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USA Basketball adjusts game plan without Kevin Durant, Paul George

USA Basketball will rely on a talented group of guards to carry the offensive load after the losses of Kevin Durant and Paul George.

By Kris Willis
Nathaniel S. Butler - Getty Images

USA Basketball practiced for the second straight day in preparations for Saturday's exhibition game against Brazil. There has been plenty of press given to who won't play in the FIBA World Cup for USA Basketball but there is still a wealth of talent on the US roster.

Still a team must adjust after losing a player the caliber of Kevin Durant and head coach Mike Krzyzewski indicated that they will be leaning more on their guards to pick up the offensive slack.

"You have to do more to get your guards shots. I mean, these guards are really good, but they were complementing one another - Kevin with those guards. ... Now we have to look at developing our inside and getting the guards more involved."

That puts the ball in the hands of guys like Stephen Curry, Derrick Rose and James Harden much more often. Atlanta's Kyle Korver is still in the running as well and agreed with Krzyzewki that the guards are now the strength of the team.

"Our guard play is amazing. And that's going to be the strength of our team now. A lot of what we do is going to be predicated off of our guard play. ... I don't think we're going to get to the end of the shot-clock much."

Other notes from around USA Basketball:

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