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RIO DE JANEIRO -- There were so many questions about their cushy accommodations it seemed the Americans were on vacation.Yes, the U.S. mens basketball team is staying on a cruise ship, with gorgeous views of Brazils beautiful beaches.But the Americans didnt come to Rio de Janeiro for fun and sun.We know whats our task at hand, veteran Carmelo Anthony said. This is business for us. Were going out there to take care of business.The U.S. team had its international introduction Thursday with its Olympic news conference, answering plenty of questions about where theyre staying (the luxury yacht) and whos not playing (LeBron James and Stephen Curry).It was the usual spectacle for a team that always draws a crowd at the Olympics, no matter who is on the roster. This one features 10 players with no Olympic experience, with only Anthony and Kevin Durant back from the team that won the Americans second straight gold medal in 2012.Theyre still considered the team to beat even with their inexperience, which is why Paul George had such trouble with his first attempt at Portuguese.A local journalist tried to teach him the word for underdog, then asked if there was any chance the U.S. could fill that role.Of us being underdog? he said. No, I dont think were the underdog.Try heavy, heavy favorite.The Americans open on Saturday against China, a team they beat by 49 and 50 points in exhibition play. So that game shouldnt be close, and it might be a while before they get one -- if they get one -- that is. But the U.S. players say they arent thinking that way.You have to worry about everybody, forward Draymond Green said. Every team is here for a reason. They qualified somehow. ... We cant come out here and say, `Oh, were the United States and were supposed to win, or `We have this person and that person and were supposed to win. We have to be locked in every game. If you dont, youll get beat.The Americans arrived in Rio on Wednesday from Houston, where they completed their exhibition tour. They held their first practice at the arena Thursday as they get their sea legs under them.Anthony stayed on a cruise ship in his first Olympics, when they finished third in 2004 in Athens. Theyre on a ship again, along with the U.S. womens team, in part because of a shortage of hotel space compared to recent hosts Beijing and London, and Anthony doesnt see why its such a big deal.Its no different than us staying in the hotel, he said. Its not like were cruising around. Were docked. We have the same amenities as if we were staying in the hotel.He joked that the beds were small for basketball players, but its expected to be smooth sailing for this group. The Americans may have seemed vulnerable when James, Curry and a number of other superstars declined to play, but the players who did accept invites have had a few weeks to work on getting better on the court and getting along off it.Were a group of guys that range from age of 24 to, I dont know how old Carmelo is, 40? center DeAndre Jordan said. So we have so much fun together and everybodys so competitive and we all want to win, and when you got guys like that, it makes it that much more fun.Anthony is actually 32, and his first Olympic experience 12 years ago was a mostly miserable one. He plans to leave better than he came in.I know what it felt like when kind of the rest of the world was supposedly catching up with the USA as far as from a basketball standpoint. So I know what it felt like to be at the bottom and I know what it feels like to be at the top of the game as well, Anthony said.My goal is to help this team and lead this time to a gold medal.---AP Sports Writer Tom Withers contributed to this report.---Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/Customized/ . Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/Browns-Seth-Devalve-Jersey/ . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/Browns-Ricardo-Louis-Jersey/ . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/Browns-Marcus-Martin-Jersey/ . Ouellette, from Montreal, already has three Olympic gold medals since joining the team in 1999. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/Browns-Trevon-Coley-Jersey/ . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. OTTAWA -- When the Vancouver Canucks visit the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, it will be a meeting of a team that is struggling mightily with its offense against one that is doing a good job keeping pucks out of its net.The Canucks are coming off a 3-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday that kicked off a six-game road trip, which matches their longest of the season. They have lost five in a row, including a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Senators on Oct. 25 in Vancouver.The Senators are off to a 6-3-0 start and the Canucks have turned a good start into a 4-5-1 record.During their 240-minute losing streak, the Canucks have scored just two goals.When youre struggling to score goals, you start chasing the game, you start forechecking too hard, and you lose guys in the offensive zone, Canucks winger Daniel Sedin said after the loss to Montreal. Tonight we had our third guy high, our defensemen could pinch, kept the play alive. Thats why we had a lot of zone time, too, and more offensive shots.But can we do it again? Thats the challenge for us. If we can do it once, I think we can do it every game.The Senators are coming off a 2-1 overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on tuesday at Canadian Tire Centre that was their second victory in a row. They have won three of their last four, including two shutouts by goalie Craig Anderson, whose wife was recently diagnosed with cancer.Amazingly, Andersons focus has been stellar throughout the hardship.dddddddddddd He has won his last three starts while stopping 91 of 92 shots.Hes an inspiration to all of us, I will tell you that, Senators defenseman Dion Phaneuf said. Hes been incredible, not only the way that hes stopping the puck, but just his strength and courage. Its something that has definitely touched our room.While Anderson could leave the team to be with his wife at any moment, and with backup Andrew Hammond nursing a groin injury, the Senators obtained goalie Mike Condon from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick.The situation with (Anderson) is very fluid, Senators GM Pierre Dorion said. We cant afford, at the present time, not to field the best team we can.As a longtime Buffalo Sabres goalie, Ryan Miller has faced the Senators often. He is 18-21-4 against Ottawa with a .919 save percentage and a 2.61 goals-against average.If Miller doesnt go back-to-back, Canucks backup Jack Marksstrom is 0-1 against the Senators, allowing four goals the only time he faced them.You have to stay with your process, Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said. You dont have any choice. I thought we had a better effort creating shots.I believe that if we play like that every night, well win our share of games. Thats what we have to believe and thats how we have to keep playing. 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