LOS ANGELES: The USA, warming up for a run at their third straight Olympic men’s basketball gold, romped to a 106-57 friendly victory over China on Sunday.
The game at Staples Center, home of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, was a preview of the teams’ scheduled August 6 clash in Rio de Janeiro, in the first-round opener for each.
Kevin Durant, the erstwhile Oklahoma City Thunder star who rocked the NBA with his recent decision to depart for rivals Golden State via free agency, came off the bench to lead the USA with 19 points.
Warriors sharp-shooter Klay Thompson contributed 17, also off the bench. Yi Jianlian, now plying his trade in the Chinese Basketball Association after playing for four teams in five NBA seasons, led China with 18 points and seven rebounds.
Yi earned most valuable player honors in the Asia Championship last October, leading China to a victory over the Philippines in the final that secured their Olympic berth.
Guo Ailun, another key piece of that unbeaten Asia Championship team, scored five points and pulled down five rebounds.
Zhou Qi, the towering 2.17m (7ft 1in) 20-year-old drafted in June by the Houston Rockets, was limited to two points in just under 19 minutes off the bench.
