Team USA have will move on to the quarterfinals after defeating Brazil 89-73 at the FIBA World Cup led by Kemba Walker and Myles Turner.
Team USA Beat Brazil with Defense
In their last win against Greece, Team USA was able to get the job done with a solid defensive performance. Brazil shot themselves in the foot early in this one when their fiery head coach, Aleksander Petrovic was ejected early in the second quarter. It was his second technical foul of the game. Without their tactician, it was always going to be an uphill battle from then on.
The quality of the officiating in this tournament has been a touchy subject. None of the teams seem to be happy with the way the whistles are being blown. It seems like physical play is the name of the game in this tournament. Recently Denver Nuggets star big man Nikola Jokic was ejected when Serbia faced Spain after he lost his cool with the referees.
Team USA Will Face Real Test Next Game
This was the last game of Group K and it was always expected that Team USA beat Brazil in this one. That will not be the case in the next round against France. The French lost a narrow game to Australia and will be a genuine threat to this American team. Their players can compete physically with Team USA and they have the basketball pedigree to pull off an upset. They come into this game ranked No. 3 in the world behind the U.S and Spain.
The best player at the tournament for the Americans has been Kemba Walker and that will need to continue. Nobody is intimidated by this version of the U.S national team and their opponents will be hungry for an upset. In terms of your international basketball resume, there are few things bigger than eliminating Team USA. Greg Popovich will be wary of this. He will know that the path to a FIBA World Cup title will come off the strength of their defense.
This team has been very unconvincing offensively but they have the personnel to play lock down defense. If they continue to play the way they did in their last two games, they should be just fine.
The Stars of the Brazil Win
As usual, when Team USA beat Brazil today, they were led by Kemba Walker but it was another player whose performance really stood out. Miles Turner chipped in with 16 points of his own. He is one of the players that truly has the chance to make a difference. While Kemba Walker, Jason Tatum and Donovan Mitchell are clearly the best players on the roster, Miles Turner is the best two-way player. He is one of the best defensive big men in the NBA. This tournament is a chance for him to make the jump in his progression as a player.
The talent for Turner is obvious but he isn’t as assertive as some feel like he needs to be. He was excellent in this game shooting 8-11 from the field while playing good defense. If Turner can play up to his potential, that will make life for Team USA much easier.
Due to the fact that Team USA beat Brazil today, they have officially qualified for the Olympics. Not that it was ever in question but their quarterfinal berth here has made it official.
