USA basketball team lost again
- Thread starter DaytonFamily
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ATHENS, Greece - Redemption came from the perfect spot — the 3-point line — for Sarunas Jasikevicius.
The Lithuanian guard, whose off-target 3-pointer kept his team from pulling off the biggest upset of the Sydney Olympics, didn’t miss when it counted Saturday night against the Americans in a thrilling 94-90 victory.
He hit three shots in a row from behind the arc as the fourth quarter wound down, including a rare four-point play that put his team ahead to stay. He finished with 28 points.
“You know, Sydney was four years ago. The shot in Sydney, I keep saying, never had a chance to go in,” Jasikevicius said. “It was really an impossible shot.”
When he got another chance against the Americans, he took advantage, handing them their second loss of the Athens Games. The defeat matches the U.S. team’s total from the country’s first 68 years of Olympic competition and was only the second since the 1992 Dream Team brought the first pro players to the games
But the United States still qualified for the quarterfinals when Angola lost 88-56 to Greece in Saturday’s nightcap. Their opponent will be determined by the results of Monday’s games.
“We had kind of a meltdown in the fourth quarter,” coach Larry Brown said. “We gave up over 90 points. You can’t have a game like that defensively and expect to win against a quality team.”
The Americans gave their best all-around performance of these Olympics and led for most of the game, but they missed 11 of 33 free throws to allow Lithuania to stay close.
Lithuania went 10-for-10 from the foul line in the fourth quarter before Jasikevicius was fouled on a 3-pointer with 2:47 left and hit the foul shot. After a miss by Allen Iverson, Jasikevicius made another three-pointer to make it 88-84.
Richard Jefferson answered with a 3, but Jasikevicius wasn’t done. He made another 3-pointer to restore a four-point edge. A turnover by Stephon Marbury was followed by a pair of foul shots by Jasikevicius to make it 93-87 with 57 seconds left.
“There was an awe when playing the Americans maybe 17 or 18 years ago, but a lot of countries have caught up,” Jasikevicius said after the game.
“This is, in a way, an incredible win, and in a way it doesn’t mean anything,” Jasikevicius said. “What does this mean if you don’t win a medal? We beat the States. So what? We came here not to beat the States or any other team, we just came here to fight for the medal.”
For Jasikevicius, the victory also brought him a measure of satisfaction against the American basketball establishment. In a league filling up with foreigners, the NBA missed one who was right in their own back yard, playing at Maryland.
“I was a free agent in Europe, and it never came — any offers. They talked about they were interested, but there weren’t even any minimum offers,” Jasikevicius said. “So I think I’m just not a player for the NBA, because these guys know what they’re doing.
“If 30 teams think a player cannot play, I cannot play.”
Lithuania improved to 4-0, clinching the top spot in Group A and joining Spain as the only two unbeaten teams. Saulius Strombergas added 16 points and Ramunas Siskauskas had 14.
Jefferson returned to the starting lineup and led the U.S. team with 20 points. Tim Duncan added 16 points and 12 rebounds.
The Americans forced 20 turnovers and nearly doubled Lithuania’s production on points in the paint, but it still wasn’t good enough against an opponent with more experience playing together and more poise down the stretch.
“When we get to the medal round. Everybody is 0-0,” Carlos Boozer said. “They had some big plays, the four-point play, the 3s, six straight free throws. At the end of the game it seemed like they were running the same play over and over again and we didn’t adjust, we didn’t switch.
“We’re better than this,” he added, “I totally believe we’re getting better and we should have won this game.”
The Americans found ways to penetrate the zone defense, using their own defense to create turnovers and generally looking as crisp as they have since coming together in training camp late last month.
The Lithuanians hit six of their first seven shots and nine of 12, but they committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter. Dwyane Wade’s steal and dunk gave the U.S. team its first lead, 24-22, and three of Lithuania’s top big men were in foul trouble before the second quarter began.
The Americans beat Lithuania on the boards, created high-tempo baskets with their defense and stayed ahead throughout the second and third quarters. Their missed free throws, however, kept them from pulling away.
Lithuania assistant coach Donn Nelson watched the game from the stands. After Lithuania’s close call against the United States in Sydney, he said he’d never coach another game against his home country.
LeBron James, who had sparked the Americans off the bench in previous games, played just six minutes and didn't score.
The Lithuanian guard, whose off-target 3-pointer kept his team from pulling off the biggest upset of the Sydney Olympics, didn’t miss when it counted Saturday night against the Americans in a thrilling 94-90 victory.
He hit three shots in a row from behind the arc as the fourth quarter wound down, including a rare four-point play that put his team ahead to stay. He finished with 28 points.
