LeBron James and Anthony Davis Power Team USA to Victory Over Puerto Rico, Edwards Leads Charge as USA Basketball Secures Top Seed for Knockout Round
All-NBA Los Angeles Lakers superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis once again proved critical cogs in the well-oiled machine that is Team USA men’s basketball, helping power the club to its third consecutive group play competition (and eighth straight if you count Team USA’s five warm-up game victories) on Sunday, besting Team Puerto Rico 104-83.
The victory propels USA Basketball to the No. 1 overall seed throughout the rest of the tournament. Team USA now moves on to the knockout round of competition, as part of the eight-team quarterfinals.
James scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 shooting from the foul line, while also dishing out eight assists, pulling down six rebounds, and blocking one shot in 18 minutes.
Davis was once again demoted to a bench role behind a prolific-but-inefficient Joel Embiid (the Philadelphia 76ers MVP center scored 15 points on just 6-of-14 shooting rom the floor). Davis scored 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 shooting from the charity stripe, grabbed six rebounds, passed for three assists and blocked two shots in 15 minutes.
Most importantly, Davis submitted his standard All-Defensive acumen, pummeling the (very inferior) opposition on the low block.
Team USA was led by Minnesota Timberwolves All-NBA shooting guard Anthony Edwards, who scored 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the field (3-of-6 from beyond the arc) and 4-of-4 shooting from the foul line. He also grabbed three rebounds, dished out three dimes, and swiped two steals.
Off the bench, Phoenix Suns power forward Kevin Durant scored 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the floor (3-of-7 from long range), while also grabbing four rebounds, passing for three assists, and stealing one shot. In so doing, he lapped former Laker Carmelo Anthony to claim the title of all-time leader in points and boards for Team USA.
Durant, 35, is in pursuit of his record fourth gold medal this summer. He won his first alongside Davis and James in 2012, but unlike Davis and James, he also played for Team USA in 2016 and 2020.
Head coach Steve Kerr started James, Embiid, Boston Celtics power forward Jayson Tatum, Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker, and Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry. Davis, Edwards, and Durant all made a pretty good case to become Team USA’s permanent starters over Embiid, Tatum and Booker on Sunday.