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Rio de Janeiro

Rodney Hood knew long ago what Venezuela's players discovered in the second quarter Monday night. The members of the U.S. Olympic basketball team are capable of playing some serious defense.

The three days Hood spent in Las Vegas last month with the Select Team, practicing against the Olympians, gave him a different impression of the NBA stars who have come to Rio. The Jazz's third-year player marveled about their defensive effort, unlike anything he was accustomed to seeing from them.

It's happening here. The competition is suspect so far, with better tests to come in this tournament — including games against the Jazz's Joe Ingles of Australia and Rudy Gobert and Boris Diaw of France. Yet these Americans are motivated to be remembered as the best defenders in the Dream Team era, and Monday's second quarter supported that theory.

After creating a mild degree of drama in a tie game, Venezuela scored six points in the last nine minutes of the first half of a 113-69 loss.

Until their offense heated up, the Americans' defense kept them in the game. And then it got even better for a while, although Venezuela again played respectably in the third quarter and the expected 50-point blowout didn't quite materialize.

"Our defense was amazing," said the USA's Kevin Durant. "They didn't make shots on us. We just put 'em on the free-throw line a lot in that first quarter."

The defensive end of the court actually will be more interesting to watch as this tournament unfolds. Having allowed an average of 65.5 points to China and Venezuela, the U.S. team is positioned to challenge the mark of 71.4 points of the 1996 team that included Karl Malone and John Stockton.

The question becomes whether Hood's naming Carmelo Anthony as an example of this team's sudden interest in defense is an indictment or just a compliment. To me, it is proof that the NBA's top-tier performers can play defense when they really want to play it, when the unrelenting schedule allows them to do so and when they're not asked to carry their teams offensively. Tom Thibodeau's impact shouldn't be underestimated, either.

He's basically the USA's defensive coordinator, working with coach Mike Krzyzewski. The former Chicago Bulls coach, now leading the Minnesota Timberwolves, is a defensive expert and a great teacher.

"Being with Thibs, he's definitely making me a better defender — just listening to his voice and teaching," Durant said. "So I'm grateful that I get to play under him."

My belief in Thibodeau stems from his work in Chicago with former Jazz guard Kyle Korver, who became more than a serviceable NBA defender in those two seasons. So maybe Thibs couldn't transform Carlos Boozer, but that's asking a lot.

Thibodeau appreciates the Olympians' response to coaching. "I just like how unselfishly they're playing on both sides of the ball," he said.

Even if it came together after a series of withdrawals and declined invitations, this U.S. roster is designed for defense. With aggressive guards, length on the wings and rim protectors inside, "We've just got every area covered," Durant said.

Considering Venezuela's success in the first and third quarters, the starting lineup of Durant, Anthony, DeMarcus Cousins, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson had to absorb some blame Monday. That just creates an opportunity for them to do better from the start Wednesday, to the detriment of Ingles and the Aussies.

kkragthorpe@sltrib.com Twitter: @tribkurt —

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