The Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant led the way in scoring for Team USA with 19 points, including going 4-for-5 from long distance in just 18 minutes of action.
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Along with Durant and Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving, Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins, Clippers big man DeAndre Jordan, and Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan all scored in the double figures.
Next up on their pre-Olympic tour is another game against China on Tuesday at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., where Durant will play before his new home fans for the first time since signing with the Warriors as a free agent.
On Friday night in Las Vegas, the USA national basketball team took the court for the first look at the 2016 incarnation of Team USA.
In the meantime, Krzyzewski said he’s pushing the team focus on building a defensive identity because of the versatility and athleticism they have on that side of the ball. “Argentina has four guys who have played, if you add their global experience, they’ve probably played I bet 800-1000 games for their country”.
Team USA vs. Team China will be televised by NBA TV and will be available to watch online on the USA Basketball Facebook feed.
The women’s team, meanwhile, will face France on July 28, 9 a.m. (via satellite) and Australia on August 1, 9a.m. (via satellite).
“None of the teams we’ve coached have worked harder defensively than this team”, he said. “It was good to get my feet wet again”. “But we really have an inside presence on the boards”.
In his first game back with Team USA since suffering a devastating injury during the 2014 FIBA World Cup, George scored 14 first-half points and finished with 18.
Kevin Durant and Draymond Green are looking to be the league’s most dominant backcourt. Shortly after, United States of America was unable to score for four minutes, China also struggled offensively during the same time.
“We got better today”, said Krzyzewski, who is fashioning a team after some of the NBA’s biggest stars – including LeBron James and Stephen Curry – opted out of the Games. “It’s a delicate, I think, question, and I’m sure it’ll come up, and we’ll have to deal with it. Not me per se, but (Team Director) Carol (Callan) and the USA Basketball and the USOC, the Olympic committee”. “I really do”, Auriemma, who coaches U-Conn. during the year, said (via HoopFeed.com) in a media conference call this week.
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“They’re two different teams”, he said of Argentina and China. Though it is undeniable that he made the Warriors a much tougher team, it is not an assurance that they will win the National Basketball Association championship that easily.
