Kevin Durant makes history as Team USA men’s basketball cruises; more unfortunate 49ers news

This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up here to receive it in your inbox every weekday morning.

🏀🏃 Good morning to everyone, but especially to…

TEAM USA MEN’S BASKETBALL AND TEAM USA TRACK & FIELD

Bring on the MVP. Team USA Men’s Basketball destroyed Brazil122-87, in the Olympic quarter-finals to set up a meeting Nikola Jokic and Serbia in tomorrow’s semi-final.

• The United States were locked in after tip-off and led by double digits for almost the entire game. En route, Kevin Durant (11 points) passed Lisa Leslie as the top scorer of all time in Olympic history of Team USA basketball.
• Devin Boeker led the team with 18 points, and Anthony Edwards had 17 from the bench. A total of six players reached double figures and all twelve players on the roster scored.
• Team USA shot 15 of 31 (48%) on three-pointers.
• Maybe the only downside Le Bron James needed four stitches after taking an elbow to the face. He is expected to be available against Serbia.

The Americans defeated Serbia by 26 points, both in the group and in a pre-Olympic showcase match. But with a chance to score a huge defeat (and secure a medal), Serbia will certainly be more locked in and come in with a lot of momentum. Serbia overcame a 24-point deficit to defeat Australia, 95-90, in overtimewith Jokic (24 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, four steals) absolutely taking over the lead in overtime and again arguing about his “best player in the world” case, writes Brad Botkin.

On the other side of the hook, France angry Canadathat goes home with no medals despite having the league’s second-best collection of NBA talent, and Germany defeated Greece.

Elsewhere at the Paris Games, three Americans won gold on Tuesday: Amit Elor (women’s wrestling), Gabby Thomas (women’s 200m) and Cole Hocker (men 1500m). In Thomas, Hocker and Noah Lylesthe US does a flying start on the circuit, writes Matt Norlander. Team USA has already won five track golds; no other country has more than two.

Here’s more from the Olympics:

👍 Honorable mentions

🤕 And not such a good morning for…

CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY AND THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

The hits just keep coming for the 49ers. With the Brandon Aiyuk lotteries in progress (de Steelers are reportedly back in and the Patriots are reportedly out), Kyle Shanahan revealed Christian McCaffrey has a calf strain and will not play in preseason.

On the one hand, there’s a good chance McCaffrey wouldn’t have played anyway — he hasn’t played in a preseason game since 2019 — and Shanahan thinks it will only take his star “a few weeks.”

On the other hand, McCaffrey is coming off an NFL-high 339 touches, he’s 28 years old, and calf injuries aren’t always the simplest. Just ask Joe Burrow and the Bengal about last year.

To make matters worse, McCaffrey’s backup, Elijah Mitchellis dealing with a hamstring injury, and McCaffrey (perhaps unintentionally) called Aiyuk a “former teammate” during an interview.

In short, San Francisco’s best offensive playmaker is injured and the second-best offensive playmaker appears to be on the verge of being traded. All of this comes weeks before a huge season for the franchise as a whole.

Here’s what some notable 49ers, including Shanahan, said about the Aiyuk saga, with Nick Bosa called it ‘brutal’.

It’s safe to say it wasn’t the best day for the reigning NFC champions.

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏀 Lauri Markkanen expected to reach expansion with Jazz, which would take him off the trade market

Perhaps the biggest remaining domino of the NBA offseason has fallen. Lauri Markkanen agreed to an extension with the Jazz, which put several months’ worth of trade rumors to bed. The deal is expected to last five years and cost more than $200 million, according to reports.

Timing was crucial here:

• The 27-year-old Markkanen became eligible for an extension on Tuesday, and once he signs his new contract, he cannot be traded for the next six months.
• The 2024-25 NBA trade deadline was exactly six months from Tuesday – February 6, 2025 – so Markkanen is off the market for at least this upcoming season.
• Sam Quinn has one full explanation of everything.

After starting his career at the Bulls and spend a year with the Cavaliers, Markkanen has blossomed in Utah. He won Most Improved Player and made his first All-Star Game in 2022-23, when he averaged 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting over 39% from 3. His 200 three-pointers that season were the most ever by a player 2 meters tall or taller.

Given his modern attacking game and age, Markannen was the hottest name in the rumor mill for a while, with the Warriors seen as one big contender for his services. Now Utah can continue to build around him, Walker Kesslera plethora of young guards and wings and a ton of draft capital for the near future thanks to the Donovan Mitchell And Rudy Gobert offers.

Former MLB outfielder and LGBTQ advocate Billy Bean dies at age 60

Billy Boonspecial advisor to the commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB’s senior vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion has done so as well died after a battle with acute myeloid leukemia, the league announced on Tuesday. He was 60 years old.

• Bean played in six MLB seasons from 1987 to 1995, spending time with the Tigers, dodgers And Fathers.
• In a 1999 interview with the Miami Herald, Bean became the second MLB player ever to come out as gay. In 2014, MLB named him its first ambassador for inclusion. In that role, he worked with teams to “promote equity for all players, coaches, managers, umpires, employees and stakeholders throughout the game of baseball.”
• In a statement, Manfred called Bean “one of the kindest and most respected individuals I have ever known” who “made baseball a better institution both on and off the field.”

📺What we’re watching on Wednesday

🥇 We’re watching the Olympic Games. Here’s how.
⚾ Twins at Cubs or Astros at Rangers2:20 PM on MLB Network
🏀 Women’s Basketball – Quarterfinal: USA vs. Nigeria3:30 PM on USA
⚾ Padres at Pirates6.40pm on FS1
⚾ Phillies at Dodgers10:10 PM on MLB Network