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Akron Beacon Journal
USA vs. Puerto Rico, Olympic basketball score, highlights | LeBron, Ant-Man & Co. earn top seed
By Chris Beaven, Canton Repository,
9 hours ago
Team USA men's basketball finished its dominant run through pool play in the 2024 Paris Olympics , as the Americans defeated Puerto Rico 104-83. The US finishes pool play 3-0. Puerto Rico falls to 0-3. The US heads into the Olympic quarterfinals as the No. 1 overall seed.
The US will join German and Canada as the lone 3-0 teams in the quarterfinals. The US is the top seed based on the greater margin of victory in its three group play games.
Six of the eight quarterfinalists have been determined, with France (2-1), Brazil (1-2) and Australia (1-2) also guaranteed to advance through to the medal round. The final two spots will be determined based on the results of the final game of group play, Serbia (1-1) and South Sudan (1-1). That game tips off later today.
The US defeats Puerto Rico 104-83. Anthony Edwards scored 26 points to lead the US, the highest-scoring game by an American in group play. LeBron James added 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
Anthony Edwards scored 14 points in just over four minutes to open the fourth quarter, giving him 26 in the game and the Americans a 96-70 lead with 5:45 left in the game. Edwards is 11-of-15 from the field. As long as the Americans win this game by five points or more, they will be the No. 1 overall seed for the medal round.
The US extended its lead in third quarter, going up by as many as 31. The Americans lead 87-59 entering the fourth quarter. Anthony Edwards has 19 points to lead the way, followed by Joel Embiid (11), Kevin Durant (11) and LeBron James (10). Four others have at least eight points. James also has eight assists and six rebounds. Jayson Tatum has a team-high eight rebounds.
The US leads Puerto Rico 73-54 with 4:38 left in the third quarter. The Americans head into the final 14 1/2 minutes of the game with eight players having scored six or more points, led by Anthony Edwards' 12.
Joel Embiid backed down a smaller defender for a short jump hook to give the US its first 10-point lead, 53-43, with 2:13 left in the half. Embiid had a strong second quarter with two blocks, including denying a Puerto Rican dunk attempt at the rim. Stephen Curry got going a bit, too, as a scorer, while LeBron James directed the offense with his pinpoint passing. The US leads 60-45 in the final minute.
The US is up 44-41 with 4:14 left in the first half. Anthony Edwards and Kevin Durant have sparked the team offensively, while a collective effort turned up the defense. The Americans have led by as many as seven in the second quarter.
The US opens the second quarter on a 6-0 run to take a 31-29 lead with 8:36 left in the half, forcing a Puerto Rico timeout. Kevin Durant hit a 3-pointer to put the US back in front. On the sequence, Durant missed his first 3 of the Olympic tournament, the US secured the rebound and Durant got the ball back near the same spot up top and this time hit the 3. KD was 7-for-7 on 3s the first two games.
A hot start behind the arc has Puerto Rico leading the US 29-25 after one quarter, after an official review changed a 3-pointer to a 2-pointer for Puerto Rico. It is 4-of-7 on 3-pointers.
Jose Alvarado had nine points to lead Puerto Rico, hitting two 3s. Alvarado, who starred in college at Georgia Tech, plays with the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA. Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum each have six points for the US. LeBron James and Kevin Durant combined for just two points in the first quarter.
An 11-0 run by Puerto Rico has it ahead 25-17 with 2:12 left, forcing a US timeout. Puerto Rico has opened the game 4-of-6 on 3-pointers. Buckets by Anthony Edwards and Bam Adebayo have stopped the run and got the US back within four.
After Puerto Rico seized an early lead in the game, the US rallied and a Stephen Curry 3-pointer put the Americans ahead 13-12 with 5:15 left in the first quarter. The US is on a 7-0 run and Puerto Rico took a timeout at that point.
Through two games, Kevin Durant is the team's leading scorer with 37 total points and LeBron James has 33 total points. Durant has yet to miss a 3-pointer in the Olympics, making 7 of 7. He's shooting 10-of-14 overall from the floor. James is shooting 14-of-22 from the floor. He also has eight total rebounds and 13 assists.
Other top US scorers include Anthony Edwards (24 points), Devin Booker (22 points), Bam Adebayo (22 points) and Jrue Holiday (20 points). Edwards has made 4 of 7 3-pointers, while Booker is 5-for-7 on 3s and Holiday is 4-for-8. Anthony Davis has a team-best 15 total rebounds to go with 15 points.
One guy who has yet to heat up is Stephen Curry, who is just 3-of-13 on 3s with 14 total points after an 0-for-6 performance from 3-point range vs. South Sudan.
LeBron James has won two gold medals and one bronze in three previous Olympics. He was among a group of younger players who did not get many minutes in the 2004 Olympics when Team USA lost in the semifinals and settled for a bronze medal. James then became one of the leaders of the Redeem Team, which won gold in 2008, and was again a leader on the 2012 gold medal team.
Believe it or not, this is Steph Curry's first appearance in the Olympics. He is one of two NBA MVPs making their Olympic debut for Team USA. Joel Embiid is the other.
Bam Adebayo's 18 points led the US, which had six players score in double-figures. Adebayo, who also grabbed seven rebounds, was one of four American players to come off the bench to score double digits, as he was joined by Kevin Durant (14), Derrick White (10) and Anthony Edwards (10). USA starters LeBron James (12) and Devin Booker (10) were the other double-figure scorers. James also had six rebounds, five assists and six turnovers. Anthony Davis added eight points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
Nuni Omot scored a game-high 24 points to lead South Sudan. Bul Kuol (16), Carlik Jones (15) and Marial Shayok (12) were the team's other double-figure scorers. Jones added seven assists.
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