Now that’s how you make a statement.
Not just Team USA, which bounced back from a disappointing FIBA World Cup loss to Lithuania to wallop Italy, 100-63, on Tuesday, but also for Mikal Bridges, the Brooklyn Nets
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franchise cornerstone doubling as a FIBA mainstay with a dominant performance against the Italians after he blew an opportunity to complete a comeback against Lithuania.It was Bridges whose corner three veered wide left in the final 10 seconds of a four-point game against Lithuania, a miss that started an opposing fastbreak that effectively ended the game on his off shot.
Bridges, however, had no issues finding the bottom of the net against the Italians on Tuesday.
The Nets star led the game with 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 shooting from downtown to go with seven rebounds, two steals and a block on the game. Team USA outscored Italy by 20 in Bridges’ 18 minutes of action. He leads the team in net World Cup plus-minus and has become Team USA head coach Steve Kerr’s most reliable player on the roster.
And he led Team USA to a decisive, must-win victory over Italy on Tuesday with a stretch of 10 consecutive points all turned in by “Brooklyn Bridges.”
Up 52-28 at the top of the third quarter, Knicks star Jalen Brunson found his Knicks teammate Josh Hart with an entry pass at the elbow. Hart contorted his body on the catch and rifled a pass to Bridges, who shot a corner three over Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio’s outstretched arm to make it a 17-point game.
On the ensuing possession, after Italy responded with a three, Brunson lulled the defense asleep dribbling at the top of the key before handing off to Bridges, who knocked down his second trey of the night.
On the very next defensive possession, Bridges intercepted a pass playing the passing lanes, then went coast-to-coast and got to the line to nail two free throws.
And on Team USA’s next offensive possession, Bridges took a Jaren Jackson Jr. screen and elevated for a mid-range.
What’s more impressive than the box score — quite the stat line for someone who was a fourth scoring option last season — was the energy Bridges exuded as he took over the game. It’s a look Nets fans better hope they see on his face when he dons the black, gray and white.
It’s the look of belonging. Bridges belongs as a two-way player on the world stage as he belongs in Brooklyn as the player to usher the Nets into a new era.
THE DISRESPECT
Tyrese Haliburton is messy.
Knowing all the media scrutiny surrounding Paolo Banchero’s decision to snub Team Italy in favor of representing Team USA, Haliburton — a first-time All-Star with the Indiana Pacers — got disrespectful.
Team USA forced a halfcourt turnover with its trapping defense, and with no one in between him and the rim, Haliburton threw a between-the-legs alley-oop to Banchero for the two-handed finish.
He finished with 18 points, five assists, three steals, three blocks and six threes made.
NEXT UP
After the landslide victory over Italy, Team USA is set to face the winner of Wednesday’s FIBA World Cup semifinal matchup between Germany and Latvia.