Team USA seems to be having no issue as favorites at the FIBA World Cup, with the latest example being a route of Greece for a second straight double-digit win in group play.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves led the way with 15 points, six assists and five rebounds, and some are calling him the Americans’ best player so far.
Bucks forward Bobby Portis told reporters the early success is all about teamwork and chemistry.
“We stand together, obviously, it’s a journey, a long road ahead for us,” he said. “Two more weeks left with this team, and hopefully, we can get to the final round. We’ve been together for three and a half weeks now. Nobody complains about playing time, everybody plays for each other, playing for the name you find on this jersey. That’s what this brand is about: playing for each other, going out here, winning and having fun.”
Added Knics guard Jalen Brunson: “For us it’s all about feel and how we just need to attack the game as soon as we step on that court,” Brunson said. “We’re still growing, we’re still learning and we still have a lot of time to get better.”
- Coach Steve Kerr indicated he has been particularly impressed with Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart, who collected 11 rebounds off the bench vs. Greece. “People ask, what position does he play? He plays winner,” Kerr said, via Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “I don’t know what position he plays, but he gets loose balls. He guards anybody. At one point, Spo (Erik Spoelstra) turned to me and said, ‘Some people get 50-50 balls. He gets to 30-70 balls,’ and I thought that was really well said.”
- Kerr added that Team USA is continuing to adjust to international rules, which tend to allow for a more physical style of play than the NBA. “Everybody is going to try to beat the crap out of us because that’s their best chance to beat us,” Kerr told reporters.
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