After a monster 18-point performance against South Sudan, Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo took a back seat for Team USA as they blew out Puerto Rico 104-83. Adebayo finished the game with only three points, but still contributed defensively by adding two steals and five rebounds.
Puerto Rico started off strong early, leading the game after the first quarter. The difference in this game was Team USA’s ability to pick apart the defense of their opponent. LeBron James got the team rolling in the second quarter, first by feeding inside scorers and then by finding outside shooters. James finished with eight assists and was a team-high plus-18.
Anthony Edwards exploded in the second half, knocking down several deep shots and finishing in style. He finished the game with a game-high 26 points along with two steals.
With Edwards and James leading the offense, Team USA did not need much from Bam in this game on the offensive end. He still made a positive impact in the minutes he played, which was all that was needed to win the game.
That is how it is going to be for the rest of his time in Paris. Team USA is filled with talent. Every game, they could have a different player have a big night. As long as Bam at least does his job on the defensive end, that should be enough. That was the case against Puerto Rico.
With their win against Puerto Rico, Team USA secured the top seed for the quarter finals. Team USA has dominated their opponents so far and will look to continue to do so against their next opponent.