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Team USA will meet Brazil in the second round of group play at the FIBA World Cup on Monday in China.
In the US, the game starts at 8:30 a.m ET. It’s not on TV anywhere, but can watch the game live on ESPN+, the digital streaming service from ESPN that has exclusive coverage of all FIBA World Cup group-stage games, plus dozens of other live sports, all the 30-for-30 documentaries and other original content for $4.99 per month.
You can sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then watch a live stream of USA vs Brazil on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the ESPN app.
USA vs Brazil FIBA World Cup Preview
Team USA has come out on top in all four of their games in the tournament, most recently grinding out a 69-53 victory over Greece on Saturday.
“It was a good test for us,” Team USA and San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said, according to Sports Illustrated. “And it helped us get better. That’s our goal, to get better in every one of these games.”
The Americans held 2019 NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Greece shot just 31.8 percent from the field.
“We all love playing defense,” Team USA and Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart said, according to The Associated Press. “That’s the thing. When you’ve got a team like that, it’s not crazy for us. We knew coming in what we could do and hopefully everybody else knows.”
Team USA opened their tournament with a 88-67 victory over the Czech Republic, then escaped their matchup with Turkey 93-92 in overtime. Since then, they’ve surrendered just 98 points over two games, taking down Japan 98-45 before the tilt with Greece.
“[Defense has] got to be our calling card,” Team USA and Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes said, per AP. “I think when you look at past USA teams, scoring has not been an issue. There’s been a lot of talent. But for us, we know that defense is how we’re going to stay in games, how we’re going to be able to win and compete. So I think we’ve done a good job of focusing in on that and that’s what’s really carrying us right now.”
Team USA didn’t fare much better from the field against Greece, shooting 36.4 percent overall and 23.3 percent from 3-point range. Celtics point guard Kemba Walker led the Americans with 15 points and led all participants with six assists. Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell was the only other American in double figures, scoring 10 points to go with a block and a steal.
“You obviously want to shoot better,” Team USA and Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Harris, per AP. “So we have to get better in that regard. … Still have to hang our hat defensively. That’s where we really feel like and believe we’re going to win this tournament, on the defensive end, but we know we have to play better offensively and shoot better.”
The Brazilians have taken three of their four games in the World Cup, falling to the Czech Republic 93-71 on Saturday after securing victories over New Zealand, Greece, and Montenegro.
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