Kevin Durant scored 22 points that played a major role for the US team to win over Slovenia, 99-77, yesterday.
The US team played against Slovenia yesterday in group B play at the basketball world championship held at Istanbul.
Rudy gay scored 16 points, Kevin Love added 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Andre Igoudala and Russel Westbrook each had finished with 11 points for the Americans (2-0). Durant had 8 out of his 13 shot before sitting on the bench in the fourth quarter.
Bostjan Nachbar finished 13 points for Slovenia (1-1). Nachbar showed explosive energy in the stands but not enough to match the Americans on the court.
“They did a great job of fighting, getting stops, and making plays, and we know that we can’t go out here and blow every team out,’’ Durant said. “We had to make this a grind game and we did that, and [we did] a good job of keeping our composure.’’
After the first quarter, the Americans led with 23-11 against Slovenia. Eight of their eleven first shots went in. the Americans suddenly went cold in the second quarter, failing to make a field goal for the first six and a half minutes of the period, allowing Slovenia to reduce the gap to 28-23 still in favor of the Americans.
Westbrook pulled the United Stated out of that situation with an easy basket, then came Love for another to start an 8-0 difference that built the lead back to 36-23
Ninety minutes before tipoff, Slovenian fans, mainly dressed in green shirts, gathered outside the arena. The building was almost filed with fans in green shirt; they waited and roared when the Slovenians came out of their dug-out.
Once the game started, there was not anything for them to cheer about. “We’re used to that playing in Spain and Greece, so it was cool,’’ Durant said.
