Brian Windhorst provides the biggest takeaways from USA Basketball’s big Olympic win over Puerto Rico.
Kevin Durant didn’t fully understand he would be playing three Olympic basketball games 130 miles from Paris until he reported to Team USA training camp last month in Las Vegas.
“I never thought I would come to a city like this”, Durant said. “But Lille was incredible to us. I love being here.”
It wasn’t that USA Basketball kept the unusual format for these Olympics — pool play in Lille before moving on to Paris — a secret, but it wasn’t exactly advertised on the “Come play for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics” brochure.
But as Durant said, the quaint town in northern France with a charming city center and a giant retractable dome on its outskirts wonderfully hosted the basketball world for the past eight days. There was good food, friendly hosts and an unexpectedly terrific venue with more than 27,000 fans at every Team USA game.
And the Americans rolled during their time in Lille, winning three games by an average of 24 points. Here are the biggest takeaways from Team USA’s 104-83 win over Puerto Rico — a victory that propelled them into the quarterfinals as Group C winners.
This game was primed for Joel Embiid. The Puerto Ricans were the smallest team in the field, and getting Embiid going was clearly a key part of the game plan. His teammates were looking for him early and often, and he took 14 shots — second on the team — while scoring 15 points.
He was booed, but in Embiid fashion, he encouraged it as he taunted the crowd right back. Embiid’s choice to play for Team USA over France is an old storyline at this point; he has spoken about it and explained himself repeatedly since last fall when he made his announcement.
The decision was, and will remain, controversial, especially if the U.S. faces France in a rematch of the 2021 gold medal game — a possibility based on the bracket. But Embiid talked about it again in the wake of the back-and-forth with the big crowd.Team USA at the 2024 Olympics
LeBron James, Stephen Curry & Co. look to lead Team USA to a fifth straight Olympic gold medal.
• Paine: Best 20 NBA players in Olympics
• Olympians assemble! Create a squad
• Windhorst: Steph, LeBron eyeing gold
• Power Rankings: How 12-team field stacks up
• Pelton: Could this team be best ever?
• Team USA: Full roster, schedule, news
LeBron James, Stephen Curry & Co.
