2023 FIBA World Cup

5 takeaways from Team USA's win over New Zealand in FIBA World Cup opener

Paolo Banchero and Austin Reaves shine off the bench as the U.S. opens FIBA play with a 99-72 victory over New Zealand.

Brian Martin, For NBA.com

Team USA celebrates their 99-72 opening win over New Zealand in the 2023 FIBA World Cup

Team USA opened its Group Phase play at the 2023 FIBA World Cup on Saturday with a 99-72 win over New Zealand. Paolo Banchero scored a game-high 21 points to lead six USA players in double figures as the Americans turned a slow start into a convincing win.

Here are five things that stood out from Saturday’s game.

1. Filipino fans love Austin Reaves and he gave them plenty to cheer about

No player received louder ovations from the Mall of Asia Arena crowd in Manila than Austin Reaves. The crowd exploded when he was introduced during the pregame and was on cue every time he touched the ball.

Reaves did not disappoint his adoring fans as he finished with 12 points, six assists, three steals and two 3-pointers in 22 minutes off the bench. Team USA outscored New Zealand by 20 points with Reaves on the court as he made plays on both ends of the court, with his defensive efforts leading directly to several easy baskets for either himself or a teammate.

2. Paolo Banchero plays like a seasoned veteran to lead the US

Paolo Banchero may be a 20-year-old getting ready to begin his second NBA season, but he sure didn’t look like the youngest player on the court on Saturday. The reigning Kia NBA Rookie of the Year finished with game highs of 21 points, four blocks and a plus-25 in just 19 minutes off the bench.

US head coach Steve Kerr has played Banchero as a small-ball center throughout the exhibition run and it was once again effective against New Zealand, particularly with starting center Jaren Jackson Jr. fouling out in just 16 minutes of play. Banchero shot 70% from the field during the five-game exhibition tour and was even better in his World Cup debut, making eight of his 10 shots, including his first six. Banchero even knocked down a pair of 3-pointers on consecutive possessions as the Americans built on their double-digit lead.

3. Team USA showcases its depth as the bench delivers after a slow start

Whether it was first-game jitters, an interrupted warm-up or watching New Zealand perform its traditional haka dance prior to tip off, the starters for Team USA came out flat, turning the ball over four times and missing five shots as New Zealand jumped out to a double-digit lead in just over four minutes of game play.

Similar to the USA’s final exhibition game against Germany, Kerr relied on his bench to turn the game around. We’ve already discussed the play of Reaves and Banchero, but we can’t forget about Tyrese Haliburton, who finished with 10 points and a pair of 3s on 4-of-5 shooting. He added four rebounds, three steals and three assists, including a few no-look passes that dazzled the crowd.

Tyrese Haliburton provided a spark off the bench for team USA.

Team USA’s bench outscored the starting five 54-45 and outscored New Zealand’s reserves by 31 as the Kiwis had no answer for the waves of talent that the Americans were able to throw at them. When the USA starters struggled, the bench picked up the slack. When the New Zealand starters got in foul trouble, its bench wasn’t able to do that same.

  • Starters: New Zealand 49, USA 45
  • Bench: USA 54, New Zealand 23
  • USA: Bench 54, Starters 45
  • New Zealand: Starters 49, Bench 23

4. Defense and transition continue to fuel the squad

Team USA finished with a 10-7 advantage in steals and a 7-0 advantage in blocked shots as the Americans thrived when they could turn their defense into offense.

All teams are at their best when they can score easy baskets, but those transition opportunities are more important for a team like this US squad that doesn’t have the luxury of years of experience playing with one another like other teams in this tournament.

Team USA may not be able to execute in the half court with the same precision and timing as the opposition. Instead, it will have to play with force, strength and athleticism to impose its will on other teams, force them into mistakes and take advantage of those miscues.

5. This win can be a building block for the rest of the tournament

Mikal Bridges and Austin Reaves get on the same page against New Zealand.

There is a value to every game that this team can play together as they build chemistry and continue to learn one another on the court. There were lessons to be learned from all five exhibition games leading into the World Cup, and that trend will continue in the Group Phase as the Americans have less than 48 hours before their next game against Greece (Monday, 5:40 a.m. ET, ESPN2).

After establishing himself as the go-to guy against Germany in the final exhibition game, Anthony Edwards was not at his best on Saturday. He still led the starters with 14 points, but missed all three 3-pointers, three free throws and committed a team-high five turnovers, including a few where he simply dribbled the ball off his foot.

But on Saturday, there were other guys that the Americans could go to – particularly Reaves, Banchero and Haliburton off the bench. The advantage of having roster filled with 12 NBA players is that any of them can shine on any particular night. That is an advantage that most of the countries in this tournament do not possess. Who will be “the guy” when the Americans continue their Group Phase play on Monday?

Related

Latest