After a slow start to the match, the Team USA He made his debut in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and defeated Canada in Las Vegas for 86 a 72.
The meeting marked the return of legends such as Stephen Curry y LeBron James to the United States team, facing another rival loaded with NBA talent like the Canadian.What was the most important thing to take away from this match? We review it through five observations.
Steve Kerr’s first rotation
Part of the expectation for Team USA’s debut was to see How Steve Kerr would rotate his quintets and who would be the holdersIt is worth mentioning that for the duel against Canada, the United States had two casualties: a probable starter as Kevin Durantrecovering from a muscle problem and Derrick Whitenewly named as Kawhi Leonard’s replacement.
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With that in mind, Kerr decided to make his initials Stephen Curry, Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker, LeBron James y Anthony Davis. While the second unit had Tyrse Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis.
At least in this first exhibition, the minutes were fully distributed: with the exception of Joel Embiid, with foul problems throughout the night, the rest played between 17 and 21 minutes.
A slow start and the reaction of the second unit
Canada took a quick lead of 11-1 in the first quarter and it took the United States more than 5 minutes to get its first field goal – a three-pointer by Curry. The game began to change with the Entry of substitutesespecially via Edwards, Tatum y Davis.
In fact, this trend of better performance by the second unit continued throughout the match. The five substitutes combined a +72 in the fieldwhile The five starters totaled -7Edwards finished as the winner’s top scorer (13 points) and Davis was the only one with a double-double: 10 points and 11 rebounds, in addition to 4 blocks and 2 steals.
Embiid’s forgettable debut
In his first game as United StatesJoel Embiid showed that he still has to adapt to FIBA basketball and some of its rules. In fact, he ended up leaving 5 faults during the course of the third period. And while he was in the field, he was also a non-factor: 5 points, 2-5 from the field, no blocks or steals and the worst +/- of his team (-4).
Embiid’s performance contrasted with the great game for Davismuch more accustomed to the FIBA level – he has already participated in a World Cup and an Olympic Games – and clearly more active in defense. We will see if this trend continues, but in principle, AD It seems to be more complementary for a team of this type, unlike the one born in Cameroon, who needs more possessions and a favorable rhythm to stand out.
The three-point shot, a temporary problem?
Another negative point that the game left for the United States was the three-point shot. Both in terms of efficiency (30%) and volume (only 7 conversions), the NBA players must adapt to the difference in distance on the perimeter line and the different texture of the ball, something that usually complicates things for them at the beginning of each process.
In the long run, they should adapt to this scenario and the income of triples like Durant and the much improved White They would have to give them the danger they didn’t show in their debut. Logic suggests that it will only be a temporary deficit.
Defense, the highest point
Aside from what the substitutes did, the highlight of Team USA’s debut was its level defensivecon Holiday and Davis as great standard-bearers. Not only Canada ended up with 72 pointsbut he also did it with a very poor 34% from the field and 21% from three-point range.
Even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander y Jamal Murray They had trouble scoring against the home team’s perimeter marking: they combined to barely 15 points and a 5-18 from the fieldincluding a 2-9 in doubles.
2024-07-11 13:57:57
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