Team USA chemistry draws encouraging Bobby Portis take after Jordan rout

As Bobby Portis pointed out after a dominant win vs. Jordan, Team USA's synergy during the 2023 FIBA World Cup is only growing by the second.

When putting together a Team USA squad that's worthy of winning the gold medal in prestigious international tournaments such as the 2023 FIBA World Cup, talent almost always takes precedent in one's inclusion more so than fit and team chemistry. Thus, even though there have been plenty of talented squads in Team USA history filled with high-caliber NBA players, it's not a guarantee for the Americans to win the competition.

Nevertheless, the Team USA squad that's competing in Manila, Philippines in this year's FIBA World Cup doesn't appear to be susceptible to such issues. In fact, as Milwaukee Bucks big man Bobby Portis pointed out, the team's synergy is only growing by the second, especially after their dominant showing in a 110-62 win over Jordan to finish the first round with a perfect 3-0 record.

“Over the last couple of weeks, we've grown as a unit. Obviously hanging around guys and building that chemistry and camaraderie off the court, getting to know guys… when you get to these tournaments, that's when the chemistry starts,” Portis said following their rout of Jordan. “When you get on the road, when you get on the hotel, you play cards together, you hang out, you go out to eat. Find that vibe, find that connection, and I think it's finally turning the corner for us.”

"Over the last couple of weeks, we've grown as a unit… When you get to these tournaments, that's when the chemistry starts."

Bobby Portis after Team USA wins against Jordan and moves 3-0 in the #FIBAWC 🇺🇸pic.twitter.com/9Pv4l6Q4vA

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 30, 2023

This iteration of Team USA has made it a point to share the rock and let everybody eat on the offensive end of the court. What has propelled Bobby Portis and company in their three group stage wins thus far has been their balanced scoring distribution. On Wednesday morning, eight players scored seven points or more, with Portis adding 13 points to support their leading scorer Anthony Edwards who had 22 on the day.

The road ahead, however, won't be getting any easier for Team USA. In the second round, they'll be facing Lithuania and Montenegro, two solid teams with good spacing and high-caliber go-to-guys in Jonas Valanciunas and Nikola Vucevic, respectively. Those two teams will certainly put their chemistry to the test; nonetheless, given what Portis and company have showed thus far, there's no reason to believe that they'll be slowing down anytime soon.