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Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges excel as Team USA blows out Greece, 108-86, in UAE

By Net Income
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With Sean Marks and Joe Tsai sitting courtside at the Etihad Sports Center in Abu Dhabi, Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges once again provided Team USA with steady minutes, scoring 23 points between them, in Team USA’s 108-86 win over Greece. Team USA is now 4-0 in “friendly” with one more on Sunday vs. Germany before they head to Manila and the opening of the FIBA World Cup next weekend.

Johnson finished with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-7 from deep, to go with two rebounds, four assists and three steals. Mikal Bridges had 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including 1-of-2 from deep, plus two rebounds, two assists and a steal. The Nets played 20 and 19 minutes respectively. Both are now averaging 11.3 ppg in four exhibition games on three continents.

The Greeks were overmatched without Giannis and Kostas Antetokounmpo but put up a fight aided by some sloppy first half play by the Americans, getting as close as six in the second quarter. But the third quarter put things straight as the U.S. outscored Greece and ended any talk of an upset, 35-16 and go up, 86-67. Team USA coasted the rest of the way.

Johnson showed off a variety of scoring skills for the Americans, captured by tweets from the Nets official account.

“I thought we let our guard down, fouled quite a bit,” USA head coach Steve Kerr said post-game. “We had a couple of turnovers, I think two in a row that I felt like changed the game.

“But, all in all, I’m really, really happy with the way guys are playing and competing and, you know, playing together.”

Anthony Edwards led Team USA with 21 points, followed by Johnson’s 13. Six Team USA players finished in double figures.

The U.S. and Greece are in the same group at the World Cup and two will play each other in Manila 10 days from now. Team USA opens Cup play on August 26 vs. New Zealand.

Marks and Tsai sat only a few feet from the USA bench next to a UAE official. Marks picked up Team USA a few days ago and Tsai joined him. Jacque Vaughn and at least of his assistant coaches, Corey Vinson, were on hand for the games vs. Slovenia and Spain earlier in the week. Marks has said he plans to travel to Manila for the Cup. The GM was also expected to meet with Patrick Yousef Gardner, the Egyptian national team big man who has agreed to a training camp invite with Brooklyn. Egypt and Gardner lost of Lebanon Thursday night in Abu Dhabi and will also play their group games in Manila.

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