So, while the men’s team could still face some difficulty on its way to living up to the always-lofty expectations that USA Basketball has for every Olympic tournament, the women appear poised to make history with their dominance in this particular tournament.
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NBA Superstar Carmelo Anthony had an impressive game in this match and he led the U.S. team who scored a game-high of 31 points on 11/21 shooting. “We beat a very good team and we earned that win and we will need to continue to earn our wins”. Do you think they’ll be able to win a medal? “What’s the point of playing otherwise?” Will they go back to their dominating nature, or will they repeat tonights struggles?
A 10-2 United States run in response featured eight points from Anthony and produced an 80-74 edge. That’s what we do being from Australia, we’re not intimidated; we’re not scared of anyone.
“We were doing the same stuff they were doing and we got hacked for it”.
“Melo initiated it to put this game away”, George said. Afterward, nearly everyone connected to the USA program tried to take a positive out of it, saying a close game will prove good for the team as it chases the gold. But are they losing this one?
When the US coach said the Aussies were capable of beating the Americans in these Olympic Games, a lot of people thought he was just being kind.
Kyrie Irving pitched in double-digits to help his squad in the fourth quarter, including a clutch three-pointer and free throws to keep the squad just ahead against the resilient Australians. “They are the European champions for a reason”.
“Tough game and we expected that”, Thompson said. We certainly can’t wait to see what happens!
“First of all, you get frustrated”, Krzyzewski said.
Longley believed the United States now respected Australian basketball more than ever because of the growing number of players bludgeoning their way into the world’s best competition. “Half our team has grown up together, really, from 15 or 16 years old”. But these suggestions should be sent To avoid distracting other readers, we won’t publish comments that suggest a correction.
In the second quarter, the Aussies were even better. “Those are the games that make you better in the long run”.
Foul trouble kept Ingles out of the game much of the first half and some of the third quarter.
The Boomers did not trail by more than eight points until the final seconds and actually led the 17-time gold medallists for large periods of the game on Wednesday night (early Thursday AEST).
“This what we do man”, said George.
Durant found a rhythm in the fourth, rebounding from an uncharacteristically poor first half, to finish with 14 points, five rebounds, two blocks, one steal and one assist. It also surely wouldn’t hurt if Kevin Durant could get rolling again. “Hopefully we’ll be better prepared”. Their defense was physical, their passing sliced and diced the USA defense and they shot 68 percent from the field. They were timely and big and he took it upon himself to lead us. “And they were moving pretty freely on offense”.
Nando de Colo scored the first four of those points and finished with 22 to lead France.
‘It was an adjustment for us. “Adversity is always good”. “We fought through it early on”.
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It won’t be the same when he’s playing with the Knicks, especially not if he spends a lot of time in traditional lineups with Joakim Noah at the 5 and Kristaps Porzingis at the 4.
