Team USA made a couple cuts over the weekend, letting go of Jeff Green and JaVale McGee. The roster, currently at 13 players, will have one more cut, but that decision could wait until after the team completes its four-game exhibition schedule.
Team USA beat France, 86-55, in its first exhibition on Sunday. France kept things interesting for about a quarter and a half before the United States ran away with the game. Kevin Durant led the U.S. with 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Rudy Gay added 19 points off the bench and Chauncey Billups scored 17. Warriors guard Stephen Curry played 12:25 and scored four points. He shot 2 of 7 from the field, including 0 of 2 from the 3-point line. Curry also had two steals and an assist.
Considering Curry’s value to the team is supposed to be outside shooting, he’s not doing himself any favors currently. In the past two games (Sunday’s exhibition and a Friday scrimmage against China), Curry has shot 5 of 14 from the field, including 1 for 5 from distance. Meanwhile, Curry’s main competition for the final roster spot, Clippers guard Eric Gordon, has trended the opposite direction in the past two games, making 7 of 14 shots, including 6 of 13 3-pointers. It’s likely that Curry has three more exhibition games to earn the final spot, so he needs to find his way out of this mini-slump if he wants to play for the team in the FIBA men’s championship.
Judging from the box score Sunday, Curry and Gordon might have more competition for the final roster spot. Why did Kevin Love play only eight minutes and Russell Westbrook just seven? Love’s time was limited because of a bruised calf and with the team so short on big men, he seems to be safe. But Westbrook getting only seven minutes is a mystery. Could Westbrook be in that competition for the final spot now, too?
Here’s a box score from Sunday’s game:
USA 86, FRANCE 55
At Madison Square Garden, New York
FRANCE (0-1)
Diaw 7-12 0-0 15, Batum 5-11 0-0 11, F. Pietrus 0-4 0-0 0, De Colo 1-9 2-2 5, Mahinmi 0-1 0-0 0, Bokolo 3-8 1-2 9, Gelabale 1-3 0-0 3, Traore 2-4 2-4 6, Koffi 1-2 0-0 2, Ajinca 1-6 0-0 2, Kahudi 0-2 0-0 0, Causeur 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 22-63 5-8 55.
USA (1-0)
Durant 5-11 4-4 14, Iguodala 1-2 0-0 2, Rondo 3-4 0-0 6, Billups 5-9 4-4 17, Chandler 2-2 0-0 4, Gay 7-12 4-6 19, Odom 4-5 0-0 8, Rose 1-4 0-0 2, Gordon 3-5 0-0 8, Curry 2-7 0-0 4, Granger 0-3 0-0 0, Love 0-1 0-0 0, Westbrook 1-2 0-0 0. Totals 34-67 12-14 86.
3-pointers: France 6-25 (De Colo 1-6, Batum 1-5, Diaw 1-5, Bokolo 2-4, Pietrus 0-3, Gelabale 1-1, Kahudi 0-1), USA 6-18 (Billups 3-6, Gordon 2-4, Curry 0-2, Durant 0-2, Gay 1-1, Granger 0-1, Iguodala 0-1, Odom 0-1). Rebounds: France 31 (Diaw 6, Ajinca 5, Batum 4, Mahinmi 4, Koffi 3, Gelabale 2, Kahudi 2, Pietrus 2, Bokolo 1, De Colo 1, Traore 1), USA 34 (Durant 8, Odom 7, Billups 4, Chandler 3, Rose 3, Iguodala 2, Rondo 2, Westbrook 2, Gay 1, Gordon 1, Love 1). Assists: France 13 (Bokolo 4, Diaw 3, Mahinmi 2, Ajinca 1, De Colo 1, Gelabale 1, Pietrus 1), USA 16 (Rondo 6, Rose 3, Curry 1, Durant 1, Granger 1, Iguodala 1, Love 1, Odom 1, Westbrook 1). Steals: France 9 (Batum 4, Bokolo 1, De Colo 1, Koffi 1, Pietrus 1, Traore 1), USA 12 (Iguodala 3, Curry 2, Gay 2, Love 2, Gordon 1, Odom 1, Rose 1). Blocked shots: France 4 (Traore 2, Bokolo 1, Ajinca 1), USA 6 (Durant 3, Chandler 1, Iguodala 1, Odom 1). Turnovers: France 21, USA 15. Attendance: 19,763.
