Team USA showed resilience despite a rocky start in their first Olympic tune-up, securing an 86-72 victory over Team Canada in front of a record-setting crowd at T-Mobile Arena. Anthony Davis emphasized the team's defensive prowess as the key to their success, despite acknowledging shortcomings on offense.
Davis, contributing 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks, underscored the team's defensive intensity as pivotal, a sentiment echoed by coach Steve Kerr, who highlighted their solid defensive effort and rebounding. Despite initial offensive struggles and turnovers, Team USA's defensive tenacity limited Canada to just 33.8% shooting overall and stifled star players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray.
In terms of lineup experimentation, Kerr fielded Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid alongside Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker, aiming to solidify combinations that can sustain their effectiveness. The second unit, featuring Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Bam Adebayo, Jayson Tatum, and Davis, demonstrated promising cohesion and depth, suggesting potential strategies for future games.
Embiid, in his debut for Team USA, acknowledged his need for conditioning improvement but highlighted the team's defensive strength while identifying areas for offensive growth. With preparations intensifying ahead of the Olympics, including upcoming games against Australia and Serbia, Team USA remains focused on refining their play and building chemistry among its star-studded roster.
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