At 20:40 Beijing time on August 26, the first round of Group C of the 2023 Men's Basketball World Cup, the United States played New Zealand. After some competition, the United States beat New Zealand 99-72 to win the opener.
In this year's Men's Basketball World Cup, the United States, New Zealand, Jordan and Greece are in Group C. There are no NBA superstars in the 12-man roster of the American team, but the strength of stars such as Edwards and Haliburton cannot be underestimated. On the eve of the start of this World Cup, FIBA announced the latest men's basketball World Cup team strength ranking, the United States ranked 1st, while New Zealand ranked 20th. Meanwhile, before the World Cup, the United States played five warm-up games in August, during which they won successive victories over Puerto Rico, Slovenia, Spain, Greece and Germany.
Before the match, the New Zealand team showed a very characteristic "Maori war dance". At the beginning of the first quarter, Brunson hit the ball to score the first point, and New Zealand immediately continued to score a wave of 9-0 points with an outside shot under Wetzel's leadership. England's mid-range shot stopped the bleeding for the United States, but New Zealand then made a 5-0 run inside to extend their lead to 10 points. In the following period, the United States launched a counterattack, Banchero continued to score points through free throws and strong balls, and Rivers and Haliburton also hit jumpers, which led to a wave of 15-2 scoring climax and turned the tide around. At the end of the quarter, New Zealand was hit by Britt to press the whistle and clench the score. In the first quarter, the U.S. team led 19-18.
Entering the second quarter, the New Zealand team by Lanche, Le Afar hit three points from the outside, but the United States team bloomed more on the offensive end, Halliburton, Edwards, Jalen Jackson shot and shot, when Edwards hit the score, the United States led by 6 points 36-30. Le Affa then hit another outside 3-pointer, but Rivers quickly responded with a 3-pointer. Immediately afterwards, New Zealand's offensive hand was cold and fouled, and Jalen Jackson continued to score points through free throws, while Edwards hit a layup with the ball, extending the U.S. team to 11 points. At the end of the quarter, Foto received a basket from a teammate to score a layup and scored by New Zealand, breaking the scoring drought. At halftime, the U.S. led their opponents by nine points at 45-36.
After the Yibian rematch, the offensive end of the opening stage of the two sides was evenly matched, although Ely, Wetzel and Delaney shot successively, but the American team blossomed more, Banchero, Edwards, Brunson also shot one after another, and when Edwards threw a shot, the United States led by 12 points. Erie hit a three-point shot from the outside and Milner made a foul to make 3 of 3 free throws, but the U.S. team maintained a double-digit lead by Rivers through a counterattack layup and mid-range shot. In the following period, Banchero hit consecutive outside three-pointers and Haliburton broke through for a layup, and the United States threw a wave of scoring mini-climax to further extend the lead. In the third quarter, the U.S. led by 18 points at 76-58.
In the final quarter, the two sides alternated points in the opening period, and when Jalen Jackson violently split the score, the United States led the opponent by 20 points 82-62. Le Affa hit an outside 3-pointer, but Haliburton quickly responded with a 3-pointer. After that, New Zealand hit a small climax to close the score, but Banchero hit a free throw and Brunson made 3 free throws to give the United States a 20-point advantage. In the closing stages, the U.S. team threw out another wave of scoring mini-climax, continuing to expand the score. In the end, the United States beat New Zealand 99-72 to take the opener.
Both sides start
Team USA: Brunson, Ingram, Edwards, Jalen Jackson, Bridges;
New Zealand: Ely, Lanch, Wetzel, Nkatay, Delaney;