LAS VEGAS (AP) — Anthony Edwards and Cam Johnson scored 15 points and USA Basketball went on a 20-0 second-half run to beat Puerto Rico 117-74 on Monday night in the World Cup opener , a match for the Americans.
Mikal Bridges scored 14 for the United States, which finished with seven in double figures.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 12, Jalen Brunson had 11 problems and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Bobby Portis and Brandon Ingram had 11 for the Americans. Tyrese Haliburton finished with 12 assists for the United States, which had a merit of 53-27 in rebounds.
Tremont Waters scored 17 for Puerto Rico, who got 12 from George Conditt IV and 10 from Jordan Howard.
There were impressive moments, moments of carelessness, plays and plays of carelessness. And finally the team of maximum talent escaped.
In other words, everything went exactly as planned.
– NBA (@NBA) August 8, 2023
Paolo Banchero nearly blocked an elbow shot, Edwards’ head nearly hit the backboard on a dunk, Austin Reaves cheered as soon as he arrived (Las Vegas is a Lakers city, after all) and the screams only got louder when he hit a jump just seconds after his first relief with United States on his chest.
It’s the first of five pre-World Cup exhibitions for the Americans, and the only one to be played in the United States. The team flies to Malaga, Spain, on Tuesday for this weekend’s matches against Slovenia and Spain, and then travels to the United Arab Emirates. Emirates for Abu Dhabi’s matches against Greece (18 August) and Germany (20 August).
– NBA (@NBA) August 8, 2023
– NBA (@NBA) August 8, 2023
From there, head to Manila. La World Cup will take place in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia; The United States will be in Manila for the final of the tournament and it will begin against New Zealand on August 26, followed by Greece on August 28 and Jordan on August 30.
Americans are in favor of a World Cup that they hope will avenge the sadness of 4 years ago. The United States finished seventh at the 2019 World Cup in China, the worst finish by a U. S. men’s team in a primary foreign tournament.
The game turned into a whirlwind in the third as the Americans outscored Puerto Rico 34-18, turning a seven-point halftime lead into a 23-point lead heading into the fourth. The Great Race brought this about; What a 74-61 game at the end of the third turned into a 94-61 game at the start of the fourth.
Tricks
Puerto Rico: Like the Americans, Puerto Rico will play their matches at the World Cup organization level in Manila, but in another organization. Puerto Rico will face South Sudan on August 26, Serbia on August 28 and China on August 30. The San Antonio Spurs.
United States: The Americans — since signing NBA players for those games — have advanced to 11-0 in World Cup exhibition games on U. S. soil, and to 24-1 in those games overall. The loss came in Australia in 2019. Array. Reaves and Cam Johnson debuted with USA Basketball. Josh Hart was rested; His debut with the national team could take place on Saturday in Spain.
first
The first lineup sent this summer through American coach Steve Kerr: Bridges, Ingram, Edwards, Brunson and Jackson Jr.
Show support
Kevin Durant, three-time Olympic gold medalist, FIBA Basketball World Cup gold medalist and USA Basketball board member, among participants in the game, as is former USA Basketball general manager Jerry Colangelo , two-time Olympic gold medalist. Draymond Green, Olympic and World Cup gold medalist DeMarcus Cousins, New York coach Tom Thibodeau, Utah coach Will Hardy and New Orleans guard José Alvarado.
Following
Puerto Rico: Visit Italy in Ravenna, Italy, on Saturday.
USA: Faces Slovenia in Malaga, Spain, on Saturday in FS1. (Full agenda)