Durant added 11 points, and Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers) scored 10.
Also in attendance were the
First Lady, daughter Sasha, Vice President Joe Biden and his granddaughter. “We did not have defensive
intensity (early in the game); if this team doesn't have that, we're going to get scored on,” said Krzyzewski. “I mean 27 points in (the first) 10 minutes, and 42 in (the final) 30. It's a huge difference. If we win the gold medal, it will be because of how well we play defensively. To win this game like that I think is a good learning experience for our group.”
Brazil came out red-hot,
shooting 62.5 percent from the field in the first quarter as the USA struggled to connect, making just 7-of-20 field goals and none of its five 3-point attempts. By the end of the first quarter, the South Americans had taken a 10-point, 27-17 lead. The USA forced 12 of its
“What a great atmos-
phere,” said Krzyzewski. “I thought the Great Britain team played really well. Luol (Deng) is one of the better players in the world. I like their tough- ness. We’re much quicker than they are and it produced a lot of
turnovers, and we were very unselfish tonight.” James added 16 points and
four assists, Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder) scored 15 points and dished out a game- high nine dimes and Paul grabbed three steals and added six assists to help the USA record 39 assists on its 47 made baskets. The Americans turned the ball over just nine times while collecting 16 steals and forcing Great Britain to cough up 26 turnovers. Eight first-quarter points from
eventual 23 turnovers in the second quarter and held Brazil to just five points in the period. Trailing 29-21 at 7:54, James scored two points that launched a 13-0 run, and the USA took its first lead, 30-29, at 3:13 when Chandler stole the ball and slammed it home. While Brazil managed one 3-pointer in the last few minutes, the USA added seven more to take a 37-32 lead into the halftime locker room. Brazil had an answer for nearly
Leading the USA National Team in its tour, LeBron James almost single-handedly powered the USA to its win over Brazil with 30 points. He averaged a team high 18.6 ppg. in the USA’s five game tour.
outstanding for three quarters, especially since we didn't hit shots and we missed a lot of dunks. I liked the mental toughness of our team. We kept reminding them we're not doing it on offense, don't let it affect defense. I thought it didn't.” Despite being outrebounded by Brazil
38-30, the USA recorded 13 second- chance points to Brazil’s five and the team’s athleticism resulted in 19 fast- break points to Brazil’s nine in transition.
every U.S. score in the third quarter, but the USA was able to improve its advantage by three points in the period to build a 59-51 at the end of the stanza. Brazil came as close as six points in
the fourth quarter, 65-59 at 6:00, but from there James took over. After a made free throw by Anthony and two from Williams, James scored the USA’s last seven points to hold Brazil at bay, including a 3-pointer and a steal converted into another 3-pointer. James’ two free throws at 31.3 seconds remaining brought the game to its final score of 80-69. “I felt our defense won the game,” said Krzyzewski. “I thought it was
USA Basketball News
USA 118, Great Britain 78 With the USA holding a comfortable
19-point lead at halftime, Williams ignited from deep in the third quarter to help the USA put Great Britain away for good as the Americans went on to record a dazzling, 118-78 exhibition win in front of a sold-out crowd of 16,979 on July 19 at Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. Williams finished with 19 points and
five assists, including 5-of-6 shooting from 3-point, to earn Tiffany & Co. Player of the Game honors, while Anthony tallied 19 points to go with his four assists.
Britain’s Pops Mensah-Bonsu helped his team nearly keep pace with the USA, which made just two of its nine field goal attempts in the game’s first 3:48, and with two free throws at 1:37, GB pulled within three points, 23-20. The momentum shifted,
however, as a dunk from Anthony ignited the USA. After an alley-oop from Paul to Westbrook, Anthony nailed consecutive 3-pointers to put the USA up 33-20 after the first stanza. The 14-0 U.S. run stretched into the
second period, and the USA went up by 17 points, 37-20, when Great Britain called a timeout 8:24. Over the next two minutes, however, NBA Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng single-handedly pulled Great Britain within nine, 39-30, with 10 points on his own. After a few scores from each team,
the USA led 43-33 before it was off and running, this time on an 8-0 spurt to take a 53-31 lead at 1:45 when Durant sank two free throws. Deng halted the spree with a 3-pointer at 7:27, and at halftime the USA had a 55-37 advantage. Williams opened the second half on
fire, and after a leaning drive at 9:48, he sank three consecutive 3-pointers and then added one more less than a minute later, after a score from James, and within a span of four minutes, the U.S. lead had ballooned to 28 points.
37
Patrick Smith / Getty Images
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