The Americans are the strong favorites in group B. Most believe that his squad in completely unbeatable as they are led by superstars Kevin Durant and Paul George.
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“Everything’s not going to be easy”, Durant said.
Aside from these, the team also has three retired National Basketball Association players.
Venezuela slowed the game down, mucked it up, got to the free throw line, was aided by some sloppy United States of America play for stretches, and made this game much closer than the 50-point Las Vegas line most of the night.
“I never even knew that”, Anthony said.
One interesting note, Harrison Barnes was the guy who didn’t play until garbage time.
Four other players finished in double figures, including Kevin Durant, who scored 16 points and carried the USA offensively in the first quarter.
“I thought China played really hard, they have a lot of young players and they are getting better and we were good”, said USA coach Mike Krzyzewski.
However, China forward Yi Jianlian, who was drafted sixth overall in the 2007 NBA Draft and had played five seasons in the world’s premier basketball league, managed to match the American’s top scorer Kevin Durant with his own 25 points in the contest.
Alba Torrens scored a game-high 20 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists for Spain in the loss.
“As a matter of fact the result of this game was already kind of expected before the game even started”, China coach Luming Gong said through an interpreter.
The American starting lineup consisted of Durant, Cousins, Anthony, Klay Thompson and Kyre Irving. They had 31 assists on their 38 baskets.
As was Venezuela’s hope, the game started slow, with the underdog fouling (29 times in total) to stop just about every one of Team USA’s fast break opportunities. Jimmy Butler’s corner three with seven seconds left in the period changed all that, but Gregory Vargas bullied his way to two free throws just before the final buzzer to send things into the second period all tied up. Then it was nine straight points for the Americans, who closed the first quarter with a 26-6 burst to lead 30-10. In the third quarter, Kyrie Irving scored 12 points by shooting four-three-point shots in a minute and a half play.
The victory was the 43rd consecutive for the U.S.in the Olympics.
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“Would I want to be in their shoes?” point guard Sue Bird, playing in her fourth Olympics, said afterward.
