Canada vs. Puerto Rico: Starting 5s and depth charts (July 21, 2024) | Exhibition Game
Canada and Puerto Rico are in France early for a friendly game ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. It's the Canadian team's last tune-up before their run for a medal and the second-to-last friendly for Puerto Rico.
Canada's squad, which boasts a wealth of NBA talent, is coming off an 85-73 win over France. They dropped their first game of the summer to Team USA, 86-72.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led them with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists in the win over France. It was a bounce-back performance from his 10-point outing against Team USA in Las Vegas.
Team Canada also has Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, who was absent in the game against France.
Puerto Rico clinched a spot in the Olympics after defeating Lithuania on July 7. New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado has been key for them, scoring 23 points in that game.
They've lost their two friendly matches since, including a 90-75 loss to Australia and a 67-65 heartbreaking loss to a heavily shorthanded Greece team.
Canada vs. Puerto Rico: Starting 5s and depth charts
Canada starting lineup and depth chart for July 21
The Canadian team has an NBA All-Star backcourt duo consisting of Gilgeous-Alexander and Murray. Rounding out the starting five are Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett, Dallas Mavericks center Dwight Powell, and Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks.
Puerto Rico starting lineup and depth chart for July 21
The only player on an NBA contract from Puerto Rico is New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jose Alvarado. Rounding out the starting five are international pros Tremont Waters, Isaiah Pineiro, Ismael Romero, and George Conditt.
It's been eight years since the two national teams met in a friendly game, with the Canadian team winning 97-91 in their last matchup.
Canada is in a strong Group A pool for the Olympics, joined by Greece, Australia and Spain. That pool alone contains three of the top seven teams from Nike's FIBA World Rankings.
Puerto Rico is in Group C with Team USA, South Sudan and Serbia. They're favored to come in third place behind Team USA and Serbia. South Sudan will play in their first Olympics this summer.
Canada's first Olympic match is against Greece on July 27. Puerto Rico will have one more exhibition game against Spain on Wednesday before their first match against South Sudan on July 28.