Bam and the Bench Mob Shine Again
The distinguishing feature of this U.S. team is rapidly becoming its strong bench, an advantage enjoyed by a roster filled with NBA All-Stars. This was evident once more on Wednesday: The game was tied at 10 when Anthony Edwards, Kevin Durant, Jrue Holiday, and Bam Adebayo entered the game with four minutes left in the first quarter. By the 8:42 mark of the second quarter, the U.S. led 33-14, and the game was never in doubt afterwards.
“Since the start of camp, we’ve been calling ourselves the bench mob for a long time now,” Adebayo said. “And it doesn’t matter who’s in the lineup, we always seem to figure it out.”
Both in half-court scenarios and transition, the U.S. kept the ball moving swiftly. Adebayo and Davis provided the U.S. the ability to switch everything defensively and create easy fast-break opportunities. U.S. ballhandlers frequently penetrated the paint, either finishing themselves, throwing lobs to rim-runners, or passing out to 3-point shooters. Team USA recorded assists on 29 of its 37 made baskets, a promising sign considering how stagnant the offense had seemed during pre-Paris tuneup games.
Five different American players scored in double figures, including Durant (14), White and Booker (10 each), with the team shooting 53% from the field and 43% from beyond the arc, capitalizing on a steady stream of clean looks.
“I just think our defensive intensity,” James said when asked about the key to their success. “That’s what we started with to begin the game, and even though they improved as the game progressed—they’re a pretty good team—we were able to get stops when needed.”
A Slightly Sloppy Second Half
The U.S. allowed itself to ease up slightly after halftime as South Sudan started to heat up from outside. Nuni Omot and Bul Kuol were exceptional, combining for 40 points on 14-of-22 shooting, and an Omot 3-pointer cut the lead to just 11 midway through the third quarter. However, that was as close as the Bright Stars would get, as Edwards and Adebayo went on a mini-run to stretch the lead back to 16 by the end of the period. From there, the outcome was decided.
What’s Next for the U.S.?
Team USA has already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals, but that is not the ultimate goal. There is still one more game of group play left, and the U.S. needs a win against Puerto Rico to secure the top spot in Group C. Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday at 11:15 a.m. ET.