LAS VEGAS (AP) — For USA Basketball, the road to the Paris Olympics began with a victory.
Anthony Davis scored 13 points, Stephen Curry added 12 and the United States opened its Paris Games preparation schedule by beating Canada 86-72 on Wednesday night.
Jrue Holiday scored 11 points and Anthony Davis finished with 10 for the U.S., which has four more exhibitions before reaching France.
RJ Barrett scored 12 points for Canada, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks had 10 each.
President Barack Obama was at the game, as were many NBA coaches and dozens of USA Basketball dignitaries who were in town for the federation’s 50th anniversary celebration. Among them: Jerry Colangelo, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Dawn Staley, Lisa Leslie, Teresa Edwards, Swin Cash, Lindsay Whalen and many more.
And total attendance was 20,757, a record for any game at T-Mobile Arena, USA Basketball said.
Cold start
The U.S. was down 11-1 midway through the first quarter, having missed its first six shot attempts. The rest of the half: USA 40, Canada 22 and the Americans got 18 out of 28 – 64.3% – in that period. The lead was 41-33 at halftime and the Americans increased it to 69-54 in the fourth game.
It was easy to see where the Americans, who have been together for less than a week, are still figuring things out; there were at least four occasions when simple passes ended up in the front row of seats because someone thought a zigzag rather than a zag was coming.
Second unit
The second unit for the USA – Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum – was particularly impressive. Each of those five players had a plus-minus of plus-10 or better, meaning the U.S. outscored Canada by at least 10 points with them on the court.
And that’s how it should be. Only Americans can field a lineup of “reserve players” at the Olympics, all of whom are All-Stars. That five has a combined 21 All-Star nods, two NBA champions in Davis and Tatum, and two perennial All-Defense players in Davis and Adebayo. Clearly not a typical second drive.
Oh, and remember: the US didn’t have Kevin Durant (calf strain) and Derrick White (not on the team yet) available Wednesday.
For starters
The first starting lineup of the summer was released by US coach Steve Kerr: Stephen Curry, Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker, LeBron James and Joel Embiid.
It could certainly change going forward. But if the past year is any indication, it’s a clear insight into Kerr’s thinking at this moment.
Kerr has warned in the past about not paying too much attention to lineups, especially in the first game. That said, the starting five he had in the first exhibition game last summer before the World Cup — Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Ingram and Anthony Edwards — were the starters in the tournament opener against Nova Zealand.
Next
The USA face Australia in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday.
