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LAS VEGAS -- New team. Same old result.Full of new star power -- and dominant on the inside -- the U.S. mens basketball team opened its bid for a third straight Olympic gold medal Friday night with a 111-74 exhibition romp over Argentina.A game that was over almost before it began showed the U.S. has to improve its shooting and conditioning. It also showed that there is plenty of talent among a group of players that seem to want to play well for each other and their country despite the absence of Olympic stalwarts Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.Theres a willingness from these guys to work on anything we need and to work hard, coach Mike Krzyzewski said. These are very good guys.A U.S. team that hasnt lost a game in 10 years had little trouble with Argentina, which some consider a medal contender in Rio. Paul George scored 14 first-half points, Kevin Durant added 12, and the U.S. blew open the game early before an appreciative crowd on the Las Vegas Strip.Even with Bryant retired and James taking this Olympics off, there was no real talent drop off on a team heavily favored to win gold once again. The depth of the U.S. showed as coach Mike Krzyzewski rotated players in and out, searching for the right combinations on a team with 10 new players from 2012.Nothing is for sure, Durant said. We want to get this gold and right now we have a job to do. We have to prepare the right way.Count the Argentines among those who were impressed at the first real game for the Olympic team.Obviously, they have the best talent and the best size in the world, Argentinas Luis Scola said. Thats a big difference in their favor.The game was the first of five exhibitions the U.S. will play before traveling to Rio to defend the gold medal. The U.S. team has spent the last week practicing in Las Vegas in preparation for the tour and the games.There werent any opening night jitters, though the U.S. shot only 45 percent and missed all but 14 of 41 3-pointers. With DeMarcus Cousins pulling down 15 rebounds in just 16 minutes, the U.S. dominated inside, outrebounding Argentina 53-30.The big thing is getting in shape and they are not there where they will be, Krzyzewski said. But we really have an inside presence on the boards.For Durant the game was a chance to play with a pair of his new Golden State teammates, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. It was also a chance for Durant and Carmelo Anthony -- the only two players from the 2012 team -- to demonstrate that this will be their team in Rio.Both players cheered from the bench as the minutes were spread around, jumping up to clap for teammates. Every U.S. player got quality time, with Greens 12 minutes the least played by any American.Were going to have fun and were going to enjoy ourselves, Anthony said. If its not fun its not worth it. Were going to enjoy ourselves but at the same time were going to be focused in trying to get that gold medal.Durant finished as the games high scorer with 23 points, while George had 18 and Carmelo Anthony 17. Andres Nocioni had 15 for Argentina, while Manu Ginobili added 11 for Argentina, which lost to the U.S. in the semifinals of the 2012 Olympics.Though at times little defense was played, there was plenty of offense to keep the crowd at the new T-Mobile Arena happy. The teams combined to put up 70 3-point attempts, 41 of them from the U.S.Oddsmakers had made the U.S. a prohibitive 29.5-point favorite in what at times looked a lot like an NBA All-Star game. But while the U.S. team is loaded with 12 NBA players, the Argentines had only three on their roster and the talent difference showed.While the team is full of new players, the gold medal run will be the last for Krzyzewski, the national coach for the last decade. His teams have lost only one game during his reign, which will end after the Olympics with San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich taking over.The Chicago Bulls are still trying to figure out how good they can be amid a whole lot of positive early season signs. Theyll receive an awfully good barometer reading when they see the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.The Bulls, riding a four-game winning streak, will play the third of six consecutive games on the road during their annual circus trip. Theyll venture into the home of the NBAs best team this season, and one of the best early season clubs ever to take the floor.The Clippers (11-2) extended the best start in franchise history with a 121-115 road victory at the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. They took control early, led by 20 points early in the fourth quarter and held off a furious Sacramento rally.But for a team outscoring opponents by an average of 14.2 points per game this season, among the best 10 teams in NBA history through 13 contests, it was not a result that made them happy.No question, guard Chris Paul said. Its nice to look at film of a game and see what you did wrong and still be able to talk about a win. But we expect to be better that that.The Bulls (8-4) have been better than anticipated during the seasons first month, but whether its a springboard to better things remains to be seen.The early results have been encouraging. Chicago has won its past four by an average of 14 points per game, leads the NBA in rebounding and is sixth in preventing opponents from scoring.In doing so, theyve taken some heat off second-year coach Fred Hoiberg, who survived a tumultuous debut campaign in 2015-16 that ended with only 42 victories and Chicago watching the playoffs.Theres greaat accountability in the locker room with these guys, Hoiberg told the Chicago Sun-Times before the teams 85-77 victory over at Utah on Thursday.dddddddddddd It starts with our veterans. ... Ive been so impressed with the way our veterans have handled things and hopefully we can keep moving in the right direction.Sixth-year guard Jimmy Butler leads the Bulls in scoring at 24.2 points per game. Free-agent acquisitions Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo have added 17.3 points and 6.5 assists per game, respectively. Rondo is questionable to play because a sprained left ankle; second-year guard Jerian Grant has started the past two games in his place.Wades presence also has healed a clubhouse that was fractured a season ago but received a facelift after the the departures of guard Derrick Rose and center Joakim Noah.I wouldnt have come here if I didnt think I could help this organization and help Jimmy, Wade told the Chicago Sun-Times. This organization to me is important. Its my childhoods favorite organization. I knew I could help from what Ive learned in this league.Chicago makes most of its hay on the boards. Theyve outrebounded opponents by an average of 49-31 this season, including 52-42 in their eight victories.Against the Clippers, theyll face a team that ranks fifth in scoring at 109.6 per game and is second in rebounds at 53.2.Clippers guard J.J. Redick will be seeking to extend his consecutive-games streak with at least one 3-pointer to 70, the longest active run in the NBA. ' ' '