Anthony Davis and Kenneth Faried will get plenty of well-deserved credit for Team USA's 98-71 defeat of New Zealand in the FIBA World Cup Tuesday, but their consistent production in this tournament hasn't happened in a vacuum.
Perimeter shooting, prioritized more strongly than ever on this version of Team USA, is allowing American staples like speed and athleticism to make maximum impact. In other words, Davis and Faried (who combined for 36 points and 20 rebounds) aren't the biggest contributors on the U.S. squad unless guys like Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry are spacing the floor.
Sound crazy? Consider the win over New Zealand, in which Thompson and Curry each hit a pair of triples while James Harden and Kyrie Irving added one apiece. On the whole, Team USA drilled six of its 16 three-point shots for a solid 37.5 percent accuracy rate.
Even when the U.S. misfired, the mere threat of its marksmen caused scrambling defenders to scurry toward the three-point line, leaving space in the middle, lanes to drive and opportunities for offensive boards. The world knows Team USA can do damage from distan ...
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Article written by Grant Hughes
Team USA’s Perfect Mix of Athleticism and Shooting Has Been a Long Time Coming
September 2nd, 2014 by Grant Hughes Leave a reply »
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