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2024 Paris Olympics

Team USA defeats Canada 86-72 in 1st Olympic exhibition game

© Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

The United States basketball men’s national team won its first exhibition game 86-72 over Team Canada in Las Vegas tonight despite a slow start to the game.

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Team USA only had 10 of its projected roster players available tonight. Kevin Durant was out with a minor calf strain, while Kawhi Leonard withdrew from the Olympic team earlier today and was replaced by Derrick White, who was not available tonight. The Americans elected to use full-group substitutions the majority of the game and started Stephen Curry, Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker, LeBron James and Joel Embiid. Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis came off the bench.

This bench unit proved to be the stabilizing force with each player recording over a +12 plus/minus, while Booker and Holiday had the only positive plus/minuses among the starters. Edwards led the team in scoring with 13, while Davis had a double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Curry had 12 points, including nine in the third quarter as he prepares for his first Olympics. Booker chipped in nine points on 4-of-6 shooting, two rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes.

As a team, the United States shot 37-of-73 (50.7%) from the floor, 7-of-23 (30.4%) from deep and had nine blocks. One glaring negative stat was 15 team turnovers, eight of which came in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, Canada only shot 26-of-77 (33.8%) from the floor and 7-of-33 (21.2%) from 3. MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous Alexander had 10 points for Canada, but was only 3-for-10 from the floor and 1-for-6 from 3. RJ Barrett led the Canadians with 12 points and five rebounds.

Game Flow

Canada started the game off on an 11-1 run as Team USA began 0-for-6 from the field. When the USA’s second unit came in, it started to cut into the deficit more, but could never find a good rhythm. Canada led 21-14 after the first quarter led by seven points from Kelly Olynyk, while the Americans turned the ball over eight times as a team. Tatum had the most points on the U.S. with four, as the team shot 6-for-13 from the floor, but only 1-for-7 from 3.

Edwards led the U.S. to a quick 6-0 spurt to start the second quarter. This blossomed to a 14-2 run highlighted by some stifling defense by the Americans. USA had some great moments, but could not blow the game open as its lack of chemistry was really apparent offensively. The Americans led 41-33 at the half, outrebounding Canada 33-17 and shooting 18-of-34 (52.9%) from the field, but only 2-of-12 from 3 and recording 11 team turnovers. Canada shot 11-of-35 (31.4%) from the floor, as the United States had six blocks.

Edwards and Tatum each had eight points off the bench to lead the U.S., while Dillon Brooks had eight for Canada.

Curry came alive to start the second half with the first nine points for the Americans in just over two minutes of play. Canada then got back into the game with an 8-0 run. The U.S. increased its  lead back to 10, 60-50, before its bench unit came in with 4:30 remaining in the period. Edwards beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer to give the U.S. a 69-54 lead heading into the fourth, its largest lead of the game to this point. Curry (12 points), Edwards (11 points) and Davis (11 points) were the three U.S. players in double digits after three quarters.

The U.S. scored the first point of he fourth quarter, but then Canada went on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 70-61 with six minutes to go. However, the Canadians put in a lot of their deep bench players with seven minutes left, while the U.S. subbed in most of its starters at this point. USA went to its deep bench with 2:30 remaining and a 78-65 lead and cruised the rest of the way to victory.

Next Up

Team USA will now head to Abu Dhabi for its next two exhibition games, the first of which will be on July 15 against Australia. The U.S. begins Olympic play on July 28 against Serbia.

Devin Booker to start Team USA’s 1st exhibition game

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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau

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