MANILA, Philippines — When Team USA went down 16 points in a warmup game against Germany on Aug. 21 in Abu Dhabi, coach Steve Kerr leaned on bench players Tyrese Haliburton and Austin Reaves to finish the game.
When some mild adversity struck again Friday in a FIBA World Cup second-round game against Montenegro, Kerr did it again. And again, Haliburton and Reaves made play after play on their way to securing the win, 85-73.
This is not to overlook Anthony Edwards, whose 17-point second half only further cemented his position as this team’s star and the beginning of what could be a special national team career.
But the way Haliburton and Reaves have stood out over the past month has been one of the most important lessons for the U.S….
