Sapporo, Japan ? U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski wants his squad to play even harder after two wins at the world basketball championships.

Krzyzewski essentially has divided the players into two teams, and he’s asking each to go all out for 20 or so minutes.

The idea is to wear down the opposition, while spreading playing time and scoring. International games have 40 minutes of regulation, eight fewer than in the NBA. Krzyzewski is convinced his players can keep up the faster pace across two weeks of tourney play.

“We played more like the way I would like to play, and the way our guys would like to play,” Krzyzewski said Monday after the U.S. hammered China and Yao Ming, 121-90. “They’re not fighting it. ‘Am I going to play 48 minutes tonight, or am I going to play 20?’ If we can get them to think they’re playing 20, then we’re going to be a better team. It’s a matter of habits changing.”

So far, it’s working.

The U.S. opened the tournament with victories against Puerto Rico and China and was to play Slovenia early this morning. The U.S. then will face Italy and Senegal in group play before advancing to the single-elimination quarterfinals this weekend in Saitama, outside Tokyo.

The U.S. had a brief workout Monday, its lone day off during the five-game pool competition.

Team USA coaches Mike Krzyzewski, left, and Jim Boeheim watch a team practice. The Americans had an off day Monday in Sapporo, Japan.

Against the Chinese, Krzyzewski started captains LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Shane Battier and Dwight Howard. Later in the first quarter, Krzyzewski went with a lineup of captain Dwyane Wade, Kirk Hinrich, Joe Johnson, Elton Brand and Antawn Jamison.

Krzyzewski juggled the lineup at times, but he’s becoming most comfortable with those two sets. The players also seem to have adjusted. Anthony led the U.S. with 21 points in 19 minutes against Puerto Rico. Wade scored a team-high 26 in 17 minutes against China.

“If we’re going to win this, we’re going to have to take advantage of our bench play,” said Hinrich, who played 16 minutes. “When we play like that, in groups, we’ve played our best games. Something about it is working.

“Guys don’t have to worry about pacing themselves,” Hinrich said. “Just give it all you’ve got for the time you’re in there, then go sit down and let somebody else pick up the energy level and do their thing.”

Battier provided much of the energy against China early Monday. He scored Team USA’s first five points and later fired up his teammates by drawing a charge on Yao, his Houston Rockets teammate.

Battier said the collision reminded him of taking a charge against former Los Angeles Laker center Shaquille O’Neal.

“There are two times in my life that my life has flashed before my eyes,” Battier said. “The first time was rookie year against the Lakers. I lived to tell about it, and it was a very similar experience today. I saw Yao rumbling, bumbling and stumbling at halfcourt, and I said, ‘You know what? This is it. I’ve got to step up for the team.’ And I did, and it was a very good lesson in physics.”