July 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USA guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots a basket against China in the first half during an exhibition basketball game at Staples Center. Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Two Golden State Warriors teammates, newcomer Kevin Durant and longtime mainstay Klay Thompson, led Team USA to a 106-57 rout of China in an exhibition game Sunday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Durant led the U.S. squad with 19 points in 18 minutes, while Thompson scored 17 in 19 minutes. Each hit four 3-pointers.
Team USA also received double-figure scoring from the Toronto Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan (13 points), the Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan (12 points), the Sacramento Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins (12 points) and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving (10 points).
The New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony scored five points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Jordan blocked three shots.
Yi Jianlian, formerly of the Milwaukee Bucks, led China with 18 points and seven rebounds. Zhao Jiwei, who had 14 points, was the only other Chinese player to hit double figures.
The Americans were coming off a 111-74 blowout of Argentina on Friday in Las Vegas. Next up on their pre-Olympic tour is another game against China on Tuesday at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., where Durant will play before his new home fans for the first time since signing with the Warriors as a free agent.
Team USA will play Venezuela in Chicago on Friday and Nigeria in Houston on Aug. 1 in their final games before heading to Brazil for the Olympics.
