Following a 5-0 run through the warm-up phase of its pre-Olympics preparations, Team USA has looked significantly more dominant thus far in the pool play stage.
The Americans struggled to contain speedy, switchy squads like Team Germany and Team South Sudan during a pair of exhibition bouts at London’s O2 Arena prior to the Paris games. With the advent of Phoenix Suns All-Star power forward Kevin Durant, a versatile scorer, the program has been blowing out the competition across its first two games. Team USA is currently 2-0 in group play, and has already advanced to the eight-team quarterfinals.
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Even though Team USA has already punched its ticket to the next round, it still has one game remaining in pool play: a Saturday morning matchup against Team Puerto (0-2), led by defense-first New Orleans Pelicans reserve point guard Jose Alvarado.
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Fans can tune into Saturday’s action on NBC and its sister streaming site, Peacock, at 8:15 a.m. PT/11:15 a.m. ET.
Puerto Rico fell to South Sudan 90-79 on Sunday and to Serbia 107-66 on Wednesday. Team USA, meanwhile, flattened both squads during its own Group C matchups with them. The Americans bested Serbia — led by Denver Nuggets MVP center Nikola Jokic — 110-84 on Sunday and took down South Sudan 103-86 on Wednesday.
Team USA boasts one of its deepest rosters since the 1992 “Dream Team” lineup. Coached by four-time Golden State Warriors champion Steve Kerr, Team USA features Kerr’s Warriors All-NBA point guard Stephen Curry, All-NBA Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and center Anthony Davis, All-Star Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant and shooting guard Devin Booker, All-Star Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, All-NBA Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards, All-Star Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid.
From the reigning champion Boston Celtics, Team USA is rounded out by All-NBA combo forward Jayson Tatum and All-Defensive guards Jrue Holiday and Derrick White.
“Our identity is defense and it starts with on-ball pressure,” Kerr said of his team’s approach to the competition this year, per Shaun Powell of NBA.com. “You can see the impact Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are making,” Kerr said. “They are accustomed to being complimentary players to stars. It doesn’t make sense for us to put our five leading scorers from an NBA season on the floor because those guys don’t complement each other well.”
In addition to Holiday and White on the perimeter, Team USA is led defensively by Davis and Adebayo in the frontcourt. Hyperathletic players like Edwards and James have been pulling their weight on that end of the hardwood, too.
When it comes to notching a victory, the question seems to be more about the margin of a win than the specter of defeat. Team USA is listed in a consensus of sports books as a 33.5-point favorite to decimate Team Puerto Rico this weekend, per Tony Mejia of The Sporting News.
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