Kevin Durant scored 16 points and Carmelo Anthony 14 for the US squad, which may have grown a touch overconfident following a 57-point blowout of China in its tournament opener.
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It came on a night that American teammate Katie Ledecky picked up her second gold of the Rio Olympics on the way to what could be a historic run of her own in the pool.
“We kind of knew they were going to slow the game up, change the pace, but we didn’t expect it to be like that”, said Carmelo Anthony, seeking an unprecedented third Olympic men’s hoops gold medal. Maybe this was a reminder that no team can be taken lightly – and there is little margin for error – once the Olympic flame is ignited.
Conor Dwyer, a part of the 4x200m freestyle relay team that won gold and himself an individual bronze medalist at these Games, grew up outside of Chicago playing ball with Jordan’s kids.
Indeed, the world is realizing how great Australia’s basketball team is.
The Americans continue pool play on Wednesday against unbeaten Australia.
Though Australia was always going to be a risky team at the Rio Olympic Games, they’ve looked fantastic thus far. Plus: whitewater canoe/kayak, where Michal Smolen, third at 2015 Worlds, attempts to give the USA its first-ever Olympic medal in the men’s K-1 event, and medal-round races in rowing. What’s interesting about Australia vs U.S., though, is the problems that they could present defensively for the United States. But the US has plenty of firepower led by Kevin Durant, and with Carmelo Anthony just 11 points away from becoming the all-time scorer in USA history. He now trails only David Robinson and LeBron James, both of whom he should pass by the end of the Olympics.
The US routed Venezuela on Monday, 113-69, behind 20 points from Paul George, 17 from Jimmy Butler and 16 from Kevin Durant.
The Team USA basketball team gets to enjoy the other events in Rio in their off time. There will likely be tougher games ahead, but they haven’t had one yet.
But still, Team USA boasts, well, all of its players as not just National Basketball Association players, but National Basketball Association stars.
The U.S. remains firmly in first place in Group A, but didn’t look like such a dominant squad after an 18-18 first quarter with the Venezuelans.
It was a different story in the second, when the Americans reeled off 13 straight points in one stretch to take control.
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Red, white and blase for one quarter, the U.S. Olympic team woke up and won easily.
