U.S. males rout P.R., wrap up high basketball seed

LILLE, France — For 3 years, Workforce USA has been planning, recruiting and refining to succeed in this upcoming week in Paris. They usually’ve aligned issues in wonderful place to say their fifth consecutive gold medal.

The workforce took its ultimate steps earlier than heading to the French capital on Saturday, ending off Olympic pool play 3-0 with a 104-83 victory over Puerto Rico to clinch the highest general seed within the medal spherical. That can start Tuesday, when the U.S. will face Brazil within the quarterfinals at Bercy Area at 3:30 ET.

Additionally in Workforce USA’s medal spherical bracket are Serbia and Australia; the winner of that sport will face both the U.S. or Brazil. Within the reverse bracket Canada faces France and Germany will play Greece.

“I feel we bought performed what we wished to perform, successful all three video games and securing the highest seed,” Workforce USA coach Steve Kerr mentioned after his workforce’s win Saturday. “We all know we’ve to play higher. A part of this match is it will get more durable as you go.”

The traits the workforce has been growing for the previous 4 weeks as soon as once more have been on show in entrance of 27,000 followers at Stade Pierre Mauroy.

There’s Kevin Durant, the devastating bench scorer.

Durant put up 11 factors in one more impactful reserve efficiency. He has 48 factors whole throughout the three video games in Lille and is now simply 5 factors from setting the all-time American Olympic scoring document, which is presently held by girls’s workforce nice Lisa Leslie.

And when it wasn’t Durant, it was his second-unit cohort Anthony Edwards, who put in 15 factors in his first 10 minutes on the ground and 26 for the sport on 11-of-15 capturing. His breakaway windmill dunk within the fourth quarter will likely be one of many lasting reminiscences from the USA video games in Lille over the previous week.

“I wished to dunk on any person, however I ain’t bought a lane but,” Edwards mentioned. “So I am glad I bought that one.”

There was LeBron James, the timeless playmaker.

James began the previous two video games at level guard — Jrue Holiday sat out for precautionary causes with a minor ankle damage — and has performed his traditional table-setting sport. James had eight assists in opposition to Puerto Rico, ending pool play with 21 whole in three video games. He additionally scored 10 factors.

Considered one of his favourite targets has been Edwards, who James arrange a number of instances on Saturday.

“KD and Bron man, they’re the very best two folks. I imply, workforce gamers. They at all times need to see the particular person subsequent to him shine,” Edwards mentioned. “I instructed Bron, ‘If you happen to ain’t bought no shot, I will discover one.’”

There was the second unit, the haymaker.

The Individuals have been down by as many as eight factors within the second quarter when the second unit hit the ground Saturday. By the point they exited roughly eight minutes of sport time later, it has been rotated to a five-point lead. For the third straight sport, their first-half shift modified the course of the sport.

It was Anthony Davis, Derrick White and Bam Adebayo combining with Durant and Edwards on this present day and that group is simply backbreaking on the worldwide stage. Their collective ball stress, rim protection and rebounding was simply an excessive amount of for Puerto Rico to deal with. Nobody has dealt with it but.

Workforce USA is relying on these bench performances to proceed by way of subsequent week because it makes up the core of their sport plan. However there have been a number of different tasks occurring as effectively. Saturday was a day clearly arrange for Joel Embiid to get some momentum. After struggling within the opener in opposition to Serbia after which sitting in opposition to South Sudan, Embiid had a dimension benefit and his teammates wished to verify he bought some touches.

The end result was simply his greatest sport of the Olympics as he put in 15 factors with two blocks. He loved the interplay with the French crowd, which booed him once more for selecting to play for Workforce USA, which Embiid inspired.

“On the finish of the day, I feel lots of people assume it is hate. I see it as love and respect,” Embiid mentioned. “If I wasn’t an OK basketball participant, I’d not obtain that kind of therapy and so I see myself as being blessed and that is why I work together with them.”

Jayson Tatum, who spent the Olympic opener on the bench in a high-profile determination, began his second consecutive sport and performed strongly with 10 factors, 10 rebounds and three assists.

Puerto Rico was led by New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado with 18 factors.

Now, any loss would price Workforce USA the gold.

“We all know it may be troublesome, it may be difficult,” James mentioned. “We higher be able to go.”