A dominant but not dream start for US team
Updated: 2012-07-30 14:03
(Xinhua)
|
||||||||
LONDON - Kevin Durant scored 22 points in his Olympic debut to help the United States men's basketball team take a 98-71 opening win over France on Sunday.
Dominant, but not dream start. Just as head coach Mike Krzyzewski said, this is just the United States team, not a Dream Team.
The US team started the match by missing its first six three-point attempts and only led by one point after the first quarter. Although the US team was never in real trouble, 14 turnovers and 26 fouls still kept this superstar-laden squad from feeling too comfortable.
Kevin Love added 14 points and LeBron James had eight assists. James only took six shots while setting up his teammates.
"It wasn't perfect," said James. "We've still got room for improvement. We had too many turnovers, too many fouls and we had a couple of defensive rebounds we could have come up with. But overall, we played a pretty good game for as close to 40 minutes as possible."
Kobe Bryant only played 12 minutes and took 10 points. Combined with James and Durant, the trio finished the game 6 of 12 from three-point range while the rest of the US team went 2 for 13.
"We know everybody else expects us to win by 40 points," said Carmelo Anthony. "For us, a win's a win. We expect every game to be like this one."
Tony Parker, who almost missed the Olympics after undergoing surgery for an eye injury, was forced only to 10 points. Ali Traore led the French side with 12 points. France fell to 0-5 in Olympic competition against the US team.
- 'Taken 2' grabs movie box office crown
- Rihanna's 'Diamonds' tops UK pop chart
- Fans get look at vintage Rolling Stones
- Celebrities attend Power of Women event
- Ang Lee breaks 'every rule' to make unlikely new Life of Pi film
- Rihanna almost thrown out of nightclub
- 'Dark Knight' wins weekend box office
- 'Total Recall' stars gather in Beverly Hills
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Supplies pour into isolated villages |
All-out efforts to save lives |
American abroad |
Industry savior: Big boys' toys |
New commissioner
|
Liaoning: China's oceangoing giant |
Today's Top News
Health new priority for quake zone
Xi meets US top military officer
Japan's boats driven out of Diaoyu
China mulls online shopping legislation
Bird flu death toll rises to 22
Putin appoints new ambassador to China
Japanese ships blocked from Diaoyu Islands
Inspired by Guan, more Chinese pick up golf
US Weekly
Beyond Yao
|
Money power |