USA Basketball tops Canada 86-72 in exhibition opener on the road to Paris Olympics

LAS VEGAS (AP) — For USA Basketball, the road to the Paris Olympics has started with a win.

Anthony Davis scored 13 points, Stephen Curry added 12 and the United States opened its tune-up schedule for the Paris Games by topping Canada 86-72 on Wednesday night.

Jrue Holiday scored 11 points and Anthony Davis finished with 10 for the U.S., which has four more exhibitions before getting to France.

RJ Barrett scored 12 points for Canada, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks each had 10.

President Barack Obama was at the game, as were many NBA coaches and dozens of USA Basketball dignitaries in town for the federation’s 50th anniversary celebration. Among them: Jerry Colangelo, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Dawn Staley, Lisa Leslie, Teresa Edwards, Swin Cash, Lindsay Whalen and many more.

And the total attendance was 20,757, a record for any game at T-Mobile Arena, USA Basketball said.

The U.S. was down 11-1 midway through the first quarter, having missed its first six shot attempts. The rest of the half: U.S. 40, Canada 22, and the Americans shot 18 for 28 — 64.3% — in that span. The lead was 41-33 at the break and the Americans stretched it to 69-54 going into the fourth.

It was easy to see where the Americans, who have been together for less than a week, still are figuring things out; there were at least four occasions where simple passes ended up in the first row of seats because someone thought a zig was coming instead of a zag.

The second unit for the U.S. — Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum — was particularly impressive. Each of those five players had a plus-minus of plus-10 or better, meaning the U.S. outscored Canada by at least 10 points with them on the floor.

And that's as it should be. Only the Americans can trot out a lineup of “bench players” at the Olympics, all of them being All-Stars. That fivesome has 21 combined All-Star nods, two NBA champions in Davis and Tatum, and two perennial All-Defense players in Davis and Adebayo. It's clearly not a typical second unit.

Oh, and remember: The U.S. didn't have Kevin Durant (calf strain) and Derrick White (not yet with the team) available Wednesday.

The first starting lineup of the summer rolled out by U.S. coach Steve Kerr: Stephen Curry, Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker, LeBron James and Joel Embiid.

It certainly could change going forward. But if last year is any indication, it’s a clear view into Kerr’s thinking right now.

Kerr has cautioned in the past about not reading too much into lineups, especially from the first scrimmage. That said, the first five he had in the first exhibition game last summer going into the World Cup — Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Ingram and Anthony Edwards — were the starters in the tournament opener against New Zealand.

The U.S. plays Australia in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday.

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

United States guard Jrue Holiday (12) and Canada guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) vie for the ball during the first half of an exhibition basketball game Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Former U.S. President Barack Obama, center, watches an exhibition basketball game between the United States and Canada, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

United States forward LeBron James, left, defends against Canada power forward Trey Lyles (8) during the first half of an exhibition basketball game Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

United States center Joel Embiid (11) drives to the basket against Canada center Kelly Olynyk (13) and point guard Luguentz Dort (0) during the first half of an exhibition basketball game Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

United States head coach Steve Kerr reacts to a play during the first half of an exhibition basketball game against Canada, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

United States center Bam Adebayo (13) dunks during the first half of an exhibition basketball game against Canada, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

DETROIT (AP) — Jeep and Ram maker Stellantis says it will offer buyout packages to many of its U.S. white-collar workers just five days after the company's CEO said the auto industry is in the middle of a significant storm.

The company told salaried workers that eligible employees will get individual offers in mid-August. The offers will be limited to certain job functions that Stellantis not identify. It also wouldn't say by how much it wants to cut the salaried workforce. The company has about 11,000 salaried workers in the U.S.

It wasn't clear whether similar offers would be made in other countries.

In a statement Tuesday, Stellantis said it faces inflationary pressures at the same time as it tries to make affordable vehicles for its customers. “We remain focused on taking the necessary actions to reduce our costs to protect the long-term sustainability of the company,” the statement said.

The company said in an email to employees that it will provide severance pay based on years of service, as well as cash lump sum payments to help cover health care costs. It also will provide job placement services, the email said.

“We must continue to adapt by streamlining operations and finding efficiencies that will enhance our competitiveness to ensure our future sustainability and growth,” the email said.

After a disappointing first-half earnings report on Thursday, CEO Carlos Tavares said the industry is going to be in turmoil. Net profits were down 48% compared with the same period last year.

Tavares also told reporters last week that the global auto industry is caught between consumers looking for more affordable vehicles and demands for more capital spending to develop new electric and gas-powered vehicles.

In North America, Tavares said Stellantis let inventory get too high, and plans to fix that in the first half didn’t work. Sticker prices, he said, are too lofty and often send customers fleeing from showrooms early in the shopping process even though discounts are available.

In March the company said it would lay off 400 white-collar workers in the U.S. as it deals with the transition from combustion engines to electric vehicles.

In November of 2023 the company formed in the 2021 merger between PSA Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler made buyout and early retirement offers to 6,400 nonunion salaried workers. It has not said how many took the offers.

FILE - The Stellantis sign is seen outside the Chrysler Technology Center, July 19, 2021, in Auburn Hills, Mich. Jeep and Ram maker Stellantis says it will offer buyout packages to many of its U.S. white-collar workers just five days after the company's CEO said the auto industry is in the middle of a significant storm. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)