Staff USA has assembled one other Dream Staff roster headlined by LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. On paper, this workforce has extra expertise than any roster within the Olympics, however typically that doesn’t imply something.
After only a few days of follow, Staff USA handed Canada, which additionally has NBA expertise on the roster, an 86-72 loss in an exhibition recreation on Wednesday evening in Las Vegas.
Staff USA began slowly, missed their first six photographs and settled for too many 3-point makes an attempt, as an alternative of driving to the basket. The second unit, behind Anthony Edwards and Anthony Davis, bought issues again on observe, and the Individuals cruised.
There have been some good and not-so-good moments for head coach Steve Kerr and Staff USA. Let’s have a look.
Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers
Within the first quarter, Staff USA had eight turnovers and completed with 15 for the sport.
Some turnovers might be attributed to teammates taking part in collectively for the primary time. Understanding how and the place a man needs the ball delivered will take various practices and one recreation to determine.
This transition turnover from James is an instance of a chemistry turnover. Jrue Vacation blocks a shot, recovers the ball and triggers a quick break. James catches the outlet, attracts the protection and has Curry on the wing, however he stops above the break whereas James thinks Curry will proceed to float.
In a couple of weeks through the Olympics, this play must be an open 3-point try for Curry or a swing nook 3 for Devin Booker.
Protection to offense
Staff USA’s protection shined towards Canada. Extra importantly, it opened up their transition recreation. That they had 9 blocks, led by Davis’ 4. Additionally they had 11 steals with Tyrese Haliburton grabbing 4 of them.
These defensive stops was 28 fast-break factors, and based on Synergy, 1.273 factors per possession in transition. It is a quick workforce, so it must play quick, and all of it begins with protection.
The Curry-to-James alley-oop spotlight was off a pressured Canada turnover.
LeBron to Steph… BACK TO LEBRON FOR THE OOP 🤝😤
📺 #USABMNT Showcase on FS1 pic.twitter.com/0hKELo83Uq
— NBA (@NBA) July 11, 2024
On this play, James chases down a block, Curry will get the rebound and kicks it forward to Joel Embiid, who finds Booker within the nook for the transition 3-pointer.
Of Staff USA’s 90 possessions, 22 had been in transition. Almost 1 / 4 of their possessions had been within the quick break, a great quantity to focus on for the Olympics. If the Individuals are in transition, they’re profitable defensively.
Finest place for Edwards
Ought to Anthony Edwards be a starter?
Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards on how he matches in with USA Basketball Olympic workforce: “I’m nonetheless the primary choice. Y’all may take a look at it in a different way. … They’ve bought to slot in round me. That’s how I really feel.” pic.twitter.com/Cga5kTiR2J
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 7, 2024
The Minnesota Timberwolves star guard was joking when he gave that quote. The child is aware of find out how to go viral, however Staff USA’s sluggish begin solely circled as soon as the second unit, spearheaded by Edwards, entered the sport. He supplied quick power.
However Kerr has to withstand the urge to start out him.
Edwards working the second unit is the proper match for this workforce. If he had been to start out with James, Curry and Durant (as soon as wholesome), he could be relegated to extra of a supporting position as an alternative of being the main man.
With the second unit, Edwards has the ball in his palms extra. For his first bucket, he blew by RJ Barrett and completed acrobatically round Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Later within the recreation, he navigated round Davis’ display screen to get a pull-up jumper as Andrew Nembhard defended.
Edwards is not going to simply create his shot. He will get others concerned as nicely. He did a fantastic job discovering Bam Adebayo off the dribble-handoff motion when the protection collapsed on him, making a dunk for Adebayo.
The video of Edwards saying he’s the No. 1 choice shouldn’t be completely false; he’s the No. 1 choice on the second unit.
The place does Embiid match?
Embiid had a tough evening towards the Canadians. He fouled out, led the workforce with 4 turnovers and even contributed an unsportsmanlike foul.
It’s simple to overreact to only one recreation, however the query is on the market: Ought to Davis begin over him? It’s too early for Kerr to make that transfer, however it’s a dialog.
The beginning unit must be centered round Curry’s motion with James because the lead ballhandler. Embiid is used to the offense being centered round him. There is not going to be a ton of touches for him within the publish or isolations on the elbow. He should settle for being extra of a screener and mixing in rolls and pops, which isn’t maximizing Embiid’s full ability set.
The opposite dilemma is that Embiid shouldn’t be a great match for the second unit. As highlighted above, the second unit is Edwards’ group.
Embiid’s finest match may be as a specialist. There will probably be video games the place Embiid’s measurement will probably be an asset. Staff USA faces Serbia’s Nikola Jokić in Sport 1 and will meet France’s Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama later.
If Curry or James are having tough video games, Embiid may be the one Kerr turns to to get the offense going. Embiid won’t prefer it, however it might be the perfect position for him on Staff USA.
(Photograph of Anthony Edwards: Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE by way of Getty Photographs)
