The last time Team USA stepped on the court in a major tournament, it lost a 127-118 thriller against Canada for the bronze medal at the FIBA World Cup. That loss compelled many of the best players in the world, including LeBron James and Stephen Curry, to suit up for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics. Fittingly, their journey to gold began on Wednesday with an exhibition against, you guessed it, Canada.
This time, the result was different. Despite facing a Canadian team at full strength with Jamal Murray joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the backcourt, Team USA prevailed in an 86-72 victory. It was a balanced American effort as no one wearing red, white and blue scored more than 13 points. In a game against the opponent most expect to give Team USA its fiercest challenge in the actual tournament in Paris, the star-studded American favorites controlled the final three quarters and wound up winning comfortably. Here are the biggest takeaways from Team USA’s double-digit win.
Anthony Edwards called himself the No. 1 option, and he might be right
Last summer, as Team USA prepared to play in the World Cup, Steve Kerr told Anthony Edwards that he planned to bring him off of the bench. This plan sat poorly with Edwards. “He said Dwyane Wade came off the bench when Kobe played,” Edwards explained. “I was like, ‘All right, we don’t have a Kobe.’ ” By the time the tournament started, Edwards hadn’t just earned a starting role. He was the best player on the team.
A similar story might be playing out here as Team USA prepares for the Olympics. Edwards, again, came off of the bench in the Canada game. He has made it clear that he has loftier ambitions for himself even on this more talented roster. “I’m still the No. 1 option,” Edwards said on Sunday. Sure enough, Edwards was Team USA’s leading scorer against Canada on Wednesday with 13 points. Team USA trailed 11-1 in the early going with Devin Booker in at point guard. The energy of the game shifted irrevocably the moment Kerr inserted Edwards. His scoring and defense helped Team USA quickly regain…
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