USA rolls past Puerto Rico in World Cup tune-up opener
United States’ Austin Reaves (15) shoots over Puerto Rico’s Stephen Thompson Jr., right, during the first half of an exhibition basketball game Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
LAS VEGAS — Anthony Edwards and Cam Johnson each scored 15 points, and USA Basketball used a 20-0 run in the second half on the way to rolling past Puerto Rico 117-74 on Monday night in the first World Cup tune-up game for the Americans.
Mikal Bridges scored 14 for the U.S., which finished with seven players in double figures.
Article continues after this advertisementJaren Jackson Jr. scored 12, Jalen Brunson scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Bobby Portis and Brandon Ingram each scored 11 for the Americans. Tyrese Haliburton finished with 12 assists for the U.S., which held a 53-27 rebounding edge.
Tyrese Haliburton finds JJJ with the no-look dime 👀#USABMNT 🇺🇸 | Live on FS1 pic.twitter.com/Qy67L4nqVI
— NBA (@NBA) August 8, 2023
Tremont Waters scored 17 for Puerto Rico, which got 12 from George Conditt IV and 10 from Jordan Howard.
Article continues after this advertisementThere were spectacular moments, there were sloppy moments, there were botched plays and big-time plays. And in the end, the team with far more talent pulled away.
In other words, it went exactly as expected.
Paolo Banchero pretty much blocked a shot with his elbow, Edwards’ head nearly hit the backboard on a dunk, Austin Reaves got cheers the moment he checked in — after all, Las Vegas is a Lakers’ town — and those yells only got louder when he made a jumper just seconds into his first stint with USA across his chest.
Austin Reaves checks in and immediately splashes the corner 3⃣#USABMNT 🇺🇸 | Live on FS1 pic.twitter.com/GpToKS7WUY
— NBA (@NBA) August 8, 2023
It was the first of five exhibitions before the World Cup for the Americans, and the only one that will be played in the U.S. The team flies to Malaga, Spain on Tuesday for games this weekend against Slovenia and Spain, then heads to the United Arab Emirates for games in Abu Dhabi against Greece (Aug. 18) and Germany (Aug. 20).
From there, it’s on to Manila. The World Cup will be held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia; the U.S. will be in Manila for the entirety of the tournament, and opens against New Zealand on Aug. 26, followed by Greece on Aug. 28 and Jordan on Aug. 30.
The Americans are tuning up for a World Cup that, they hope, avenges the disappointment of four years ago. The U.S. was seventh at the World Cup in China in 2019, the worst finish for any American men’s team in a major international tournament.
The game turned into a runaway in the third when the Americans outscored Puerto Rico 34-18, turning what was a seven-point halftime lead into a 23-point edge going into the fourth. The big run sparked that; what was a 74-61 game late in the third became a 94-61 game early in the fourth.
TIP-INS
Puerto Rico: Like the Americans, Puerto Rico will play its group-stage World Cup games in Manila — but in a different group. Puerto Rico will meet South Sudan on Aug. 26, Serbia on Aug. 28 and China on Aug. 30. … Waters spent past of last season playing in France with Boulogne-Levallois — the team that had No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama, now of the San Antonio Spurs.
USA: The Americans — since using NBA players for these games — improved to 11-0 in World Cup exhibition tour games on U.S. soil, and 24-1 overall in those games. The loss was at Australia in 2019. … Reaves and Cam Johnson made their USA Basketball debuts. Josh Hart was held out to rest; his national team debut could come Saturday in Spain.
FOR OPENERS
The first starting lineup U.S. coach Steve Kerr sent out this summer: Bridges, Ingram, Edwards, Brunson and Jackson Jr.
SHOWING SUPPORT
Kevin Durant — a three-time Olympic gold medalist, a FIBA World Cup gold medalist and a member of USA Basketball’s board of directors — was among those at the game, as was former USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo, two-time Olympic gold medalist Draymond Green, Olympic and World Cup gold medalist DeMarcus Cousins, New York coach Tom Thibodeau, Utah coach Will Hardy and New Orleans guard Jose Alvarado.
UP NEXT
Puerto Rico: Visits Italy in Ravenna, Italy on Saturday.
USA: Plays Slovenia in Malaga, Spain on Saturday.
