US Men’s Basketball Begins Olympics With Dominant Win Over China

(Jeffrey Swinger/USA Today Sports)

The U.S. Men’s 2016 Olympic Basketball Team started off with an early victory against China in Rio De Janeiro on the 6th of August. They have previously beaten China twice in exhibition play in the past few weeks, 106-57 on July 24th in Los Angeles and 107-57 on July 26th in Oakland, and once again beat the country 119-62 to get a 1-0 start.

Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors had a high 25 points, 5-of-8 shooting from the 3-point line, along with adding six assists. The USA overall had 31 assists and 38 field goals.

In the start of the game, the USA began with 0-for-4 from the field and the score was evenly tied 4-4. This sparked America to get rolling with DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings dunking the ball. At the 5:10 mark, the USA was up 13-4 with a timeout called by China. Following the timeout, America had an 8-0 and was leading with 21-6. Jimmy Butler of the Chicago Bulls then mad a jumper at 2:49, with the USA scoring nine more points to lead China 30-10 at the end of the first quarter. America only had one turnover in the first quarter and nine throughout the game.

After 4:20 of play in the second quarter, the USA still kept a 20-point lead with the score being 42-22 with the help of a couple free throws from Cousins and Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks.

Durant was able to knock down three 3-pointers back to back to help the USA have a score of 59-30 at halftime.

In the third quarter between 6:30 and 2:44, the USA had 17 points to keep their lead, 84-40. The Cleveland Cavaliers champ Kyrie Irving contributed 4 of 5 3’s to spark that 44-point lead. The USA 32-17 outscored China in the third quarter and 28-15 in the fourth quarter to earn the 119-62 win.

Cousins had 17 points, Paul George of the Indiana Pacers put up 15 points and Irving added 12 points and five assists.