The US team "bombarded" Puerto Rico in the first pre-FIBA World Cup 2023 friendly match

Before the start of the FIBA ​​World Cup 2023 campaign on August 25, the US team kicked off a series of friendly matches against Puerto Rico in Las Vegas.

The two teams met at the T-Mobile arena with packed stands, offering an exciting match but… only in the first two innings.

Overcoming the slow start, the US team gradually neutralized the opponent in the third round and won the final with a score of 117-74.

After a tumultuous start in the first two innings, the US team opened up the game in the third and fourth rounds with a total score of 67-31 against Puerto Rico. There was a time when Anthony Edwards and his teammates created a shake up to 20-0, showing complete superiority in both attack and defence.

Seven different home team players scored over 10 points, led by duo Anthony Edwards and Cam Johnson (15 points each). Tyrese Haliburton had 12 assists, while Jalen Brunson had a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds.

The best player on the Puerto Rican side is former Boston Celtics player Tremont Waters, the owner of 17 points and 5 steals. George Conditt IV and Jordan Howard contributed 12 and 13 respectively.

The match attracted the attention of many celebrities, including Kevin Durant and Draymond Green who came directly to the field to cheer on their teammates. This year Durant and Green are not present to "make way" for young stars, aiming to attend next year's Summer Olympics in Paris.

Another big name that also enthusiastically supports the US team is LeBron James. "The King" has even more reason to follow the national team when his Lakers teammate Austin Reaves is on the list of 12 official names.

Encountering a not-so-strong opponent, this match was mainly of spiritual significance for coach Steve Kerr's teachers and students. Two real tests of expertise will come during the tour in Spain.

There, the US team will respectively meet Slovenia (led by Luka Doncic) and host Spain, the team that is occupying the No. 1 position on the FIBA ​​world rankings.