Team USA Leading Russia 44-39 At Halftime Of The FIBA Championships

It was an ugly first half for both sides, but Team USA rallied late in the second quarter to take a five point lead over Russia at halftime.

Russia, who's been led by Sergey Bykov (10 points) and Timofey Mozgov (9 points), made it hard on the Americans early on, and at various points led by as much as five points. Since then, though, they've gone cold from the field, allowing Team USA to go on a 12-0 run, ultimately ceding control to the Americans.

For Team USA, Kevin Durant continues to be the engine that keeps the team running smoothly--he scored more than half of the USA points in a back-and-forth first quarter--and has 19 points at the half. Beyond Durant, though, the scoring is spread thin, and execution has been inconsistent.

We'll have a full recap after the game wraps, and you can watch the second half on ESPN 3.

Until then... Remember: Kevin Durant plays for Oklahoma City AMERICA.