A thrilling North American showdown between the United States and Canada tips off the USA Basketball Showcase tonight in Las Vegas. This event marks the beginning of five exhibition games set to prepare the teams for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
USA 86, Canada 72
The last time Team USA and Team Canada met was ten months ago in the bronze medal game of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Canada emerged victorious in an overtime thriller, earning their first-ever medal in the World Cup and their first major international basketball competition medal since the 1936 Olympics.
Key Players:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks: These stars combined for 70 points to lead Team Canada to victory in their last encounter.
Mikal Bridges: Known for his miracle shot, Bridges forced overtime by intentionally missing a free throw, grabbing his rebound, and sinking a fadeaway 3-pointer.
Rosters:
Team Canada returns most of its World Cup roster with notable additions such as Jamal Murray, Trey Lyles, and Andrew Nembhard. They boast the most current NBA players (10) of any country outside the US in the Olympics.
Conversely, Team USA only retains two players from its World Cup team—Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton—while adding ten NBA All-Stars. Headliners include four former league MVPs: LeBron James (4x), Steph Curry (2x), Kevin Durant, and Joel Embiid.
Notable Facts:
Both teams feature one member from the 2023-24 All-NBA First Team: SGA for Canada and Jayson Tatum for the US. However, Team USA has a 9-1 edge among all three All-NBA Teams.
Team USA’s roster includes four players from both the All-NBA Second Team (Anthony Davis, Durant, Edwards, Kawhi Leonard) and Third Team (Devin Booker, Curry, Haliburton, LeBron).
Kevin Durant, Team USA’s all-time leading scorer in the Olympics, has been ruled out due to calf soreness.
With NBA talent and higher team continuity, Canada presents a strong test for Team USA. This matchup offers the Americans an early opportunity to gauge their readiness as they come together for the first time this summer.
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Photo Credit: Andrey Burmakin / Shutterstock.com