Canada achieved a shocking 95-65 blowout victory over France on Friday, putting the rest of the teams competing in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup on notice. It was an iconic moment in the nation's basketball history.
The Dallas Mavericks were represented in the match with Dwight Powell, who started alongside Kelly Olynyk in the frontcourt. Against a tough matchup in Rudy Gobert, Canada needed the best possible all-around play from its veteran bigs, which came to fruition. Powell recorded six points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 23 minutes.
Powell continued to make his offensive impact as an interior play finisher, but his defensive contributions proved to be vital. With a variety of tenacious and versatile on-ball defenders guarding the ball, Powell's ability to play up in ball screen coverages and willingness to make timely help rotations were maximized.
When Powell was on the floor, Canada outscored France by 35 points — the best player plus-minus among the team's players. Gobert didn't impose his will as anticipated, given France was outscored by 17 points within the 27 minutes he spent on the court.
Watch Powell's full highlights from his performance against France in the embedded video below. Check back with DallasBasketball.com more highlights and analysis throughout the World Cup.
Powell continues to play an important role for Canada and is doing so with a talented supporting cast that can help to maximize his impact on both ends. He still has a superstar guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to complement, while having the necessary defenders to help anchor the defense between Luguentz Dort and Dillon Brooks.
Canada’s next match will occur on Sunday against Lebanon in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Grant Afseth is a Dallas Mavericks reporter for DallasBasketball.com and an NBA reporter for NBA Analysis Network. He previously covered the Indiana Pacers and NBA for CNHI's Kokomo Tribune and various NBA teams for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. Follow him on Twitter (@grantafseth), Facebook (@grantgafseth), and YouTube (@grantafseth).
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