Mavs' Dwight Powell Helps Canada Defeat USA to Win First World Cup Medal

Originally posted on FanNation Dallas Basketball
By Dalton Trigg | Last updated 9/10/23

On Sunday, Germany defeated Serbia to win the FIBA World Cup, but before that, an intriguing third-place game took place between Team USA and Canada – the two teams that were initially expected to meet in the World Cup final.

Despite shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 37 percent from deep, Team USA lost to Canada, 127-118, leaving them in fourth place and without a medal. Anthony Edward and Austin Reaves led the way for Team USA with 24 and 23 points respectively.

Canada won the bronze medal – its first FIBA World Cup medal in history – thanks in large part to Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, who had a game-high 39 points on 12-18 shooting from the field and 7-8 shooting from deep.

Although his stats weren't eye-popping, Dallas Mavericks big man Dwight Powell played a big role in Canada's success. The starting center finished with four points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block in the win over Team USA. He was also a plus-19 in the boxscore plus/minus.

"We've made it to this points, and that's great," Powell said before the match against Team USA. "But a medal is forever."

Earlier this summer, Powell agreed to re-sign with the Mavs on a three-year deal worth a total of $12 million despite the Rockets reportedly offering him more money. Dallas' need for a starting-center upgrade has been duly noted, as Powell has certain physical limitation that put him at a disadvantage when going up against bigger NBA centers. However, his effort, leadership, and chemistry with Mavs superstar Luka Doncic, are things that can never be questioned, and having him back in Dallas for $4 million per year seems like a good deal for both parties going forward.

With Mavs training camp being less than three weeks away from getting underway, the starting-center questions remain. Can highly-talented rookie Dereck Lively II make a case to be the new starting defensive anchor? Will veteran big man Richaun Holmes bounce back from being shelved for the last two seasons with the Sacramento Kings? Is there a trade for another center that could happen before the season begins? Or ... when the dust settles, will Powell, and his new World Cup bling, be starting for Dallas once again?

We don't have much longer to find out the answers to all of those questions. Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com for extensive Mavs preseason coverage in the coming weeks.

This article first appeared on FanNation Dallas Basketball and was syndicated with permission.

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