Six U.S. players scored in double figures, led by Kevin Durant‘s game-high 19 points.
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In Team USA’s second exhibition game before heading to Rio for the Summer Olympics, Clippers and Lakers fans didn’t hold back when expressing their sentiment towards the Warriors players representing the United States.
“I thought when we started the game that’s all we wanted to do”, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said.
In the Rio Olympics, the USA Basketball men’s team is bracketed in Group A along with France, Venezuela, Serbia, China and Australia.
China, meanwhile, saw its biggest contribution from former National Basketball Association player Yi Jianlian who scored 18 points on 4-of-14 shooting.
Gong is no stranger to the gulf in class that exists between the United States of America and most of the teams they go up against. “The way we won was excellent”, said the long-time Duke University coach, according to the MailOnline. However, in Friday’s game against Argentina, Coach K ran three starters (Anthony, Irving, Durant) above 20 minutes played with two players not reaching 14 minutes.
The gifted scorer and former MVP has been widely popular around the game for most of his career, but his decision this month has made him a target of jealousy, frustration and even derision – and not even a Team USA jersey can deflect it.
As it began its quest for a third straight gold medal, Team USA showed no drop-off in talent for a program that hasn’t lost a game in 10 years. The Los Angeles Clippers big man had a nice game of 12 points, five rebounds, three blocks, two steals, and two assists in 17 minutes in his home arena, but it wouldn’t be a Jordan moment without an adventure at the free-throw line. Some of that has to be a lack of shooting ability, especially when their best scorer and former National Basketball Association lottery pick Yi Jianlin goes 4-of-14 from the field on his way to 18 points.
Up next, Team USA comes to the Bay Area and Oracle Arena for a rematch against China.
“We can be a lot better and that’ll come”.
Guo Ailun, another key piece of that unbeaten Asia Championship team, scored five points and pulled down five rebounds. We’ve only been together a little over a week, so it’s going to take some time but we need games like this to get comfortable. I was impressed with China’s ball pressure and denial on defense.
The teams will also play in the Olympic opener on Saturday, Aug. 6. But if he remains the defensive impact he was tonight moving forward, it won’t be his shooting or play on offense that will look to make his Olympic campaign a successful one.
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“There is certainly enough shooting, a couple of players are outstanding shooters”.
