What happened in Team USA vs Puerto Rico last game? Results and more from 2023 matchup
Team USA and Puerto Rico will meet in the final group stage game of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday. This will be the first time the two sides face off since they met in an exhibition game on Aug. 7, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Team USA's productive offense carried it to a commanding 117-74 victory over Puerto Rico on that occasion.
Steve Kerr's men started the game slowly, but some stellar shooting from Anthony Edwards and Cameron Johnson was enough to secure a victory.
For Puerto Rico and coach Nelson Colon, the heavy defeat was an major setback. They will hope to have learned some valuable lessons from the one-sided affair.
Puerto Rico started the game strong taking an early 8-4 lead. Team USA fought back to reclaim the lead but Puerto Rico was able to hang around and keep it close. Midway through the second quarter, a 3-pointer from Jordan Howard tied the game at 31-31. Unfortnately for the visiting team, that was about as close as it could get.
Led by a potent offensive lineup, Team USA took over the game in the second half. The United States led by just seven points going into the half, but outscored their opponents 67-31 in a lopsided second half.
Puerto Rico have struggled in this mathcup over the last two decades but did claim a historic victory over the USA at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Puerto Rico stunned the basketball world when it pulled off a miraculous 92-73 upset in the opening round in Greece. Point Guard Carlos Arroyo was the team's hero with 24 points and seven assists.
Team USA's Anthony Edwards and Puerto Rico's Tremont Waters will face off once again at the 2024 Paris Olympics
The 2023 USA roster that defeated Puerto Rico was very different to the lineup they have brought to the Olympics. Only Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton made the cut from that side for the 12-man roster in France.
Team USA's Anthony Edwards and Puerto Rico's Tremont Waters will be two players to keep an eye on when they meet on Sunday. Both players were exceptional during the 2023 tune up game in Las Vegas and will be key figures for their respective teams.
Edwards finished with 15 points on 7-12 shooting and chipped in with four assists, two rebounds, and four steals against Puerto Rico in their last encounter.
Tremont Waters was one of the few bright spots for the Caribbean team that never really got rolling in the game. The former NBA guard finished the night with a game-high 17 points, three assists and two rebounds.