LAS VEGAS - Chants of "U.S.A., U.S.A." came storming down from the stands of Thomas & Mack Center Thursday after Joe Johnson nailed a 3-pointer late in the third quarter. Those could be the last such chants for the Americans over the next few months.
In the first of five exhibition games before the 2006 World Championships begin in Sapporo, Japan on August 19, the U.S. rolled to a 114-69 victory over Puerto Rico on the strength of a 31-3 spurt bridging the second and third quarters.
Led by an outstanding 2003 draft class, the Americans received 18 points from Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets and 14 from Dwyane Wade of the world champion Miami Heat. The U.S. was shocked by the tiny commonwealth, 92-73, in the Olympics opener for both teams two years ago.
Team USA, which could not knock down open 3-pointers against the zone defense early Thursday, held just a 29-26 lead after a sluggish first quarter.
After missing its first six shots and allowing two power layups by Daniel Santiago and a jumper by Carlos Arroyo of the Orlando Magic to fall behind, 32-29, the U.S. squad took notice. While starting to step up its pressure defense, the U.S. created frequent turnovers and turned them into points. A 3-pointer by Gilbert Arenas of the Washington Wizards with 1:50 left in the half capped a 19-3 run.
The U.S. turned 14 first-half turnovers into 19 points and held a 48-35 lead at the break.
"The second-quarter group did a good job getting after it," Anthony said. "We have been focusing on defense since training camp began, and they did a great job in the second quarter."
When the second half started, the U.S. continued its pressure defense, leading to a dunkfest. Two straight jams by LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers completed the Americans' huge burst just two minutes into the half.
With just under two minutes to play in the third, Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks pushed the lead to 80-47 with his shot from the arc, prompting the fans to voice their approval.
Every player except Bruce Bowen of the San Antonio Spurs scored for the U.S., which played without forward Amare Stoudemire. The Phoenix Suns forward is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee that took place on April 5 and withdrew from the team earlier Thursday.
The Americans now travel to Ghangzhou, China to face Houston Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming and China on Monday and a loaded team from Brazil on Tuesday. From there, the Americans venture to Seoul to take on Lithuania on August 13 and host Korea on August 15.
At the outset of training camp, Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski - the first college coach put in charge of the national team since the advent of the NBA era in 1992 - said the goal was for the Americans to re-establish themselves as the dominant team in international basketball.
That hasn't been the case for 10 years, when Team USA trampled foes en route to the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics. Since then, the Americans have been reeled in by the rest of the world.
In 1998, Team USA finished third at the World Championships with a team stripped of NBA stars by fallout from the lockout. In 2000, the Americans won the gold medal in the Olympics, barely beating Lithuania in the semifinals and France in the final.
In 2002, the U.S. finished an embarrassing sixth at the World Championships, losing an astonishing three times despite the presence of NBA stars. It was more of the same at the 2004 Olympics, where Americans lost in group play to Puerto Rico and Lithuania and in the semifinals to Argentina, eventually settling for the bronze medal.
The fall from the top prompted wholesale changes within USA Basketball, including the appointment of managing director Jerry Colangelo, the hiring of Duke coach Krzyzewski ahead of NBA coaches and a tryout process which had not been used since the 1980s.
In the World Championships, Team USA is in Group D with Puerto Rico, China, Senegal, Slovenia and Olympic silver medalist Italy, which routed the Americans in an exhibition prior to the 2004 Games.
Only the winner of the 24-team World Championships and the Olympic hosts automatically qualify for the 2008 Games in Beijing. If Team USA does not win the World Championships - which it has not done since 1994 - it must qualify through the 2007 FIBA Tournament of the Americas in Venezuela.<!--end leftcol -->
In the first of five exhibition games before the 2006 World Championships begin in Sapporo, Japan on August 19, the U.S. rolled to a 114-69 victory over Puerto Rico on the strength of a 31-3 spurt bridging the second and third quarters.
Led by an outstanding 2003 draft class, the Americans received 18 points from Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets and 14 from Dwyane Wade of the world champion Miami Heat. The U.S. was shocked by the tiny commonwealth, 92-73, in the Olympics opener for both teams two years ago.
Team USA, which could not knock down open 3-pointers against the zone defense early Thursday, held just a 29-26 lead after a sluggish first quarter.
After missing its first six shots and allowing two power layups by Daniel Santiago and a jumper by Carlos Arroyo of the Orlando Magic to fall behind, 32-29, the U.S. squad took notice. While starting to step up its pressure defense, the U.S. created frequent turnovers and turned them into points. A 3-pointer by Gilbert Arenas of the Washington Wizards with 1:50 left in the half capped a 19-3 run.
The U.S. turned 14 first-half turnovers into 19 points and held a 48-35 lead at the break.
"The second-quarter group did a good job getting after it," Anthony said. "We have been focusing on defense since training camp began, and they did a great job in the second quarter."
When the second half started, the U.S. continued its pressure defense, leading to a dunkfest. Two straight jams by LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers completed the Americans' huge burst just two minutes into the half.
With just under two minutes to play in the third, Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks pushed the lead to 80-47 with his shot from the arc, prompting the fans to voice their approval.
Every player except Bruce Bowen of the San Antonio Spurs scored for the U.S., which played without forward Amare Stoudemire. The Phoenix Suns forward is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee that took place on April 5 and withdrew from the team earlier Thursday.
The Americans now travel to Ghangzhou, China to face Houston Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming and China on Monday and a loaded team from Brazil on Tuesday. From there, the Americans venture to Seoul to take on Lithuania on August 13 and host Korea on August 15.
At the outset of training camp, Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski - the first college coach put in charge of the national team since the advent of the NBA era in 1992 - said the goal was for the Americans to re-establish themselves as the dominant team in international basketball.
That hasn't been the case for 10 years, when Team USA trampled foes en route to the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics. Since then, the Americans have been reeled in by the rest of the world.
In 1998, Team USA finished third at the World Championships with a team stripped of NBA stars by fallout from the lockout. In 2000, the Americans won the gold medal in the Olympics, barely beating Lithuania in the semifinals and France in the final.
In 2002, the U.S. finished an embarrassing sixth at the World Championships, losing an astonishing three times despite the presence of NBA stars. It was more of the same at the 2004 Olympics, where Americans lost in group play to Puerto Rico and Lithuania and in the semifinals to Argentina, eventually settling for the bronze medal.
The fall from the top prompted wholesale changes within USA Basketball, including the appointment of managing director Jerry Colangelo, the hiring of Duke coach Krzyzewski ahead of NBA coaches and a tryout process which had not been used since the 1980s.
In the World Championships, Team USA is in Group D with Puerto Rico, China, Senegal, Slovenia and Olympic silver medalist Italy, which routed the Americans in an exhibition prior to the 2004 Games.
Only the winner of the 24-team World Championships and the Olympic hosts automatically qualify for the 2008 Games in Beijing. If Team USA does not win the World Championships - which it has not done since 1994 - it must qualify through the 2007 FIBA Tournament of the Americas in Venezuela.<!--end leftcol -->
