RJ Barrett produced 17 points, Trae Bell-Haynes added 15 points and eight assists and Canada cruised to a 128-73 win over Lebanon on Sunday in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Canada improved to 2-0 in group play with the victory as nine players scored in double figures. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 12 points, five rebounds and five assists, Kelly Olynyk had 12 points and eight rebounds and Zach Edey scored 12 points and four rebounds.
Playing without Luguentz Dort due to soreness, Canada held a 66-30 lead at halftime and pushed its advantage to 61 points midway through the fourth quarter. The team tied a country record with 128 points and set an all-time tournament record with 44 assists.
We see you, RJ Barrett, we see you! 👀 #FIBAWC x #WinForCanada 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/v02UOg8rli
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) August 27, 2023
With the win, Canada maintains its position atop Group H through two games. The team is a virtual lock to advance to the second round with one contest left to play on Tuesday against Latvia (1-0), who plays its second game later Sunday morning.
Canada entered the FIBA Basketball World Cup with the third-highest odds of winning, behind the United States and France, who it beat by 30 points on Friday. The group can clinch a berth in the Paris Olympics if it finishes in the top two of the Americas region.
The 55-point win continued a dominating start to the tournament for Canada. The spirits were high for the players throughout the contest and it produced some great sights from the event.
Here are some of the best photos from the victory.