After three uncharacteristically close games in group play, the US escape to the knockout round after with a 100-97 win over France.
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The performance of Klay Thompson was crucial as the Warriors guard provided a team high 30 points including 7 three-pointers. “We’re happy to be 5-0, and we control our own destiny”. “But you start playing better competition you see these teams are pretty good”.
Elsewhere in Group B, Alba Torrens led the Spanish women over Canada and into the quarterfinals as a No. 2 seed with her 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
This is an All-Star team, with big names capable of mind-blowing feats, plagued by self-inflicted mistakes and inattentive defense.
Seriously, Thompson went nova for a little bit, and the result was a 12-point USA lead entering the fourth, one that felt mostly insurmountable despite the defensive issues. “It also proves we are close to Serbia and Australia, who also lost to the USA by points”, Lauvergne said. As the explosive offense started to go cold, early turnovers began to put France back in contention.
Team USA was saved by Carmelo Anthony’s fourth-quarter three-point shooting, but the team’s defense in the first half gave Australia a chance to pull off the upset.
“Obviously, you want to win by as much as you can, but you have to grind out some games”, Durant said, addressing what’s becoming a standard postgame subject.
It turned out the US needed every one of Thompson’s seven 3-pointers – and the 17 points from new Golden State Warriors teammates Kevin Durant, who was a flawless 7-for-7 from the floor – to make it past another formidable opponent as the USA struggles to find its defense.
“This isn’t a tournament that we’re going to just dominate”, Team USA swingman Paul George said. France’s Parker-less backcourt of Thomas Heurtel and Nando De Colo carved up the Americans, with each player scoring 18 points and the duo combining for 14 assists.
The USA has not lost a game in the Olympics since Athens 2004, or internationally for a decade. “We got complacent on defence and teams like this that move a lot off the ball, you can’t get complacent”. “So we know each other well, same coach, too, so we know the plays and everything”. Now they’ll look to parlay that confidence into more success, starting on Sunday night as they finish up Group A play against China.
Nobody has done that in a decade, with the Americans seeking their 50th consecutive tournament victory Sunday.
After crushing China and Venezuela in Rio, it’s play the last three games has raised questions, although it won its group with a 5-0 record in defeating France.
It’s undetermined at the moment who Team USA’s next opponent will be.
No one was happy after the last two games, least of all the players.
Team USA will receive a two-day break before returning to action on August 17 as the tournament moves into the elimination rounds.
Despite another close finish, the USA finishes undefeated in group play. The opponent will be determined following the finals games of group play on Monday. But they are still learning to play with each other.
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Pacific against Manu Ginobili, Andres “Chapu” Nocioni and Argentina, the last team to knock United States of America out of an global tournament back in 2004.
