What became one of the most unlikely rivalries of the Olympics so far, the US Men’s team has defeated South Sudan. Following an electric game last week in which South Sudan almost upset the US in an exhibition game. The game today was anything but close. The US won by 17 points and was dominant the entire game.
In the first matchup between these teams, South Sudan came out of the gates swinging. Knocking down three after three to take the US by surprise. It wasn’t enough though as LeBron James led a comeback to clinch the game by 1. Today was a different story altogether, with an adjusted starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, and Anthony Davis the US brought the early offense. With ball movement that would make Phil Jackson cry, the US looked like a well-oiled machine.
Attacking South Sudan from every point on the floor, they were simply outmatched by a world-class group of talent. That isn’t to say they rolled over, no, South Sudan still landed some blows. They shot just under 40% from the 3-point line and played locked-in defense forcing 15 turnovers by the US. For a team with a fraction of the basketball prowess, it’s truly an achievement that they not only kept up but forced the US to earn it. The coach of South Sudan, Royal Ivey, truly proved himself on the world stage as a tier-one coach. As a 10-year NBA vet and current assistant coach of the Houston Rockets, he’ll be a name to keep an eye on.
At the end of the day, the US won this game handily. With a monster performance off the bench by Bam Adebayo scoring 18 points in 20 minutes. The US team truly looks to be an unstoppable force. Even with a poor night from Steph Curry and missing Joel Embiid, it hardly mattered as the rest of the team filled the scoring void.
Defensively Derrick White put on a clinic, racking up 3 steals and a block in 17 minutes while going 3 for 3 from the 3-point line. He has become the X-factor for the US team, bringing two-way versatility that is unparalleled. Another notable change was the appearance of Jayson Tatum, not only playing but also starting this game. After he was rather conspicuously left on the bench the entire game versus Serbia. Beyond the roster drama and box scores, it’s hard to iterate how strong this team looked. There was no position they felt outmatched at, and the luxury of bringing Kevin Durant off the bench is unbelievable.
With one group stage game remaining, the US Men’s team takes on Puerto Rico this Saturday at 11:15 AM ET. Puerto Rico remains winless in the group stage losing to South Sudan and Serbia. Don’t let that fool you though, that roster can still catch the US sleeping with several NBA players. However, that’s not likely as the US will have them outmatch in practically every position. It would take a historic performance to topple the giant that the US has become.
Following this game, the US will enter the medal tournament portion of the games on Monday. The matchups are still up in the air until the group stage has concluded. The US will likely have tough competition to face in the tournament. Teams like Canada, France, and Germany all boast elite teams loaded with NBA talent. Team Canada might be the most problematic for the US, with tough matchups across the board. Players like Luguentz Dort, SGA, and Dillion Brooks will all be in peak form versus the US. Bring size, athleticism, and shooting the US will have to overcome. The road to gold is still uncertain for Team USA, but if they can repeat the effort they gave today, they have the chops to do it!