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 nights 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 ... with big men DeMarcus Cousins and DeAndre Jordan both saddled with two fouls each.Cause for concern is too strong a statement to apply to any area of the Yanks game, since an intensity letdown at the start appeared to be as big a culprit as anything, but the ability of burly Venezuela center Gregory Echenique to consistently draw contact inside did make you wonder if more serious problems loom Wednesday night against the Australia duo of Andrew Bogut and Aron Baynes.You have to believe Team USA will be much sharper from a focus perspective in that one, coming off this (at times) sluggish performance and knowing that Australia -- after beating France and Serbia by a combined 36 points -- has emerged as a legit medal threat here. But this was a frustrating night for Cousins especially; he picked up fouls No. 3 and No. 4 almost immediately in the second and third quarters and was clearly exasperated by the whistles.Carmelo Anthonys 10-point second quarter ultimately helped Team USA restore order, while also enabling Anthony to pass Michael Jordan as the third-leading scorer in U.S. Olympic history. Yet more focus from the jump was expected from the group so early in the tournament.Especially since the Americans already know what gritty Venezuela is all about.We got to get over these slow starts, Team USA star Kevin Durant had said going into this game after a sluggish five-plus minutes against China. I think everybody is just so anxious and excited to play. Hopefully after a couple of games, those jitters just go away and we just play a great game of basketball from start to finish.Paul George scored a team-high 20 points for Team USA, followed by Jimmy Butler (17) Durant (16), Anthony (14) and DeAndre Jordan (14). Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski would later single out Butler and Jordan as key sparks who triggered the Americans eventual surge to a comfortable final margin.The Streak: Thats now 70 wins in a row and counting for Krzyzewski; 18 consecutive victories in Olympic play, 19 in FIBA World Cup tournaments, 10 in Olympic qualifiers and another 23 wins in exhibition games. The Americans previously tasted defeat in the semifinals of the 2006 FIBA World Championship against Greece and launched this streak on Sept. 2, 2006, with a 96-81 victory over Argentina in the bronze-medal game in Japan.Play Of The Game: Give the Venezuelans serious amounts of respect for its pluck.Give em this section of prized real estate, too, on a night they hung in for longer than anyone could have expected.The shot-making of John Cox -- cousin of Kobe Bryant -- is the backbone of this team, which had to make you smile if you were still watching late in the third quarter.Cox drained a long 3-pointer from Stephen Curry range straight on, then followed it up with a nifty runner in the lane, to briefly lower the Venezuela deficit back into the teens (66-47) before the Yanks inevitably pulled away. You can safely assume Bryant was indeed still tuned in given what he tweeted?about his 35-year-old relative.Cox finished with 19 points and Echenique, on top of all those fouls he drew, added 18 for Venezuela.(Honorable mention in this category: Cousins got some some big -- and funny -- consolation hugs from Anthony and Jordan on the bench after he fouled out with just more than three minutes to go. And, yes, it was indeed Echenique who drew Cousins fifth foul.)Numbers Game: The United States is now 5-0 all time against Venezuela in official tournament play, with an average margin of victory of 37 points.A breakdown of those matchups:One of the problems for Team USA in a recent 80-45 exhibition victory over Venezuela in Chicago was its 4-for-25 shooting from 3-point range.The shooting from deep was a little better when it counted: Team USA went 9-for-22 on 3s Monday night.With Brooklyns Greivis Vasquez (foot) forced to pull out of the Olympics due to injury, Venezuela joins China as one of just two teams at these Games with no current NBA player on the roster.Whats Next: Team USA will hold a formal practice Tuesday for just the third time since it arrived in Brazil, then moves on to Wednesday nights date with Australia in a showdown of Group As two 2-0 unbeatens.Lots more on the Aussies mindset can be found here, but this much we already know: Itll be the toughest test of the summer so far for the Americans after two games at these Olympics and five exhibitions that featured only one opponent out of seven -- Argentina -- that can be considered any sort of threat to medal here in Rio.Defense, as youve surely gleaned by now, is Team USAs calling card, but the Boomers feel the same way about their game.We pride ourselves on our D, Australia assistant coach Luc Longley said Monday. So well get a good measure of how good our defense is or isnt in a couple days. Cleveland Browns Jerseys . