USA Basketball suffered a lot of setbacks before finally arriving in Spain today for their opening game of the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Paul George went down in gruesome fashion, Kevin Durant dropped out, and the old standbys LeBron, ‘Melo and Kobe didn’t participate. Even Derrick Rose suffered some soreness, but today’s beat-down of Finland offered a glimpse of the Rose’s return to his athletic apex.
Let’s not forget, as we watch Rose cross up Finland here for a two-handed slam, that Finland isn’t exactly a world power.
https://vine.co/v/OBemIw66LPj/embed/simple
The U.S. won going away, 114-55, and their defense was the difference. Still, any sign Rose has returned from two knee surgeries in as many years, is something we should applaud. He finished 3-of-8 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe for 12 points, three assists and a team-high five turnovers. Let’s hope he doesn’t have a lot of discomfort before USA suits up again on a back-to-back against Turkey at the same time tomorrow.
(vine via Mike Prada; video via HardwoodParoxysm09; GIF via @_MarcusD_)
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