Team USA had no trouble with China in its Olympic opener, stifling them defensively in a 57-point win.
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RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Kevin Durant and this new-look U.S. Olympic basketball team look just as dominant as the ones who slammed and jammed their way to the last two gold medals. Only he and Carmelo Anthony returned from that team, but the new guys were plenty ready for their Olympic moment.
DeMarcus Cousins was a force inside, scoring 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting, while Paul George chipped in 15 points off the bench.
A win by either the top-ranked US or No. 3 France will all but clinch first place in Group G, assuring an easier path to the final. China’s frontline is among the tallest in the tournament – they have four players that stand 7-foot or taller – but they lack the girth to matchup with the U.S. Qi, the tallest member of China’s team, stands a towering 7-foot-2 and weighs 218 lbs, but pales in comparison to Cousins’ 6-foot-11, 270 lbs frame.
The men’s basketball team, made up of 12 highly compensated NBA stars, has a tradition of opting for upscale digs ever since professionals were allowed to play in the Olympics in 1992.
USA Basketball enters the Rio Olympics as a heavy, heavy favorite to take home gold despite not having some of the top-shelf American talent like LeBron James or Stephen Curry at the Games. In back-to-back exhibitions in Los Angeles and Oakland before both teams departed for Brazil, Team USA blistered an overmatched China team 106-57 and then 107-57.
The Chinese got on the board first with a pair of free throws, and it was tied at 4 after a basket by Yi.
The usual first-game jitters and lack of chemistry weren’t on display as much as in years past as the squad bullied its way toward a 30-10 first quarter advantage.
There were flags waving and fans singing, the festive scene in the stands more interesting to watch than the game that wasn’t competitive after the first few minutes.
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If the Americans keep playing like this, the Olympic competition may not, either. He adds, “Our teams are extremely active in supporting their USA teammates”.
