Team USA faced a tough Germany team with multiple NBA players in their final exhibition game on Sunday. In the face of their largest deficit, Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves once again showed he can rise to the occasion when it mattered most.
Anthony Edwards got much of the attention and rightfully so as he finished with 34 points, but Reaves and fellow reserve guard Tyrese Haliburton each poured in 16 points off the bench as well to help Team USA erase a 16-point deficit and come away with a 99-91 win. The Americans finished their exhibition slate a perfect 5-0.
Reaves and Haliburton were key pieces to an 18-6 run in the third quarter that cut their deficit to single digits. It was then Edwards who stepped up in the fourth and Team USA clamped down defensively as an 18-0 run gave them the lead for good.
With starters Jalen Brunson and Brandon Ingram struggling, Reaves and Haliburton finished the game for Team USA. Reaves got to square off with former Lakers teammate Dennis Schroder as well, something he was looking forward to, and he got the best of the now-Toronto Raptors point guard early on with an excellent crossover to get by him for a layup in the first quarter.
Reaves shot 5-of-9 from the field and hit both of his 3-point attempts as well in the contest while also adding a pair of steals, again showing his defensive prowess. The Lakers guard held his own on the block as he was oftentimes hunted by the bigger German frontcourt, and his second steal came with time running down wit his dunk capping off the impressive Team USA victory.
Schroder was a huge catalyst for Germany early on and he finished with 16 points and 10 assists. Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner led the Germans with 17 points and 10 rebounds while his brother, another former Laker in Moritz Wagner, added 14 points.
Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with seven points, eight rebounds and six blocks and was an absolute defensive anchor for the Americans, altering shots and switching out on guards all game long. Mikal Bridges scored just seven points, but his lone 3-pointer was the one that finally got Team USA over the hump in the fourth quarter.
Next up for Team USA
With the exhibition season finally over, Team USA will head to Manila in preparation for the start of the FIBA World Cup. They will take on New Zealand in the opening contest of group play on Saturday.
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