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. Joe Thomas Womens Jersey . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. http://www.footballbrownsnflprostore.com/Youth-Jim-Brown-Elite-Jersey/ . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. Ozzie Newsome Jersey . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. Joe Thomas Youth Jersey . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers all took the ice for warmups wearing No. 16 jerseys with Fernandez on the back, a tribute to late Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez.How fitting, then, that the Panthers real No. 16 got the game-winner in overtime.Aleksander Barkov scored 2:48 into the extra session, and the Panthers topped the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.You can tell that somethings been going on, Panthers defenseman Michael Matheson said, especially now that No. 16 gets the overtime winner.Matheson set up the winner, knocking New Jerseys Damon Severson off the puck behind the net, then spinning and finding Barkov alone in the right circle. Barkov one-timed the puck past Cory Schneider, and the Panthers spilled onto the ice in celebration.He was my favorite baseball player, Barkov said of Fernandez, who was killed in a boating accident last month. I dont really watch baseball, but I knew him, I knew he was playing in Miami and it was a big loss for all of South Florida and for all of America.Roberto Luongo stopped 23 shots for Florida, the last two of those coming in the final 2 minutes of regulation. Schneider stopped 32 shots for the Devils, including all 16 he faced in the third period.They came at us pretty hard in the third but we got a point, Schneider said. A couple breakdowns in the overtime and they put it in.P.A. Parenteau, claimed off waivers from the New York Islanders earlier this week, scored for the Devils. Jonathan Marchessault got the scoring for the night started for Florida.And without Luongos heroics late, Panthers fans wouldnt have gone home happy.He stopped Taylor Halls one-timer from the low slot as a mass of bodies swarmed his crease, then got his glove out just far enough to grab Andy Greenes slap shot from the left point with 29.9 seconds remaining.Florida controlled play in the OT, and got its first home overtime win since March 30, 2013 -- also against New Jersey.Thats my fault there, Severson said of the final play against Mathheson.dddddddddddd I got the puck in the corner, won the battle, and I tried to go behind the net. I heard reverse. I knew we had tired guys out there and I didnt want to just throw it away. I ended up tripping up on the skate and there was a back-door play there. Tough play to end the game.The Devils went to the Stanley Cup final in 2012 and havent seen the postseason since, in a rebuilding place where Florida seemed to be perpetually stuck until the last couple seasons. The Panthers won the Atlantic Division last season and -- even without injured forwards Nick Bjugstad and Jonathan Huberdeau to start the season -- think they have enough to contend for a title.We start a new era of the Florida Panthers this year, Panthers owner Vincent Viola said before the game. Youll see new uniforms on the team, youre going to see a whole bunch of new faces on the ice ... and theres only one purpose and one mission -- to win the Stanley Cup.The first two goals of the night bounced off Devils skaters.Florida opened the scoring midway through the first when Marchessaults shot was saved by Schneider, who actually knocked the puck into defenseman Ben Lovejoy and watched it ricochet into the net. New Jersey tied it in the final minute of the period, when Yohann Auvitus shot from the right point was deflected by a leaping Parenteau.That was it, until Barkovs dramatic winner.Unbelievable, Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said.Game notes The Panthers presented a $35,000 check to Fernandezs foundation in a pregame ceremony. ... It was Jaromir Jagrs 23rd NHL opening night. His teams are now 16-5-2 in those, with 11 wins in the last 12. ... Devils center Travis Zajac played in his 700th regular-season game. ... The Panthers Atlantic title banner from last season hangs from the rafters on the same end of the rink as their bench.UP NEXTDevils: Visit Tampa Bay on Saturday.Panthers: Host Detroit on Saturday. ' ' '