Tyrese Haliburton contributes two points as Team USA takes down Brazil in Olympic quarterfinals

Haliburton has appeared in three-straight wins

Jul 31, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; United States guard Tyrese Haliburton (9) and center Bam Adebayo (13) fight for position with South Sudan small forward Nuni Omot (5) and power forward Wenyen Gabriel (9) in the second quarter during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton and Team USA started their knockout stage run in the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday as they battled Brazil in the quarterfinals.

The United States rolled through the Group Play portion of the tournament and were the top seed while Brazil went 1-2 in Group B to make it to this point. Team USA were massive favorites, but they had to prove it. Haliburton has been in a reserve role for his team so far.

It didn't take long for the red, white, and blue to get going. They scored seven points in the first two minutes of play and had nine just a few possessions later to take a 9-4 lead. Their talent advantage was huge, and they were showing it early.

All five starters scored quickly for Team USA as they took a 13-6 lead, and it took barely over four minutes for the North American squad to create a double-digit edge. It was clear through a few minutes that if the United States kept their focus for 40 minutes, they would roll to a win.

Even as Team USA's second unit came in, their strong play continued. Bam Adebayo played well for the bench, and his team was ahead by a dozen after one quarter. It was 33-21 at the time. Joel Embiid (eight points) and Devin Booker (nine) were effective early.

To kick off the second period, Team USA kept expanding their lead. It reached 16 after a three from Anthony Edwards, then was nearly 20 a few trips down the floor later. It was a lopsided game after less than 15 minutes of action.

Brazil went on a mini run near the middle of the second period to cut their deficit to 14, and Team USA took a timeout. They made substitutions, too, but it didn't stop the run instantly. Brazil's run reached 10-0 in total to keep the score close. Jayson Tatum ended that surge at the foul line.

Brazil's three-point shooting was keeping them in the game, and turnovers were hurting Team USA. The lead got down to single digits. But Embiid hit a three as the United States finally responded, and they were ahead by 16 a few minutes later. They survived Brazil's best punch.

At halftime, the edge was even bigger. Team USA closed the first half on a 15-0 run, and they were ahead 63-36 at the break. Embiid had 14 points to lead the way while LeBron James had 10 points and eight assists.

To kick off the third period, Team USA continued to control the game and maintain a big edge. Their lead reached 25 and hardly wavered. Brazil's run in the second quarter was a thing of the past — they could not keep up.

Their reserves came in and kept pushing, keeping the lead above 20 for most of the period. During the third frame, forward Kevin Durant became the all-time leading scorer for USA Basketball. He has been tough to guard for almost all of the tournament.

Team USA was up by 23 at 94-71 after three periods. Brazil needed a perfect fourth quarter to steal a win. Haliburton had not yet played.

Edwards was terrific to open the final frame, and Team USA quickly went ahead by 27. With 8:15 to go and the United States leading 98-71, Haliburton entered the action for the first time. Not long after he hit the hardwood, his team's lead climbed to 30.

Two minutes after checking in, Haliburton faked a pass on a drive to the rim and finished a layup for his first points. It kept Team USA's edge at 30 — they were rolling and just needed to run out the clock to win.

Haliburton had another assist down the stretch, and Team USA cruised to a 122-87 win. They have guaranteed that they will be playing for a medal later this week. The United States will take on Serbia on Thursday.

Booker finished with 18 points to lead Team USA while Edwards had 17. Haliburton finished with two points and one assist in the victory.

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