Team USA Articles - Page 31

Team USA lost its exhibition game to Australia on Saturday night in Melbourne by a final score of 98-94. Utah Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell says while it’s always tough to lose, an exhibition loss doesn’t mean anything in the long run. “To be honest, this game doesn’t mean anything,” Mitchell said, via Eric Nehm […]

Team USA coach Gregg Popovich continues to poke fun at his San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills after the two faced off on opposite sides for the second time in three days. The Team USA head coach complemented Mills’ amazing game against the Americans on Saturday before proceeding to call him huge pain in the […]

Team USA fell to Australia by a score of 98-94 in their FIBA World Cup qualifier matchup early Saturday morning, marking the USA’s first defeat in the tournament this summer. Not only that, but it represented the first loss the Americans have suffered since 2006. And you know what? It was hardly surprising. Don’t get […]

Team USA suffered a shock defeat to the Australian national side on Saturday, 98-94, marking the Boomer’s first ever win against the Americans. Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich was understandably not in a jovial mood following the loss, but the 70-year-old decided to focus on the positive aspect of this defeat, saying that this […]

After a load of drop-outs and injuries throughout the recruitment and training process, the 12-man roster for Team USA is finally set, Marc Stein of The New York Post reports. Team USA was previously down to 13 candidates, but the injury to Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma leaves the squad no choice but to […]

USA Basketball has just confirmed that Los Angeles Lakers stud Kyle Kuzma has decided to withdraw from the squad after being unable to suit up for Team USA during their historic defeat to Australia on Saturday. USA Basketball announces that Kyle Kuzma's ankle injury will rule him out of the @FIBAWC and the roster is […]

The Australian nation squad pulled off what is likely going to be one of, if not the biggest upset of the year after defeating the mighty Team USA on Saturday, 98-94. The Australians were playing against the odds, but being cheered on by a 51,000-strong capacity crowd in Melbourne’s Marvel Arena seemed to have pushed […]

Last week, Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich said he’s not looking forward to making the last cut on the USA roster. Popovich and his staff have to cut one player before departing from Australia to China for the FIBA World Cup. According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, Popovich might wait until the last […]

In an interview with reporters at this year’s FIBA tournament in Australia, Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich noted that he is leaning on certain players for leadership, including Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell and Marcus Smart. There were some who took Pop’s message out of context, assuming that the players he mentioned were the team’s […]

San Antonio Spurs and Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich was not in a very jovial mood on Friday, as he decided to give an Australian reporter the cold shoulder treatment. Coach Pop remained in the arena following Team USA’s victory against the Australian national side, and was seen chatting it up with some other […]

Team USA found itself in a dogfight at halftime against Australia in the first of two exhibition games this week at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. The Americans led by just one point at the break, but then they flexed their muscles in the third quarter, outscoring the Boomers 32-18 in the frame to cruise to […]

Actor Russell Crowe shelled out $1,500 a ticket to watch Australia host Team USA at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Thursday. Unfortunately for the Oscar-winner, he didn’t exactly have the best view of the action, and he took to Twitter to complain about his predicament: $1500 a ticket for this view. AUS v USA .Jokes […]

Team USA had all the reasons to be happy after winning the first of their two exhibition games against Australia on Thursday. The Americans beat the Boomers 102-86 to gain some much-needed momentum as they continue to prepare for the FIBA World Cup. After the game, some of the players poked fun at each other, […]

Team USA has named Kemba Walker, Marcus Smart and Donovan Mitchell as its captains. Walker and Mitchell have been starting together in the backcourt for Team USA, while Smart has yet to play after suffering a calf injury in training camp in Las Vegas. However, Gregg Popovich seems to like the leadership qualities Smart has. […]

Kyle Kuzma had a terrific game for Team USA, scoring 12 points off the bench and shooting the lights out from beyond the arc during a 102-86 exhibition win against Australia in Melbourne. Yet Thursday night saw him do some scoring for the Boomers as well, as a tip-in gaffe ruined what could have been […]

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma has been working on his stroke from beyond the arc this offseason, and it was on full display in Team USA’s 102-86 exhibition victory over Australia on Thursday. Kuzma had his shot going early against Australia. In fact, the former 27th overall pick knocked down four of his five […]

Team USA has gotten off to a 2-0 start in exhibition play after cruising past Australia 102-86 on Thursday. Yet their record is all the more impressive when it encompasses the scope of the years, now riding a 78-game win streak in major international competitions (including friendlies) since getting a bronze medal at the 2006 […]

Although the game between Team USA and Australian Boomers were witnessed by more than 50,000 fans at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, a significant amount of people were disappointed because they weren’t able to see NBA superstars Stephen Curry and LeBron James, who were part of the promotional materials used for the exhibition matches. Obviously, […]

Team USA is now 2-0 in exhibition matches after an impressive 102-86 win against the Australian Boomers on Thursday. There were a lot of highlights for the Americans in this game, including this emphatic rejection by Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell off the backboard: This block is filthy, @spidadmitchell 😤 pic.twitter.com/GqgaIeTepJ — NBA on ESPN […]

Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich is 70 years of age, but his hustle along the sidelines in Thursday’s exhibition game against Australia proves that he still has wheels. During the third quarter of Thursday’s matchup, Australian point guard Patty Mills grabbed a loose ball rebound near the sideline. He threw the ball ahead, looking […]

Team USA had it going on on Thursday, as they handily defeated the Australian national side in a pre-FIBA World Cup exhibition, 102-86. One of the many highlights of the entertaining contest was the Boston Celtics connection between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, as the two youngsters combined to come up with a tremendous alley-oop […]

Team USA moved up to 2-0 in exhibition games after racing past Australia on Thursday with a 102-86 win in Melbourne. Donovan Mitchell and Kemba Walker were able to see a wave of faces in the crowd, including actor Russell Crowe at a sold-out Marvel Stadium. Mitchell for one, was proud about how the Americans […]

Having been in the league since the late ’80s, San Antonio Spurs and Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich has pretty much seen it all. However, the 70-year-old admitted that he was still taken aback by Team USA’s recent experience of going up against 51,000 home fans, as they battled Australia in an international exhibition […]

Team USA raced to a strong start to their overseas exhibition campaign, running past Australia 102-86 in their second exhibition game prior to the start of the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker led the way with 23 points as head coach Gregg Popovich started the speedy dynamo along with Donovan […]

Marcus Smart, the beloved, scrappy point guard of the Boston Celtics, has not been well-known throughout his career for his outside shooting. But during warmups for Team USA, it looks as if Smart has debuted his newest shooting stroke. He’s back… @smart_MS3 over his head! #USABMNT #USAGotGame pic.twitter.com/sXuPFb5XO6 — NBA (@NBA) August 22, 2019 As […]

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green visited Team USA last week to find one common theme swirling the minds of many players: the current roster is heavily doubted to perform to its previous gold-medal standards of excellence. Green, who took part in Team USA’s last venture for gold as a member of the Rio 2016 […]

Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker has heard the noise surrounding around what’s expected to be a vulnerable Team USA heading into a looming 2019 FIBA World Cup. The 6-foot-1 floor general answered when USA Basketball came calling, despite being one of the many stars that changed teams over the offseason — a reason for […]

Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox shocked his Team USA counterparts during his brief participation with USA Basketball before he withdrew from the team. The 21-year-old did, however, leave a lasting impression as one of the fastest players to take the court. Fellow USA teammates Kemba Walker and Donovan Mitchell were among the first to […]

Team USA coach Gregg Popovich continues to make fun of Australian guard Patty Mills, who is currently with the San Antonio Spurs. Pop, who also coaches the Spurs in the NBA, jokingly said he now knows Australia’s gameplan because of Mills he threatened him. “Patty brought me their gameplan yesterday, because I threatened him with […]

Less than two weeks remain before the start of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, yet Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich might head to China in the last week of August with no decisions to make. USA Basketball was primed to take 15 players to Melbourne, Australia for a series of practices and three exhibition […]

The Team USA squad that will represent the nation in the upcoming FIBA World Cup in China is not exactly of the Dream Team caliber. However, despite the fact that there have been more than a few noteworthy names to withdraw from the squad over the past couple of months, this group still remains a […]

For Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich, the Australian national team is capable of winning it all in the upcoming FIBA World Cup in China. Popovich believes that Australia poses a danger to the Americans and their quest to defend their title at the FIBA World Cup in China. From Popovich’s observation, the Australians are […]

It looks like Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart’s left calf injury is getting a lot better. Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich said Smart “scrimmaged a decent part” of Team USA’s practice on Tuesday. Smart says it “feels good to be out here.” “He is looking pretty good,” Popovich said. “He scrimmaged a decent part […]

Milwaukee Bucks swingman Khris Middleton says he and his Team USA teammates were “very surprised” Houston Rockets forward PJ Tucker withdrew from the FIBA World Cup. Shortly before Team USA’s exhibition game against Spain last week, Tucker suffered an ankle injury in practice. He wanted to play through it, but after speaking to his agent, […]

Houston Rockets forward PJ Tucker compared the role he had playing for Team USA with the one he has for his NBA team — a similar proposition given that not much has changed in his style of play: “It’s the same and it’s different,” said Tucker, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “I think […]

Team USA forward Jayson Tatum is looking forward to an upcoming matchup against Australia, which means going against former teammate Aron Baynes, who was traded to the Phoenix Suns in the offseason. The two former teammates spent two years with the Boston Celtics and likely matched up against one another from time to time in […]

Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo wants USA Basketball to win with “defense and rebounding” since they don’t have a “Kevin Durant-type player.” Team USA doesn’t have a superstar on it who can take over games. The roster has some good scorers on it, headlined by Donovan Mitchell and Kemba Walker, but no one with […]

Phoenix Suns big man Aron Baynes is expecting a battle in the upcoming two games the Australian national team will endure against a younger rendition of Team USA, one that has been doubted and counted out after a wave of dropouts from this 2019 FIBA World Cup opportunity. Baynes noted the Americans won’t be an […]

Team USA is quickly approaching a back-to-back affair against the Australian national team, where Boston Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will see a familiar face in Aron Baynes. The Aussie mauler has always been fond of the two young players, who now embark in a mission to prove doubters wrong after more than […]