MANILA — The 12 American NBA players representing the USA did what was expected in the shortest amount of time, advancing to the second round of the FIBA World Cup in just two games.
Team USA disposed of Greece with relative ease Monday in southeast Asia, 109-81, and as the only 2-0 team in Pool C, automatically qualified for the next stage.
The Americans will play either Lithuania or Montenegro on Friday in the same building where they’re playing all the first-round games, Mall of Asia Arena on Manila Bay.
Unlike the 2019 World Cup, a disaster for USA Basketball in which it finished a program-worst seventh place, the Americans will play all the games in this Cup in the same arena and stay at the same hotel. Four years ago they traveled the western half of China, playing in four different cities.
It doesn’t matter in which country or arena Team USA played Greece this summer, one team was clearly better. The Grecians are missing not only Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee surgery), but at least two other rotation players — something no international team on Earth could survive against a deep American squad.
Team USA was led this time in scoring by Austin Reaves, the crowd favorite who finished with 15 points, five boards, and six assists. Jalen Brunson and Anthony Edwards each added 13 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed nine points, two steals and two monster blocks, and Josh Hart was USA’s top rebounder with 11 boards off the bench.
The Americans also beat Greece by 22 points on Aug. 18 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as part of a global exhibition tour. The Greeks were led in scoring by 7-foot-2 center Georgios Papagiannis, who dropped 11 of his 17 points in the first quarter. Greece kept it close for a little more than a quarter but had no answer for the Americans’ fast-paced, ball-sharing, streak-churning bench. So far, no one has.
It was a four-point game when Kerr turned to Reaves, Tyrese Haliburton, Paolo Banchero and Hart. By the time those four and Cam Johnson, the fifth guy off the bench, returned to the sideline with 4:31 in the second quarter, the Americans were ahead by 15, had led by as many as 17 and rode a 13-0 run to get there. Edwards scored nine in the third quarter and it was 79-56 heading into the fourth.
Unlike the previous Greece-USA meeting, Giannis’ brother, Thanasis Antetkounmpo of the Bucks, got the start. He had two shots erased by Jackson in short, breathtaking order.
After already having a short attempt swatted away by Jackson, Thanasis thought he had a breakaway dunk with about 2:40 in the first quarter. Jackson chased him down and seemed to remove the ball off of Thanasis’ hand as he was trying to dunk. There was an audible gasp in the crowd before a collective roar, and the other Antetokounmpo was among those sighing in disbelief. Thanasis extracted a small bit of revenge with a dunk in the fourth quarter, in garbage time with Greece down 30, for his first two points of the game.
The Americans play their final pool C game against Jordan at 4:40 a.m. ET on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena. The Jordanians cannot advance in the World Cup after a 95-87 loss to New Zealand in overtime, despite 39 points from former NBA player Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
The Tall Blacks of New Zealand and Greece will play Wednesday after the U.S.-Jordan game, with the winner advancing to the second round.
This story will be updated.
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(Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE via Getty Images)