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Team USA stumbles out of the gate, still routs Venezuela

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Some at-the-buzzer instant analysis from press row at the Carioca Arena 1 after Team USA moved to 2-0 in Group A play with Monday night's 113-69 rout of Venezuela:

How It Happened: For all the deserved raves going around about its defensive prowess, Team USA tends to take at least half a quarter to get untracked offensively, even against what clearly ranks as inferior opposition.

On this night, though, it took the Americans a full quarter to get going.

With Venezuela showing the same determination to slow the game down by any means necessary like it displayed in Chicago when the teams met July 29 - while, of course, scrapping as hard as it can -- Team USA unexpectedly found itself locked in an 18-18 tie after a period .