Rockets' Dillon Brooks Leads Canada To Win Over Lebanon
HOUSTON — Houston Rockets' newly acquired forward, Dillon Brooks, has led Team Canada to a 2-0 start at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Sunday morning, Team Canada won its second consecutive game in a 128-73 victory over Lebanon in Group H play.
Brooks finished the game with 11 points on four of five shooting, three assists and a pair of steals. Canada was a plus 32 with Brooks on the floor.
The highlight of the game came when Brooks drilled a step-back triple at the buzzer. His 3-point field goal put Canada ahead 66-30 at the half.
Brooks is one of a handful of players the Rockets signed during free agency in July. He signed a four-year $86 million contract following an unpleasant departure from the Memphis Grizzlies.
"It just shows that sharing is caring, and these guys were ready to play the right way, play with a pass," Team Canada head coach Jordi Fernandez said of the historic passing performance, per the World Cup's official site.
"Sometimes in games like these teams have the tendency to do it on their own and dribble too much. I'm proud of these guys for doing it the right way."
Brooks' contributions accounted for half of Canada's blow-out victory. New York Knicks' RJ Barret led the team with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 3-of-6 from behind the arc. Kelly Olynyk and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each added a dozen.
Brooks and Team Canada will close its opening group play Tuesday morning against Latvians. Tip-off is slated for 8:30 a.m. CT on ESPN+.
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