Kyle Lowry touch pass/alley oop to Jimmy Butler. pic.twitter.com/RqDPyuMCVA
— ⓂarcusD (@_MarcusD_) July 30, 2016
Team USA had another tune-up for the Olympics on Friday night. Like most of these exhibitions, this game was a blowout, as the Americans routed Venezuela, 80-45. Despite looking tired and not shooting well, the United States still won by 35, which is a testament to how much more talented they are than most other international squads.
The most impressive highlight of the win was this play late in the fourth quarter in which Jimmy Butler tapped the ball to himself on a fast break only for it to sail a little too far ahead of his teammates. Just when it looked like the ball was about to go out of bounds, a wild Kyle Lowry appeared and tapped it back up perfectly above the rim to set up one of the most unlikely alley-oops you will ever see. It still might not top DeMar DeRozan’s missed dunk (the fact that a missed dunk is still a top highlight shows you just how incredibly athletic it was) as the best USA Basketball play of the summer so far, but it certainly is in contention.
Butler will get most of the love on the play, and deservedly so. But Lowry’s quickness to track the ball down followed by his ability to somehow tap the ball over his head to the perfect spot shouldn’t be ignored.
The Olympics are going to be fun.
