Team USA Overcomes Rocky Start Against Canada

Team USA has four more exhibition games before the Paris Olympics start. Wednesday’s match against Canada lacked style and grace but the Americans expect to improve for the real Games.

The Canadians scored 11 of the first 12 points at T Mobile Arena. Team USA made mistakes missed shots and had bad plays. This was expected.

USA figured it out in time and took control late in the second quarter. They went up by eight at halftime with Anthony Edwards 3 pointer at the buzzer and never trailed again winning 86, 72.

With several dignitaries watching courtside including former President Barack Obama there were a few highlights. A LeBron block led to a Devin Booker 3 pointer.

Most memorably Steph Curry did his trademark night pose after an and 1 layup.

Edwards led all scorers with 13 points off the bench. The Canadians despite their strong start ended up shooting just 34%.

The first game was as expected said Kerr. But we’ll have a few opportunities to iron out a few things.

It was uneven and sometimes messy but coaches and players didn’t put too much focus on the first game. It’s just the beginning.

I’ll say this: It’s nice to play important games in July said Curry.

The first lineup

Kerr started LeBron Booker Curry Jrue Holiday and Joel Embiid. They went with three guards because Canada has a lot of guards and fewer centers.

The main goal was to test Holiday guarding Shai Gilgeous Alexander preparing for their next likely meeting in Paris. Holiday is on the team for his ability to disrupt the world’s top offensive guards defensively.

I do my best to do my job well Holiday said. I’m competitive and focused on making my teammates better and winning.

Kerr plans to try out various starting lineups before Paris to figure out rotations and find the best combinations. During the Olympics he might settle on a consistent starting five depending on the matchups.

Oddly Embiid fouled out in the third quarter while defending Dwight Powell and Kelly Olynyk. There’s concern among USA Basketball officials about whether he can effectively guard big men who shoot from outside possibly due to his current fitness level.

Canada is strong

Canada is a strong contender for a medal. They’re one of the few countries with five NBA players in their starting lineup including Gilgeous Alexander a finalist for the 2023-24 MVP.

However Team Canada was also rusty with none of the starters playing more than 18 minutes. The game was an exhibition and treated as such.

To give perspective on the NBA talent: Canada’s five substitute players were all on NBA teams last season as well.

The feud goes on

Of course a game with LeBron and Dillon Brooks could never be without drama. LeBron gave him a brief nod before the game but tensions escalated quickly.

Just over a minute into the game Brooks knocked LeBron to the floor with a rough foul.

Three minutes later LeBron responded by delivering a shoulder bump followed by an elbow check to Brooks.

There’s no love lost here. LeBron has a history with Brooks highlighted by a memorable incident in the playoffs two years ago when Brooks hit LeBron in the groin and taunted him. LeBron got revenge and exchanged words with him.

At T Mobile Arena where Lakers fans dominated Brooks received loud boos whenever he played and during introductions.

It’s expected he said. They know me and they want to boo. It’s just how it goes.

And then there were eleven players left

Team USA stepped onto the court with an incomplete lineup missing their 12th man Kawhi Leonard due to ongoing knee issues.

Grant Hill the director of USA Basketball said the decision for Leonard to withdraw was straightforward: He was not healthy enough and it was decide in collaboration with the Clippers.

It’s tough Hill said. We all agreed beforehand and theres is always a chance of someone getting hurt. I appreciate his willingness to come here and make sacrifices. In the end it didn’t work out.

Hill disagreed with a suggestion on social media by Celtics forward Jaylen Brown that Nike determines who makes the men’s team.

Hill said For much of my career I wore Fila. That was suppose to be a joke. We value our partnerships at USA Basketball. Our focus is on assembling the best team possible. Any theories out there are just that.

As for Brown who was the Finals MVP Hill added One of the toughest parts is not being able to include players I admire on the roster.

Team USA leaves on Friday for two games in Abu Dhabi followed by two more games in London and then they head to Paris.