By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Coming out of the scrimmages with the Select Team, Team USA faced Puerto Rico and cruised to the win, 117-74, in T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Monday.
Anthony Edwards and Cam Johnson both scored 15 points in the first official preparation game leading to the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Mikal Bridges had 14 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jalen Brunson 12 each, and Brandon Ingram and Bobby Portis 11 apiece. Also, Tyrese Haliburton dished out 12 assists.
“We can be a lot more physical, the guards can be a lot more physical up high and funnel things to the bigs down low if you do a good job of reading the game, playing a cat-and-mouse position where we can get some more blocks, wall up some,” Jackson described the effort in adapting to the international rules, “It’s really about making them miss and forcing them into tough shots at the rim.”
Moving forward, the team coached by Steve Kerr will travel to Malaga and face both Slovenia and Spain on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. More preparation contests will be played in Abu Dhabi with Greece and Germany on 18 and 20 August, respectively. Landing in Pasay for Group C of the World Cup’s preliminary round, the United States will take on New Zealand, Greece, and Jordan between 26 and 30 August.
On the losing end of the friendly contest, Tremont Waters produced a game-high 17 points and also recorded five steals. Puerto Rico will end up in Group B of the World Cup’s first round, meeting South Sudan, Serbia, and China in Quezon City.
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