USA beats Jordan 110-62, awaits second spherical of World Cup

NBA

“It’s all the time enjoyable when all people will get to play and contribute.”

Jordan ahead Rondae Hollis Jefferson (24) is fouled by U.S. ahead Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) as he shoots in the course of the first half of a Basketball World Cup group C match in Manila, Philippines Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (AP Photograph/Michael Conroy) AP

By TIM REYNOLDS, Related Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — One other recreation, one other blowout for the U.S. on the Basketball World Cup. And now the competitors figures to get significantly harder.

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Anthony Edwards scored 22 factors and the People accomplished a simple march by means of the group stage Wednesday, beating Jordan 110-62 to enhance to 3-0 and end atop Group C. Second-round play for the U.S. begins Friday in opposition to Montenegro.

“Staying aggressive, staying assured, it’s simply one thing that I do,” Edwards mentioned. “It paid off in the present day.”

Bobby Portis scored 13 for the U.S., which led by 19 after one quarter and 62-33 on the half. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 12 and Jalen Brunson added 10.

“It’s all the time enjoyable when all people will get to play and contribute,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr mentioned.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson — the one participant with any NBA expertise on Jordan’s roster — led his crew with 20 factors and 7 rebounds. Jordan completed group play 0-3 and can play within the classification spherical for non-second-round groups beginning Thursday.

The U.S. improved to 8-0 general this summer season, counting 5 exhibitions performed on the way in which to Manila. They’re certainly one of three groups that gained all three group-stage video games by at the very least 20 factors — becoming a member of Group H winner Canada and Group D winner Lithuania, which is able to face the People within the second-round finale on Sunday.

This one was the simplest of the three for the U.S., which beat New Zealand by 27 in its opener and Greece by 28 on Monday.

“We tried to sluggish them down as a lot as doable,” Jordan coach Wesam Al-Sous mentioned. “We failed. They scored 110 factors.”

Hollis-Jefferson has tried to vogue his recreation — to not point out his present haircut, it appears, since there’s a hanging similarity — after Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, even carrying No. 24 on his jersey for Jordan this summer season.

If this was his audition to get again to the NBA, after not enjoying within the league since June 2021, it wasn’t dangerous. He had 66 factors in Jordan’s first two video games on the World Cup, then shot 6 for 16 on Wednesday — whereas once more getting the occasional “Kobe! Kobe!” chants from some within the crowd in Manila.

Hollis-Jefferson spent a brief stint with Edwards and Minnesota earlier than the beginning of the 2020-21 season. Hollis-Jefferson by no means performed an actual recreation with the Timberwolves, however Edwards remembered their time collectively.

“He was form of like my vet after I was a rookie,” Edwards mentioned. “We haven’t seen one another since then, so it was enjoyable to catch up.”

TIP-INS

USA: The U.S. additionally gained all its group video games by at the very least 20 factors on the 2014 event, when there have been 5 video games in that spherical and never three. … FanDuel Sportsbook listed the People as 41.5-point favorites.

Jordan: It was the primary time Jordan performed the U.S. in a senior males’s competitors. U.S. groups beat Jordan in World College Video games matchups in 1979 and 1985 (each instances by precisely 110 factors, not a typo), and by 10 on the U19 world championship in 1995. … After enjoying Egypt on Thursday, Jordan finishes its World Cup keep in opposition to Mexico on Saturday.

LINEUP CHANGE

For the primary time this summer season, the U.S. had a unique beginning 5. Brandon Ingram was out and Josh Hart was in, becoming a member of Brunson, Edwards, Jackson Jr. and Mikal Bridges — who celebrated his twenty seventh birthday.

EVERYBODY IN

All 12 U.S. gamers had scored by the tip of the third quarter. The People additionally received all people into the scoring column in Monday’s win over Greece.

UP NEXT

USA: Faces Montenegro in a second-round recreation Friday in Manila.

Jordan: Faces Egypt in in a classification recreation Thursday in Manila.