Already guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals, Team USA still wanted to put on a show while finishing pool play a perfect 3-0. They could also secure the number 1 seed depending on the point differential against a scrappy, fast-paced Puerto Rico team led by Jose Alvarado.
Puerto Rico won't be advancing in these Olympic games, but they would not go down without a fight as Team USA learned in the first quarter. A lackluster defensive effort saw them give up 29 points in the opening frame, and they needed to tighten up their defense fast.
Even during the NBA offseason, Anthony Edwards continues to show what the Golden State Warriors missed out on at the 2020 NBA Draft
The second quarter was more like what coach Steve Kerr had envisioned as the defense restricted the opposition and helped USA get out in transition. They finished the half on a 20-4 run and held Puerto Rico to just 16 points in the quarter to give USA a 64-45 lead.
An uneventful second half saw young superstar Anthony Edwards take over, with the 22-year-old finishing with 26 points on a highly efficient 11-of-15 shooting from the floor. Taken with the number one overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Edwards is a constant source of regret for Golden State who infamously took James Wiseman with the following selection.
Anthony Edwards breaks out the WINDMILL in Paris! 🔥 #ParisOlympics
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/FdFYNz5eXr
Most Team USA starters did not see the floor in the fourth quarter as the game was well in control. With a 104-83 win, Team USA secures the number 1 seed in Group C ahead of Serbia before the quarter-finals get underway.
Following a disappointing three-point, 1-of-9 shooting performance in the second group game against South Sudan, Warriors superstar Stephen Curry had another quiet game on Saturday. The 2x NBA MVP finished with eight points while 3-of-8 from the floor and 2-of-6 from beyond the arc. Who knows, perhaps the FIBA line is too close for Curry, and he should take a few steps back to where a usual NBA three-point line would be.
Still, there is plenty of basketball likely left to be played given Team USA remain the overwhelming favorite for the Gold Medal. We all know it takes just one game for Curry to get going, and all that matters in the end is reaching the top of the podium with the 36-year-old willing to do whatever it takes to finally add that to his résumé