Thompson poured on 15 points in the final period while Green added six.
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Though other Team USA players also were showered with affection – notably Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and ex-Warrior Harrison Barnes – it was clear from the outset that Durant, 18 days after signing with the Warriors, was the big attraction for this audience. It was mystifying how Curry himself was still considered a humble, aw-shucks kind of guy even as he did things on the court that would have spawned untold numbers of scolding columns and Stephen A. Smith rants had LeBron or-God forbid-Kobe Bryant tried them.
“We’re veterans, we’ve played the game at the highest level and we know how to adapt”, Durant said.
What do you think of Kevin Durant’s move to Golden State Warriors?
James, Curry, Chris Paul, Anthony Davis, James Harden and Durant’s ex-teammate Russell Westbrook are among 2012 US Olympians not back for Rio. A win in this match will surely boost the confidence of Team USA and ultimately help counter the Chinese in the worldwide arena. The exhibition game features the US versus China, a tune-up for this summer’s Olympic games in Rio. He finished with 13 for the game, but each time he touched the ball, the crowd would ignite like never seen before in a Team USA exhibition matchup. “He kept saying, ‘Man, I got the jitters, like first-game-type jitters.’ But it was great to see”. This game has extra significance and is the official coming out party for Kevin Durant, who was just signed by DUB Nation three weeks ago and is sure to receive a warm welcome.
While their new teammate sparked Team USA’s second straight rout of China, Green and Thompson remained scoreless until the fourth quarter. He completed his first shooting routine in Oakland – a workmanlike two-man game between the superstar small forward and Team USA assistant Monty Williams – and sauntered over to the crowd hanging over the tunnel. However, with Durant on the court some key players who help the team bagged the 2015 championship will have a reduced role and there are speculations that Klay Thompson will suffer the most.
And his roster is stacked with two physical centers, DeMarcus Cousins and DeAndre Jordan, giving Team USA a different interior look than the previous two gold-medal winners. “They want to do all the dirty work”.
With three players on the team, it helps enhance the bond they will have with each other and carry over into the 2016-2017 National Basketball Association season.
“It was fantastic”, Green said.
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Krzyzewski had a light moment talking about Rio. I mean just imagine how insane that would make things. He said, ‘You should go there, especially the night before we play you.’ Maybe he was setting me up.
