Kyrie Irving in Action with USA Basketball vs. China | Cleveland ...

DeMar DeRozan"s 360 Poster Dunk Attempt | USA vs China | 2016 USA Basketball Showcase

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team is seen before the game against China at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: The jerseys of DeMar DeRozan #9, Kyle Lowry #7 and Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team are seen before the game against China at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #0 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team warms up before the game against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #0 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team warms up before the game against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #0 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team warms up before the game against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #0 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team is introduced before the game against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #0 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team warms up before the game against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Zhao Jiwei #4 China handles the ball against Kyrie Irving #0 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #0 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team handles the ball against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #0 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team shoots a free throw against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team handles the ball against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team handles the ball against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team handles the ball against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team handles the ball against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team celebrates with his teammates during the game against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team shoots the ball against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team passes the ball against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team celebrates during the game against China on July 24, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team shoots the ball against China at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 and Kevin Durant #5 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team celebrate against China at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team shoots the ball against China at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 24: Kyrie Irving #10 of the USA Basketball Men"s National Team shoots the ball against China at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Source: http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/photogallery/usa-basketball-160724

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Tom Thibodeau returns to Chicago this week with USA Basketball ...

USA vs China Exhibition Game Full Highlights 07.26.16

A very familiar face will be stalking the United Center sidelines Friday night.

Anyone who watched Tom Thibodeau guide the Bulls to a 255-139 record over five eventful seasons knows his focus will be on Team USA"s exhibition against Venezuela, not what might have been.

"It will be great for me to be back. I obviously enjoyed my time there," Thibodeau said in an interview with the Tribune. "It"s a great basketball city, a great sports town. I"m looking forward to seeing a lot of friends."

Thibodeau is one of coach Mike Krzyzewski"s assistants as Team USA continues preparation for next month"s Rio de Janeiro Olympics with a Thursday practice and Friday"s 8 p.m. scrimmage at the UC. After that, Thibodeau will dive back into preparation for his first season as Timberwolves coach and president of basketball operations.

Given that more than a year has passed since management fired Thibodeau in May 2015, it"s almost odd to remember his Bulls deal ran through the 2016-17 season. His Timberwolves deal at $8 million annually offset that contract.

And Thibodeau has about as much time for nostalgia as he does losing.

"There were way more positives than negatives," he said of his Bulls run. "But my focus is on getting better moving forward, not looking back."

Thibodeau owns a gold medal from the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, where he coached Derrick Rose. Now he"s reunited with Jimmy Butler, who, like Thibodeau, is set to experience his first Olympics.

"It will be great for Jimmy," Thibodeau, 58, said. "The experience has been incredible for me. The time has gone by quickly. I"ve gained a lot from it.

"It"s the people you"re around, starting with (managing director) Jerry Colangelo, Mike Krzyzewski, (assistant coach) Jim Boeheim, (assistant coach) Monty (Williams), the assistant coaches of Duke and Syracuse, all the great players. It"s a great organization to be a part of.

"And then of course (there is) the honor of representing your country. It doesn"t get any better than that."

Thibodeau said he even has come up with ideas from international teams to implement into his system. He said the international game has taught him plenty.

Such absorption is why nobody should question whether Thibodeau has too much on his plate this summer with his new Timberwolves roles and his first Olympics. This is heaven for the lifelong basketball junkie.

"Last year, not having a team but knowing I was going to have this commitment, I prepared for that," Thibodeau said. "And I knew there was a good possibility I would be back coaching (in the NBA), so I prepared for that as well. I have a great staff in Minnesota, in the front office and with our assistant coaches. We feel we"ll be well prepared for our season."

Thibodeau and his Timberwolves staff have been active this offseason. Beyond drafting prized point guard Kris Dunn, the Timberwolves have added Brandon Rush, Jordan Hill and Cole Aldrich in free agency to a strong core centered around Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

"We feel we"ve added depth, which is something we wanted to do," Thibodeau said. "Then you look at your own player development. We"ve got a lot of young guys who have gotten better, and they"re going to have to get a lot better than they are right now. The challenge is for everyone to put everything they have into each and every day and be consistent with our approach and attitude."

It won"t be long until Towns and Wiggins are asked to know their job and then do their job, two of many Thibs-isms. But that"s skipping steps another one because work toward an Olympic gold medal comes first.

kcjohnson@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kcjhoop

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/ct-tom-thibodeau-usa-basketball-bulls-spt-0727-20160726-story.html

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USA Basketball Showcase vs. China: Live score, TV channel, how to watch live stream online

Kevin Durant & Klay Thompson Highlights - 28 Pts vs China | July 26, 2016 | USA Basketball Showcase

Carmelo Anthony,Jimmy Butler

United States" Carmelo Anthony, right, celebrates after scoring, alongside teammate Jimmy Butler during the second half of an exhibition basketball game against China on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. The United States won 107-57. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

What: Team USA vs. China

When: Tuesday, July 26 at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET

Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, Calif.

TV coverage: NBA TV

How to watch online: Live stream available onfacebook.com/usabasketball/

USA 107, China 57 FINAL |BOX SCORE

DeMarcus Cousins finished with a game-high 21 points to go along with 11 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony scored 16 of his 20 points in the third quarter.

Klay Thompson had 15 points and a team-high five assists. Kevin Durant, playing in Oakland for the first time since signing with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent, finished with 13 points.

Shooting: USA (36-72) 50 percent, China (23-56)41percentRebounding: USA 48 (19 offensive),China21 (4 offensive)

First half: USA 52, China 24

KevinDurant leads all scorers with 13 points and DeMarcus Cousins has 10 points and five rebounds.

Shooting: USA 51.5 percent, China 29.2 percentRebounding: USA 24,China 9Second-chance points: USA 12, China0

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Team USA is now 3-0 on its exhibition tour, winning each game by an average of 45.3 points.

The USMNT will complete its exhibition tour with a stop in Chicago to take onVenezuela on Friday, July 29, before the finale on Monday, Aug. 1 against Nigeria in Houston.

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/nba/index.ssf/2016/07/usa_basketball_vs_china_live_s.html

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