U.S. smashes Algeria in opening round

INDIANAPOLIS -- It didn't matter that at the end of the first period the U.S. team only scored 11 of its 20 field goal attempts. Or that U.S. team member Elton Brand scored all but 2 of the first 13 points for the team that has admitted an offensive weakness.\nIt didn't matter because in the U.S. team's first game of the World Basketball Championships Thursday its opponent, Algeria, struggled even more. And to add to the pain of losing, Algeria shot a mere 31 percent, while the U.S. rebuilt their offense and dominated on defense in the second half. The U.S. team easily defeated Algeria, 110-60.\n"We wanted to get out to an early start,"U.S. team member and Detroit Piston Ben Wallace said. "We knew we were going to have a big presence in the paint. Tonight's going to get us started and is going to get us motivated for the rest of the games."\nIn practice Tuesday, U.S. team member and Indiana Pacer Jermaine O'Neal expressed his surprise at the U.S. being unable to break 100 points. The team was able to do so tonight, but it was a struggle in the beginning.\nWith Brand leading the team in scoring in the first quarter, it was U.S. team member and Boston Celtic Paul Pierce who revived the team in the second half. Pierce went 6-for-11 from the field and added four three-pointers. \nPierce's shooting deflated whatever hope the Algerian team had for a comeback. Pierce had back-to-back three-pointers in the third quarter that extended the U.S. lead to 24.\n"Paul led the way for us tonight,"U.S. coach George Karl said. "I thought he was fantastic. Elton Brand also came out for us tonight."\nThe U.S. team went into the locker room at the half with a 19-point lead over Algeria, despite shooting 47.5 percent. From beyond the arc, the U.S. team was 5-for-17. Not great, considering the three-point line is closer thanks to the International Basketball Federation rules the Championships follow. \nBut a stronger second half replaced the ugly start. As the U.S. built up its offensive numbers, Algeria crumbled.\n"Regardless of the team we play, we're going to come out hard,"U.S. team member and Toronto Raptor Antonio Davis said. "We feel if we can do that, we are going to be pretty tough to beat."\nThe U.S. team's ease was aided by the Algeria team who were unable to convert U.S. turnovers to points and whose jump shots were off the mark for a majority of the game.\nThe domination of the U.S. team, despite its early offensive struggles, was apparent from tip-off. The U.S. went on a 13-0 run in the first four minutes of the game, and didn't allow Algeria to put numbers on the board until the first quarter was half over. Algeria was down 13-1 following a successful free throw.\n"We came out and our defensive intensity is what is going to win games for us,"U.S. team member and Chicago Bull Jay Williams said. "If we keep that same defensive intensity up throughout the whole tournament, I think we have a good chance of winning a lot of basketball games."\nBut the group of Algerian fans that took up the east side of the court in the RCA Dome last night had a reason to cheer when Algeria went on a three-point scoring tirade and came within six of the U.S. team.\nThat was the closest Algeria came to the U.S. team during the entire game.\nIn between sloppy passes and missed jump shots, the U.S. teams used its height advantage and under the basket power to jump to a 51-32 lead at the half.