FIBA World Cup 2019: 3 Talking Points from USA vs Japan

With Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart unavailable for the final matchup of the first group stage round, the remaining players in Blue and White managed just fine.

In the backdrop of an eyebrow-raising OT tussle with Turkey, Team USA made sure they erased any doubts regarding their skill level when they unleashed all hell on Japan for a 53-point blowout. The 98-45 victory was as effortless as one could imagine.

Team USA advance to the next round as the clear leaders of Group E and will clash with Giannis Antetokounmpo's Greece and an undefeated Brazil as they look to punch a ticket to the knockouts that follow.

Here are some key takeaways from Team USA's rout of Japan.

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#1 Japan were poor, but USA made them look absolutely miserable

This was a comprehensive beating that was long overdue by the USA in this tournament and Japan were just unlucky to have been at the receiving end. After what happened with Turkey, Team USA couldn't have found a better way to right the ship before moving on to tougher tests that await them.

Even though Jaylen Brown starred with his 20 points and high-flying dunks, four other Americans finished in double-digit scoring. After starting the game with a blistering 13-0 run, the overmatched Japanese side were on the receiving end of an absolute hiding.

All available players played at least 17 minutes while eight of the 10 players who took the floor scored at least seven points. Kemba Walker finished with a decent 15-point performance of his own while Harrison Barnes contributed 14 on 47% shooting from the field.

Japan were outrebounded 58-33 and restricted to a meager 27% shooting night. The Americans obliterated them in almost every category with surgical precision, from points in the paint to fastbreak points to three-pointers. At one point in time, they led by as many as 62 points.

#2 USA's defence capable of singling out stars on the opposing roster

Rui can now work towards building a promising NBA career.

Going into this game, the USA camp knew they had a problem in 21-year-old Rui Hachimura. The soon-to-be Washington Wizards rookie's athleticism and quickness certainly command respect.

However, he couldn't quite take off against his future NBA compatriots in this matchup. Apart from his thunderous poster slam over Myles Turner - which made up 2 of his 4 points in the game - he had a negligible impact on proceedings in Shanghai.

Team USA restricted him to 2-of-8 (25%) shooting from the floor and also made sure he could grab no more than four rebounds.

Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr are two of the most intelligent basketball minds in the league, and their game plans are bound to play a crucial role in handling bigger superstars that USA will face going forward.

#3 The Brotherhood is starting to take shape for Team USA

They are taking the criticism personally.

When the mass exodus of players from the USA squad was taking place, one could only imagine the plight of the players who chose to stay and sacrifice for their country. Well, now that this squad of 'leftovers' has won three straight to kickstart their FIBA World Cup campaign, everything else is now just background noise.

Amidst this gruelling process of coming together and, more importantly, staying together through thick and thin, an unlikely camaraderie seems to have sprouted amongst this newly formed group. For what it's worth, the Turkish scare (final result included) brought this squad together and that showed against Japan.

Every play, every pass and every dunk was whole-heartedly cheered by the bench, including Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart who were inactive. There is no ego in this USA team, mainly because they've been scoffed at by nearly everyone. They've got a chip on their shoulder and now seem more united than ever.

I love this team🙏🏽🇺🇸 https://t.co/KaEgqTFGwP

— Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) September 3, 2019