Steph Curry scores 20 points as Team USA beat Puerto Rico 112-86
Team USA beat Puerto Rico 112-86 in their final home exhibition game
Team USA beat Puerto Rico 112-86 in their final home exhibition game.
Rose came off the bench and scored six points in 14 minutes. He had sat out the previous game and a couple of practices this week after feeling soreness following last Saturday's exhibition opener against Brazil, his first action since missing most of the last two seasons after a pair of knee surgeries.
But he proved he was healthy enough to make his second U.S. team, having played for the Americans when they won the former world basketball championship in 2010.
''These guys want to play with him. That's part of getting back is to be around a group of peers,'' Krzyzewski said.
Curry scored 20 points, while Harden and Gay had 13 points apiece for the Americans, who will play a final exhibition game in Spain against Slovenia and open the World Cup next Saturday against Finland.
The U.S. led 52-47 after Thompson's buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of an entertaining first half before a divided crowd that included plenty of Puerto Rican fans. Knicks All-Star and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist Carmelo Anthony, who is part Puerto Rican, was in the front row along with golfer Rory McIlroy and tennis star Andy Murray.
The Americans lost a number of key players this summer but are still good enough to defend their world title with the roster that remains, though they are vulnerable, which Puerto Rico proved by staying right with them for 20 minutes.
But they can also turn close games into blowouts in a hurry, which they did by outscoring Puerto Rico 14-2 to open the second half, with some energetic plays from Faried on both ends, to open a 66-49 lead.
Puerto Rico's veteran backcourt of Arroyo and J.J. Barea has loads of international and NBA experience, and they didn't wilt under relentless U.S. pressure the way so many other teams do. Former Knicks forward Renaldo Balkman also started for the Puerto Ricans, who play in Group B along with regional rival Argentina, Croatia, Greece, Senegal and the Philippines.
Barea scored 16 points and Arroyo had 15.
Rose came off the bench and scored six points in 14 minutes. He had sat out the previous game and a couple of practices this week after feeling soreness following last Saturday's exhibition opener against Brazil, his first action since missing most of the last two seasons after a pair of knee surgeries.
But he proved he was healthy enough to make his second U.S. team, having played for the Americans when they won the former world basketball championship in 2010.
''These guys want to play with him. That's part of getting back is to be around a group of peers,'' Krzyzewski said.
Curry scored 20 points, while Harden and Gay had 13 points apiece for the Americans, who will play a final exhibition game in Spain against Slovenia and open the World Cup next Saturday against Finland.
The U.S. led 52-47 after Thompson's buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of an entertaining first half before a divided crowd that included plenty of Puerto Rican fans. Knicks All-Star and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist Carmelo Anthony, who is part Puerto Rican, was in the front row along with golfer Rory McIlroy and tennis star Andy Murray.
The Americans lost a number of key players this summer but are still good enough to defend their world title with the roster that remains, though they are vulnerable, which Puerto Rico proved by staying right with them for 20 minutes.
But they can also turn close games into blowouts in a hurry, which they did by outscoring Puerto Rico 14-2 to open the second half, with some energetic plays from Faried on both ends, to open a 66-49 lead.
Puerto Rico's veteran backcourt of Arroyo and J.J. Barea has loads of international and NBA experience, and they didn't wilt under relentless U.S. pressure the way so many other teams do. Former Knicks forward Renaldo Balkman also started for the Puerto Ricans, who play in Group B along with regional rival Argentina, Croatia, Greece, Senegal and the Philippines.
Barea scored 16 points and Arroyo had 15.
E. Carchia
@Sportando
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