today. I mean, 18 points for him. He came out the gate swinging. That four-point play was absolutely beautiful in the first half. I think when you look at Joel Embiid, there's enough of that game ball to give to him as well. He's been really struggling to find where he fits in this offense, where he fits in this team as a whole. And you saw a version of Joel Embiid. And 76ers fans on Twitter were making fun of me because I tweeted, where has this Joel Embiid been? And they were saying, look, as a 76ers fan, this is what he does. He disappears and he pops back up and reminds you why he's great. That's exactly what he did in this game against Brazil. Again, just the impressive thing about this roster, and you really start to see it more as the Olympics continue. In the exhibition games, everyone's still trying to figure each other out. You don't have much time in Vegas in training camp to do that. You have to do it in real time. But at this part of the Olympics, at this point of the Olympics, rather, you really start seeing guys comfortable. You start seeing them more familiar with each other as teammates. I mean, LeBron's court vision alone is just absolutely unreal. That last sequence that he was able to go ahead and find KD. I mean, it was just beautiful, beautiful basketball. So if I had to give out a game ball, I'm slicing it up three ways. KD, you get a piece. Devin Booker, you get a piece. And Joel Embiid, I'm proud of you for showing up. You get a piece as well. It is team ball, so everyone gets a piece of that team game ball. If we talk about familiarity here, Ashley, obviously this matchup coming up with Serbia, pretty familiar. When you think about the amount of times Team USA has played against Serbia. But I thought it was interesting watching them in that game earlier today in Australia, a game that went into extra time. And you kind of started to see a different version of Serbia, right? They were going toe to toe with an Australian team that has a lot of playmakers on it. You got Nikola Jokic on that side. So obviously you have to take him to an account every time you're playing. But what can we expect in this fourth meeting, third meeting with Serbia in the Olympics? What are you watching for? I'll say this. I think that Serbia is going to take that momentum from this Australia game. And it's going to follow them into the game against Team USA. It's interesting, right? Because we know what Jokic can do as an NBA player. We see it night in and night out for 82 games. Sometimes you are unfortunately on the really losing end of Nikola Jokic. But I will say this. I think that the Serbians play a big game, but they also play a slow game. And I think Team USA, one thing they have in their advantage. I mean, they have a lot of things in their advantage. But talking about this specific matchup is their speed, their tenacity. And that's a level that I don't think that Serbia can match. So they're going to have to figure out a way how they can use their size to dominate also a pretty big Team USA. Now, I will say this. There has been reports, you know, throughout Serbian play, whether it's in FIBA, whether it's in the Olympics, that they like to go ahead and play chess, not checkers. They want to go ahead and make you think in exhibition games that you can beat them. And they show up. Then they show up completely different when it actually means something when you're talking about the medal games. I don't know if I buy into that conspiracy theory. I don't know if I buy into that tall tale, that urban legend. Now, it wouldn't surprise me if that was, you know, some part of their game, a little bit of mind control. But I think that ultimately if Team USA plays their game, the game that we saw them play against Serbia in the exhibition, no matter what version of Serbia shows up, I think Team USA will get the best of them. Yeah, I think, unfortunately, the gamesmanship goes out the window when you're facing a team for the third time in the last month and a half or so. So good try, Serbia. But we will see how it would get underway on Thursday. All right, Ash, before I let you go, one of the things we talked about this morning was the biggest threat to Team USA. And you said it was Canada, which I know all pool like they are a talented team, but obviously they fall to France. So it's France moving on here. So kind of an elevated question, if you will, a loaded question. Who is the biggest threat to Team USA? Is it themselves? Is it another team in this tournament? Because at this point, you know, even with Canada getting knocked out, things look a little interesting. I mean, look, I think that you have to give credit where credit is due. And France looked phenomenal down the stretch. Now, I don't know if sometimes, you know, they're getting a little bit of help from the referees. They are playing in Paris. They are the home team. We see that happen in the NBA all the time. You get home calls. You get calls that, you know, a little bit in your favor in those really important clutch games that can keep you in a series a little bit longer. So I would not be surprised if that was happening with this French national team. But taking that out of the equation, I mean, Evan Fournier, as a New York Knicks fan, if he could play defense, you know, Timbs would have kept him on the floor a lot longer than he did because what he was able to do from that three-ball range was absolutely phenomenal. It was just in the clutch. It was just tenacious. It was just phenomenal. And they did this again with Rudy Gobert on the bench and Victor Wembayama not really being a prolific scorer, doing a lot of other things well. So I think when you look at this French team, you have to go ahead and fear them a little bit. Being able to beat a really good Australian team with Patty Mills hitting a Jordan-like shot to send them into overtime and still getting the best of them when you have one of the best defenders on the bench, one of the best prospects we have ever seen not really being that great offensively, that's a little scary if I'm Team USA. So I'm hoping for a France-USA matchup because then we will really get to see who the better team is. But you already know who my money is on. I'm going Team USA all the way. Hard to bet against the Americans in that depth. Just so we're clear, France, the biggest threat to Team USA in this tournament with the four teams left? Left, yes. I'm going with France for sure. All right. Well, they are the hosts, so we will see. But first, a lot to get through before we get there. Our Ashley Nicole Moss joining us here on HQ as Team USA is on to the semis. So here's how the bracket looks. The final four teams remaining, USA and Serbia, Round 3 coming Thursday at 3 o'clock Eastern. But before that, we get France, who of course got that big upset over Canada, taking on Germany 11.30 Eastern on Thursday.