Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Kerr, Team USA want top seed, big win vs. P.R.

Written by 
Published in Basketball
Friday, 02 August 2024 05:40

PARIS -- Team USA, the most scrutinized basketball team on the planet, often isn't evaluated just on whether they win but by how many points they win. And now that's a mandate within the team.

When coach Steve Kerr met with the team Friday, he presented the Olympic basketball tournament standings and underscored the importance of not just beating Puerto Rico in their final pool play game Saturday but by trying to do it by the largest amount possible.

Point differential is a tiebreaker for seeding in the quarterfinal round that begins Tuesday. The Americans, at plus-43, enter the third pool play game with the best number in the field. They have a 10-point edge over Germany, which plays Friday against France, and want to make sure they secure the top seed.

"We want the No. 1 seed," Kerr said at practice Friday. "It gives you the best matchup in the quarterfinals. So if we drop down to two or three -- which I think is unlikely, but we've got to take care of our business -- we possibly have a much tougher opponent."

Differential became a concept that mattered in the NBA last season when it determined seeding and advancement for the inaugural in-season tournament. But it's not something that usually is considered for NBA players.

Puerto Rico, which qualified for Paris with an upset over Lithuania in a qualifying tournament last month, is 0-2 and has the worst point differential in the Olympics at minus-52. Team USA is favored by 33.5 points by ESPN BET as of Friday morning.

"The point differential is a big thing, and so even the first two games we were focusing on not taking our foot off like you do in the NBA sometimes," Team USA guard Derrick White said. "So it's a little different than what we're used to, but that's all part of the tournament."

Guard Jrue Holiday, whom Kerr planned to return to the starting lineup after he came off the bench last game, suffered a minor ankle injury against South Sudan and is questionable for Saturday's game.

Anthony Davis, who had his foot stepped on Wednesday night, and White, who took a shot to the back, both practiced Friday and will play.

Kevin Durant will come off the bench for a third straight game, a role he expects to retain for the rest of the Olympics and is embracing.

"It's basketball. It really doesn't matter who starts. It's about really who finished the game, who put their impact on the game while they're in the game," Durant said Friday. "So I just try to do my best to impact it any way I can."

Read 79 times

Soccer

Source: Man City confident Pep will sign new deal

Source: Man City confident Pep will sign new deal

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsManchester City are growing increasingly confident Pep Guardiola wi...

Sources: Martino exits Miami for personal reasons

Sources: Martino exits Miami for personal reasons

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsGerardo "Tata" Martino has left his post as head coach of Inter Mia...

Source: Cincy breaks MLS transfer record for Denkey

Source: Cincy breaks MLS transfer record for Denkey

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFC Cincinnati has completed the signing of Cercle Brugge forward Ké...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Ex-Bulls star Love dies at 81 after cancer battle

Ex-Bulls star Love dies at 81 after cancer battle

EmailPrintFormer Chicago Bulls star forward Bob Love died Monday following a long battle with cancer...

Spurs rule Wembanyama (knee) out vs. Thunder

Spurs rule Wembanyama (knee) out vs. Thunder

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSAN ANTONIO -- The San Antonio Spurs gave Victor Wembanyama the day...

Baseball

Vogt, Murphy win top managers in first year on job

Vogt, Murphy win top managers in first year on job

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Milwaukee Brewers' Pat Murphy and Cleveland Guardians' Stephen...

Soto, Bregman, 10 more opt for MLB free agency

Soto, Bregman, 10 more opt for MLB free agency

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsJuan Soto, Alex Bregman, Willy Adames, Pete Alonso, Corbin Burnes a...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated