After Jayson Tatum got roasted for not playing at all in Team USA's win over Serbia, it was Joel Embiid who found himself glued to the bench in their win over South Sudan on Wednesday. Head coach Steve Kerr's lineup combinations for Team USA have been the subject of quite a bit of debate, and it looks like he will be switching things up once again for their next game against Puerto Rico.

The Americans have already clinched their spot in the quarterfinal after beating both Serbia and South Sudan, but they will want to continue displaying their dominance against Puerto Rico. As a result, Kerr is tinkering his starting lineup once again, and after not playing against South Sudan, it looks like Embiid will be getting the starting nod against Puerto Rico the next time Team USA takes the court.

Via Ben Golliver:

“Steve Kerr said Joel Embiid received DNP-CD against South Sudan because USA wanted to better match up with their team speed.
– Kerr will start LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday and Embiid versus Puerto Rico on Friday.”

Joel Embiid looking to make his mark for Team USA against Puerto Rico

Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; USA forward Joel Embiid (11) looks on during the third quarter against Canada in the USA Basketball Showcase at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
© Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
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Kerr has tailored his lineups for Team USA to what their opponent does best, and that resulted in Embiid sitting out against South Sudan. Going against one of the fastest teams at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Kerr downsized his lineup after employing a bigger, stronger group to help them take down Serbia.

Against Puerto Rico, it looks like Kerr will be returning to a more conventional lineup with Embiid starting at the center position. With him back in the lineup now, chances are another big name player is going to have their minutes cut, so all eyes will be on Kerr's rotation to see who that player ends up being.

With so many talented players at his disposal, Kerr has the ability to mix and match his lineups as he pleases, but it also results in talented players not seeing the floor, which leads to fans freaking out on social media. At the end of the day, this group is committed to doing whatever they can to win a gold medal for their country, and with Embiid back in the lineup, he will be looking to make Kerr's future lineup decisions even more difficult by going out and putting together a strong outing.