A 10-2 U.S. run in response featured eight points from Anthony and produced an 80-74 edge.
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“We knew we were going to get their best”, George said via FOX Sports Australia’s Tony Harper. He added eight rebounds, two steals and may have saved the Americans from a loss by scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter.
After winning their first two games by a wide margin, spectators cheered loudly for the underdogs as it appeared that the Americans may fall in Olympic play for the first time in more than a decade. “We’re fine playing physical, that’s our game in the National Basketball Association, but if they going to allow us to play that way they got to play it both ways”.
Team USA struggled from the field in the first half, shooting only 30 percent, including Kevin Durant only shooting 2-10 from the floor.
The Americans, who had barely broken a sweat in Brazil, trailed early in the fourth quarter before Anthony hit a flurry of 3-pointers to put the USA on top.
After five easy exhibitions preceding routs of China and Venezuela to open the tournament, the Americans trailed 72-70 with about 9 minutes left.
Anthony hit nine three-pointers as he became USA’s all-time leading scorer at the Games during his 14-point fourth quarter.
The U.S. could never relax until scoring the final five points in the last 27 seconds on free throws.
Nando de Colo scored the first four of those points and finished with 22 to lead France. “We all play basketball and do the same thing, so we will focus on our next two pool games and go from there”. He took a charge with 38.4 seconds remaining and Venezuela holding a one-point lead.
Anthony scored 31 points – and the Americans needed every one of them – as the overwhelming gold-medal favorites in the Rio Games outlasted Australia 98-88 on Wednesday night.
While the USA had easily routed Senegal and Spain in its first two games, winning by an average of 52.5 points, it had a harder time against the hot-shooting Balkan nation.
America’s favourite villain Matthew Dellavedova was again in the spotlight after he got tangled up with George early in the first quarter, resulting in a technical foul on the Pacers star.
After blowout wins over China and Venezuela to open pool play, US coach Mike Krzyzewski said the Olympic tournament had now moved up a level for the Americans.
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Banged about and taken out of their game, the USA had to rally in the fourth quarter to salvage a 98-88 win that was even closer than the score indicated.
