Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers will start at point guard for Team USA on Tuesday against Slovenia in its final tuneup heading into the FIBA World Cup.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski said that Irving and Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls may rotate as the team’s starting point guard during the tournament.
Team USA begins the World Cup on Saturday in Bilbao, Spain, against Finland.
“We’ll see as this thing goes on,” Krzyzewski said Monday. “We might alternate ’em. Both of them are going to play significant minutes.”
Krzyzewski also said the two star point guard may even play together during the tournament. Rose has played just 10 games over the last two seasons because of knee troubles.
“I asked him today and he said, ‘I feel great,’ ” Krzyzewski said. “He did everything. He’s full go. I think there’s a part of him that’s like: ‘Quit asking me how I feel. I’m good.’ So I’m not going to ask him anymore.”
The Team arrived in Las Palmas Sunday morning and practiced for two hours Monday.
With big men Mason Plumlee of the Brooklyn Nets and the Detroit Pistons’ Andre Drummond as two of the final three players added to the 12-man roster, Krzyzewski has the flexibility to play New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis at power forward next to Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.
Instead of playing small-ball as it did in its previous two major competitions, Team USA can play much bigger in this tournament. That will allow the team to match up well in a potential championship game against Spain, which includes power forward/centers Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol and Serge Ibaka.
Even though stars Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge and Russell Westbrook opted out, and Indiana Pacers forward Paul George is out with a broken leg, Team USA is still expected to easily emerge from Group C. That slate includes Turkey, New Zealand, Dominican Republic and Ukraine after Finland.
“Our biggest (question mark) is how close we can become,” Krzyzewski said. “That’s where the other countries have the advantage. They’ve been together for years. We’ve been together for days. But these guys will do anything to help. They really want to be here. It’s a group that wants to work.”