The United States takes on New Zealand in the FIBA World Cup on Tuesday.
It’s game 3 in the tournament for both teams, but USA is 2-0 and the Tall Blacks are 0-2.
See live score updates and video highlights below the recap.
BILBAO, Spain (AP) — Anthony Davis scored 21 points, Kenneth Faried had 15 and the U.S. remained unbeaten at the Basketball World Cup by beating winless New Zealand 98-71 on Tuesday.
James Harden added 13 points for the Americans, who will play two more games here before moving on to Barcelona for the round of 16. They face the Dominican Republic on Wednesday before wrapping up Group C play on Thursday against Ukraine.
Two nights after having to rally from a halftime deficit and pull away in the fourth quarter for a 98-77 victory over Turkey, the U.S. led this one wire to wire. The game was close only for a little more than a quarter.
BJ Anthony scored 11 points for New Zealand, which fell to 0-3.
The Americans paused late in warmups to stand and face the Tall Blacks, who performed the haka, their traditional war dance challenge. Fans enjoyed it, then were largely quiet throughout the first half as the bigger U.S. team imposed its will, not needing the kind of highlight plays fans expect of the NBA stars.
But there was no shortage of energy from Faried, the Denver Nuggets forward who seems intent on raising his profile as a largely overlooked player in the league.
The Manimal came into the game shooting 14 of 17 in the tournament and then made all five shots in the first half while also grabbing six rebounds.
He was just as active on defense, getting called for a third-quarter goaltend on a shot he blocked with such force that it landed behind the New Zealand bench.
Stephen Curry finished with 12 points for the U.S., getting his shot to fall after going just 4 of 17 through the first two games.
It was 27-20 after one and the Americans were ahead by nine in the second before a 12-0 run, featuring seven points from Irving, made it 50-29 on Faried’s follow shot with 4:14 left. The Americans got into transition during that flurry, but were often content in the first half to pound it inside, taking advantage of Davis and Faried’s muscle in the middle.
Harden had a couple of baskets early in the third quarter — he and Davis both throwing down impressive dunks — and the Americans kept building the lead en route to their 57th straight victory.
Anthony Davis of the US dunks the ball during their Group C Basketball World Cup match against New Zealand in Bilbao, northern Spain, Tuesday Sept. 2, 2014. The 2014 Basketball World Cup competition takes place in various cities in Spain from Aug. 30 through to Sept. 14. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)
———–
Fourth Quarter
–Team USA is up 80-57 with 7:47 left in the game.
–The score is 93-64 with 2:11 left in the game.
–The United States wins 98-71.
Third Quarter
–Team USA is up 69-41 with 5:39 left in the quarter.
–Team USA extends the lead to 74-44 with 2:47 left in the quarter. New Zealand will have to win their final two games just to have a chance of advancing to knockout play.
Second Quarter
–The Tall Blacks are hanging in the game, with the game 35-23 with 7:25 left in the half.
–The U.S. is starting to pull away, up 47-29 with 4:16 left in the half.
–Team USA is up 57-35 at halftime.
STATS: Kenneth Faried and Anthony Davis are leading Team USA with 11 points apiece while Stephen Curry has chipped in 10 and Klay Thompson has 9. The team is shooting 61 percent, including 57 percent from 3-point range. Faried has six rebounds while a number of players have two assists.
STATS: Kirk Penney and Corey Webster are leading New Zealand with 6 points apiece, with four players chipping in four points each. The team is shooting 38 percent and 31 percent from 3-point range. Thomas Abercrombie has four rebounds while several players have two assists.
USA’s box score from the first half.
New Zealand’s box score from the first half.
First Quarter
–The U.S. jumps out to a quick 9-4 lead behind Kenneth Faried’s energy and rebounding.
–DeMarcus Cousins comes in with about 5 minutes left as Anthony Davis got whacked in the eye on a play.
–New Zealand makes two free throws. U.S. up 12-7 with 5:45 left.
–A number of substitutions take place. Rudy Gay, Klay Thompson, and Derrick Rose come in. The U.S. goes up 19-10 with 3:11 left.
–Both teams are shooting well and the score jumps to 27-18 at the end of the first quarter.
STATS: Stephen Curry (8 points) and Kenneth Faried (7 points) are leading Team USA. Anthony Davis had chipped in 6 points and 4 rebounds. The team is shooting 53 percent, including 60 percent from 3-point range.
STATS: New Zealand has seven players who have scored in a balanced scoring attack. The team is shooting 44 percent, including 40 percent from 3-point range.
————-Original story below.
The United States is 2-0 but it took more than three quarters to pull away from Turkey on Sunday.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski remained calm despite the scare against Turkey, going into halftime facing a deficit and delivering a measured speech.
“I was shocked,” Kenneth Faried told ESPN. “I thought Coach was gonna be furious with us. He relaxed everybody.”
“We just talked about the fact that we all knew we didn’t play well in the first half and to just say that it’s because of us is wrong. Turkey is good, so they made us play poorly,” Krzyzewski added.
“The tempo of the game the entire first half was dictated by Turkey. We never really attacked the way we were able to [against Finland] and the way we did in the second half. I think sometimes when you have a game like we did the night before, where you’re just scoring at will, you can take it for granted. The big lesson for our team is you can’t take things for granted, especially when you’re playing teams the caliber of Turkey.”
Against winless New Zealand, The U.S. will be looking to establish some momentum heading into knockout play against New Zealand.
The team will also be looking to get some players back on track, in particular guard Derrick Rose, who struggled against Turkey.
“I’m just trying to put that behind me,” Rose told ESPN of any trepidation he’s feeling as he returns from missing most of last season.
“I know the questions are going to come and they’re going to be there the whole year. So I can’t get tired of it. I’m feeling good right now.”
“My role is coming off the bench right now. I’m fine with it. I know no second unit can win when I’m on the court or stick me when I’m on the court,” he added.
The U.S. starting lineup should be the same, with Kyrie Irving and Stephen Curry in the backcourt joined by forwards James Harden and Faried and center Anthony Davis.
After this game, Team USA plays the Dominican Republic on Wednesday and Ukraine on Thursday. Knockout play begins on Saturday.
