USA Men’s Basketball Team Beats Canada Before Paris Olympics

LAS VEGAS Team USA vs Canada Olympic men’s basketball roster is full of talent. With future Hall of Famers and NBA All Stars they are the favorites to win their fifth consecutive gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games.

With former U.S. President Barack Obama watching courtside. Team USA showed their strength in an 72-86 win against Canada in an exhibition game on Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena.

Anthony Edwards led the U.S. with 13 points making 6 of his 10 shots. Steph Curry added 12 points and hit three 3 pointers. Anthony Davis scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Lebron James had 7 points making 3 of his 7 shots.

For Canada RJ Barrett scored 12 points and had 5 rebounds.

It was a promising start for us remarked U.S. coach Steve Kerr. We are just beginning with only four days of practice. There were some early hiccups especially on offense with turnovers in the first half. However our defensive intensity and rebounding were highlights. It was a solid initial effort crucial for setting the tone of our play.

The U.S. team struggled initially to find their groove. Despite their abundant talent this was their first game together as a unit a fact that was evident. Costly turnovers and missed opportunities allowed Canada to jump ahead leading 1-11 early on.

It took nearly five minutes into the game capped by Curry’s 3 pointer for the team to score their first field goal. Canada maintained control finishing the first quarter with a 14-21 lead.

However the early difficulties were short lived. The U.S team began the second quarter with a 0-7 run and took control of the game from there. The second unit led by Edwards and Davis played a crucial role in changing the momentum.

It was a slow start which was not surprising given our limited preparation but I was impressed with the second group said Kerr. Their defensive effort and quick transitions helped ignite our offense and got us back into the game.

This summer USA vs Canada Basketball marked its 50th anniversary by honoring past legends during a game break. The event featured appearances from medal winning former players like Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, Grant Hill, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony in Las Vegas.

Former President Obama who spoke to the team before the game received a warm welcome when he took his seat. His words were really inspiring Curry said. It was great to kick off this journey while celebrating 50 years of USA Basketball. I got goosebumps listening to him feeling proud of who we represent.

The U.S team will kick off their quest for another gold medal on July 28 against Serbia which boasts former NBA MVP Nikola Joke. Unlike their previous game a slow start was not be an option in this crucial matchup.

James emphasized that the team will find their rhythm soon. When everyone shares the same goal of playing hard and winning gold it’s easy to come together he said. “It shouldn’t take long.”