Tag: Duke in the Olympics

RJ Barrett leads Canadian team in scoring for second straight game at Olympics

Former Duke basketball star RJ Barrett led the Canadian Olympic team in scoring for the second straight time on Tuesday, a 93-83 win over Australia.

The Canadian men’s basketball team won its second straight Olympic game on Tuesday, and for the second straight time, former Duke basketball star [autotag]RJ Barrett[/autotag] led the team in scoring.

Canada beat Australia 93-83 on Tuesday, and Barrett made eight of his 14 attempts from the floor to finish with 24 points.

The Australians built a 49-45 lead through the first half of the game, but a six-point swing in the third quarter gave Barrett and the Canadians the advantage. Canada then dominated the final quarter, only allowing 13 points en route to the double-digit victory.

Canada also beat Greece, led by two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, for an 86-79 win on Saturday. Barrett finished that game with 23 points, making eight of his 13 attempts. He’s averaging 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.5 steals through two games in Paris.

With the top two countries from every four-team group assured of a spot in the quarterfinals, Barrett and his countrymen have virtually locked up their place in the elimination bracket.

Barrett, who put together one of the best freshman seasons in Duke history back in 2018-19, went third overall to the New York Knicks in the 2019 NBA draft. He was traded to the Toronto Raptors back in December.

Jayson Tatum does not play against Serbia in Team USA’s opening Olympic victory

Team USA Basketball started the 2024 Olympics with a 110-84 victory over Nikola Jokic and Serbia, but Jayson Tatum didn’t see the court.

The United States opened the 2024 Olympic men’s basketball competition with a 110-84 victory over Serbia on Sunday, but former Duke basketball star [autotag]Jayson Tatum[/autotag] never saw the court.

The Americans took down three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, outscoring him and his countrymen 52-35 over the final two quarters en route to victory. NBA legends LeBron James and Kevin Durant combined for 44 points, making 17 of their 22 shots from the floor.

10 different players took the floor for Team USA, but Tatum never left the bench. No explanation was given about his availability before the game.

The decision, while it ultimately didn’t affect the U.S. team, seems inexplicable on paper. Tatum made the starting five for an exhibition game against Serbia earlier this month, and he’s fresh off his first NBA championship with the Boston Celtics this season. He even helped the United States win gold at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo three years ago.

Despite Tatum leading Boston in points, rebounds, and assists during their playoff run this summer, two of his teammates played ahead of him on Sunday. Jrue Holiday made the starting lineup, and Derrick White (a late replacement for Kawhi Leonard) came off the bench for two points and two steals.