FIBA 2010: USA vs Slovenia Video Highlights.

Durant delivers despite limited minutes

ISTANBUL -- The question needed to be asked, so it was asked: Why, Coach K, did you pull Kevin Durant from the game just past the midpoint of the first quarter?

Durant had gotten Team USA off to a torrid start against Slovenia with 7 points, 3 steals, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in the first 5½ minutes as the U.S. jumped out to an 18-6 lead.

But after he was subbed out, the Americans struggled noticeably, falling into an offensive drought in which they failed to make a field goal during the first 6½ minutes of the second quarter as their lead dwindled to five.

"Well, it's a long tournament, and we need to develop our entire team," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "My position is based on running a marathon and not a sprint. That's something I've learned over the last five years. We need 12 guys to win. As we keep going along, it's not one guy. Not one guy."

Fair enough, but the team's difficulties when Durant was not on the floor were something of a worrisome afterthought following Team USA's 99-77 victory over Slovenia on Sunday, the second day of FIBA World Championship competition.

The Americans were never in danger in this one, but the early substitution was a curious one. They were playing so well from the get-go that they could have rode Durant's hot hand to a 20-point lead after the first quarter, then given him 30 minutes of rest to have him in top form for the final game of a back-to-back-to-back Monday against Brazil.

As it was, Krzyzewski gave Durant a longer run to open the second half, leaving him in for the first 7 minutes, 37 seconds of the third quarter while subbing out the four other starters. He then pulled him for good after Durant fed Kevin Love for a dunk, completing one of the niftiest passing possessions of the game to extend the lead to 26 points.

"Coach does a great job of letting me know when I'm coming out and when I'm getting extended minutes, too. I'm totally fine with that," said Durant, who finished with a game-high 22 points in just 22 minutes. "I just try to give them a great spark when I come back into the game."

That he did, as did Love, who produced 10 points and 11 rebounds in yet another hyperactive performance in limited time (13 minutes).

Love and Durant stood out the most, and Rudy Gay played well, too, by chipping in 16 points. But for the second straight day the Americans showed a disturbing proclivity to turn the ball over -- at one point in the second quarter, they were averaging almost one per minute.

"Each game has gotten tougher and tougher, and tomorrow is going to be a huge challenge for us," Love said. "We can't have a lapse like we've had the last two games, where we've had turnover after turnover. We have to clean that up because it can hurt us down the stretch."

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