And so it started, on a Sunday evening in late July, in a game with no importance in any standings, when Kevin Durant of the home team, the United States, was introduced before the exhibition against China and got a greeting in Staples Centre aimed at Kevin Durant of the road team, the Warriors.
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USA Basketball is now a convincing 3-0 in their five-exhibition warm-up tour around the United States leading up to the 2016 Olympic games in Rio.
The home venue of the Golden State Warriors played host to the lopsided affair-and provided usual Warriors fans a glimpse at new free-agent acquisition Kevin Durant starting alongside teammates Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.
Golden State general manager Bob Myers was in attendance to see his newest signing’s performance alongside Green and Klay Thompson, who scored 17 points in another impressive exhibition victory for the gold medal favorites. The team committed 18 turnovers and hit only 3-of-15 from deep, while US stroked 14-of-36 from outside.
Based on recent history – and the two games played so far – the quest for gold should be a cakewalk for Team USA. The Sacramento Kings center wound up posting a double-double with a team-high 21 points and 11 rebounds. Others are anxious about the Zika virus or the stories of complete chaos which has surrounded the Rio games. “But if that’s what they want to believe, if that makes them feel better about themselves – when I say them, I’m talking about whoever, whoever’s saying it – then believe it. But they’re wrong”.
However, per iSportsWeb, Kevin Durant’s move to Golden Warrior State is more “shattering”. Kyrie Irving proved he can go toe to toe with the two time MVP, Steph Curry, just fine.
The game never became closer, with U.S. jumping out to a lead as big as 50 before locking up the 49-point win, barely covering the 48.5 spread given by Vegas prior to the game. Basketball fans are just going to have to deal with his choice to be a Warrior.
But after having a full offseason to work out and get himself back into shape for an National Basketball Association season, George looked like the same player he was before the injury.
Team USA’s Coach Mike Krzyzewski said he was impressed with China’s pressure and denial defense.
Team USA is not the Warriors obviously, but dismissing how the trio works this summer together will likely carry over into the regular season would be ignorant. I’m still kind of starstruck when I’m around him, like ‘Man, that’s Kevin Durant, you know?
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That’s a sentiment shared by everyone within the Team USA apparatus.
