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USA | 110 | Final | 63 | Tunisia |  |
STARTERS
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Chris Paul, G 1-4 FG | 0-2 3PT | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 7 AST | 2 PTS This was Paul's best game in quite awhile. He didn't score the ball much, but he saw the floor well and set up his teammates for easy looks, while also bringing the suffocating perimeter defense that he's been showcasing the past month. Solid effort. |
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Kobe Bryant, G 2-5 FG | 0-2 3PT | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 4 PTS Kobe was mostly forgettable in this one. He played only 9 minutes, and most of those came during Team USA's ugly start to the first quarter when nobody looked particularly good. On the bright side, he got lots of rest, which will be essential moving forward. |
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Kevin Durant, F 4-10 FG | 1-4 3PT | 4-4 FT | 10 REB | 5 AST | 13 PTS Durant shot the ball poorly, but did enough other things well to make up for it. He was aggressive on the defensive glass, grabbing 10 boards, and facilitated for others more than in previous outings. He seemed particularly intent on getting Davis quality touches. |
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LeBron James, F 2-4 FG | 1-2 3PT | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 4 AST | 5 PTS It's always amazing to me how much LeBron can influence a game without it necessarily showing up in the box score. He was solid in this one, always making the right pass and getting the ball where it needed to be. Then again, he also did this. No words. |
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Tyson Chandler, C 3-3 FG | 0-0 3PT | 0-1 FT | 6 REB | 0 AST | 6 PTS A solid offensive performance. Not quite on the level of his breakout game against France, but exceptionally efficient nonetheless. The only problem was on defense, where the Tunisians (particularly Ben Romdhane) finished at the rim far too easily. |
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BENCH
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Carmelo Anthony, F 6-6 FG | 2-2 3PT | 2-2 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 16 PTS This alternating hot-cold pattern is quickly becoming a thing. Melo was good against Spain, bad against France, and absolutely unconscious against Tunisia. His second quarter scoring explosion played a big part in putting this one out of reach. |
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Deron Williams, G 3-5 FG | 1-2 3PT | 2-2 FT | 0 REB | 4 AST | 9 PTS It was a good night for American point guards all-around. Deron ran the offense effectively, and even shot the ball well for the first time in awhile. He's still not as proficient a perimeter defender as Paul or Westbrook, but I was pleased with this effort. |
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Russell Westbrook, G 4-8 FG | 0-1 3PT | 3-5 FT | 3 REB | 3 AST | 11 PTS Russell played mostly in control in this one, committing only one turnover. (Granted, that was an extraordinarily bone-headed one under his own goal, but I digress.) He attacked, defended, and did this. All in all, a winning recipe for basketball's most polarizing player. |
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Kevin Love, F 6-9 FG | 3-5 3PT | 1-2 FT | 6 REB | 0 AST | 16 PTS The Kevin Love renaissance was almost derailed when our fearless hero went down after sustaining a scary-looking knee injury on a drive in the third. He would eventually return, and thank goodness for that, because Love's offensive resurgence continued unabated. |
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Andre Iguodala, F 3-4 FG | 0-1 3PT | 0-0 FT | 5 REB | 5 AST | 6 PTS A classic Iguodala game. He played with much more energy than in recent outings, and it showed in his production. He attacked the glass, lived in the passing lanes, and generally did everything you want a "glue guy" to do. Team USA needs this Iggy every game. |
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James Harden, G 4-7 FG | 2-4 3PT | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 10 PTS Harden got some extra time to prove himself in this one, and while he played well, I'm not sure he necessarily made a strong case that he is a can't-miss rotation player. (Coach K didn't look too pleased with his turnovers.) He should get another chance against Nigeria. |
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Anthony Davis, C 5-5 FG | 0-0 3PT | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 12 PTS Davis exceeded my expectations yet again. Due to yet another slow start by Team USA, he only got 14 minutes, but he certainly made the most of them, making his presence felt on both sides of the ball and slamming home lob after lob. Fear the Brow, world. Fear it. |
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