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Team USA Basketball: Kevin Durant Pressured To Be More Aggressive

Kevin Durant is already leading theTeam USA men's basketball roster in scoring so far at the 2012 London Olympics with 17.5 points per game on a roster loaded with a dozen players who could rack up 30 on any given night. However, head coach Mike Krzyzewski and NBA analysts have been wondering whether or not Durant will truly take on a greater role on the team.

It might sound ridiculous to expect Durant to step up as the aggressive go-to scorer despite the presence of teammates like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, but Durant holds a special place on this team and as an elite NBA player.

Mark Medina writes, "It's not that he isn't playing well. It's that both Krzyzewski believes Durant could be even more aggressive in looking for his own shot. With James and Bryant on the helm, it's understandable that Durant wants to defer. But with James playing the play-making role and Bryant playing limited minutes, it's clear that Team USA is setting Durant up to be the main scoring option."

Durant and Team USA take on Nigeria this evening in the third game of group action for the U.S.

Read more of our Team USA coverage at this StoryStream. Be sure to check out SB Nation Kansas City as well. Also visit SB Nation's Olympic hub for even more coverage.