“You know, Sydney was four years ago. The shot in Sydney, I keep saying, never had a chance to go in,” Jasikevicius said. “It was really an impossible shot.”
When he got another chance against the Americans, he took advantage, handing them their second loss of the Athens Games. The defeat matches the U.S. team’s total from the country’s first 68 years of Olympic competition and was only the second since the 1992 Dream Team brought the first pro players to the games
But the United States still qualified for the quarterfinals when Angola lost 88-56 to Greece in Saturday’s nightcap. Their opponent will be determined by the results of Monday’s games.
“We had kind of a meltdown in the fourth quarter,” coach Larry Brown said. “We gave up over 90 points. You can’t have a game like that defensively and expect to win against a quality team.”
The Americans gave their best all-around performance of these Olympics and led for most of the game, but they missed 11 of 33 free throws to allow Lithuania to stay close.
Lithuania went 10-for-10 from the foul line in the fourth quarter before Jasikevicius was fouled on a 3-pointer with 2:47 left and hit the foul shot. After a miss by Allen Iverson, Jasikevicius made another three-pointer to make it 88-84.
Richard Jefferson answered with a 3, but Jasikevicius wasn’t done. He made another 3-pointer to restore a four-point edge. A turnover by Stephon Marbury was followed by a pair of foul shots by Jasikevicius to make it 93-87 with 57 seconds left.
“There was an awe when playing the Americans maybe 17 or 18 years ago, but a lot of countries have caught up,” Jasikevicius said after the game.
“This is, in a way, an incredible win, and in a way it doesn’t mean anything,” Jasikevicius said. “What does this mean if you don’t win a medal? We beat the States. So what? We came here not to beat the States or any other team, we just came here to fight for the medal.”
For Jasikevicius, the victory also brought him a measure of satisfaction against the American basketball establishment. In a league filling up with foreigners, the NBA missed one who was right in their own back yard, playing at Maryland.
“I was a free agent in Europe, and it never came — any offers. They talked about they were interested, but there weren’t even any minimum offers,” Jasikevicius said. “So I think I’m just not a player for the NBA, because these guys know what they’re doing.
“If 30 teams think a player cannot play, I cannot play.”
Lithuania improved to 4-0, clinching the top spot in Group A and joining Spain as the only two unbeaten teams. Saulius Strombergas added 16 points and Ramunas Siskauskas had 14.
Jefferson returned to the starting lineup and led the U.S. team with 20 points. Tim Duncan added 16 points and 12 rebounds.
The Americans forced 20 turnovers and nearly doubled Lithuania’s production on points in the paint, but it still wasn’t good enough against an opponent with more experience playing together and more poise down the stretch.
“When we get to the medal round. Everybody is 0-0,” Carlos Boozer said. “They had some big plays, the four-point play, the 3s, six straight free throws. At the end of the game it seemed like they were running the same play over and over again and we didn’t adjust, we didn’t switch.
“We’re better than this,” he added, “I totally believe we’re getting better and we should have won this game.”
The Americans found ways to penetrate the zone defense, using their own defense to create turnovers and generally looking as crisp as they have since coming together in training camp late last month.
The Lithuanians hit six of their first seven shots and nine of 12, but they committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter. Dwyane Wade’s steal and dunk gave the U.S. team its first lead, 24-22, and three of Lithuania’s top big men were in foul trouble before the second quarter began.
The Americans beat Lithuania on the boards, created high-tempo baskets with their defense and stayed ahead throughout the second and third quarters. Their missed free throws, however, kept them from pulling away.
Lithuania assistant coach Donn Nelson watched the game from the stands. After Lithuania’s close call against the United States in Sydney, he said he’d never coach another game against his home country.
LeBron James, who had sparked the Americans off the bench in previous games, played just six minutes and didn't score.
3 pt. shooters? How about shooters. I could of put a better roster up there by using nba vets. Some players are:
Theo Ratliff
Bobby Jackson
Sam Cassell
Doug Christie
Earl Boykins
Cuttino Mobley
Jason Richardson
Sprewell
Quetin Richardson
ETC. the list goes on, just vets that know how to play ball and KNOW THEIR ROLE. I can't believe they had Richard Jefferson and Marbury on there, that's just undescribably stupid.
Theo Ratliff
Bobby Jackson
Sam Cassell
Doug Christie
Earl Boykins
Cuttino Mobley
Jason Richardson
Sprewell
Quetin Richardson
ETC. the list goes on, just vets that know how to play ball and KNOW THEIR ROLE. I can't believe they had Richard Jefferson and Marbury on there, that's just undescribably stupid.
i agree with dude, marbury and jefferson are jokes, although rj actually kept em close.......why the fuck aint lebron playing more, or dwayne wade and carmello........im usually a larry brown fan, but hes fuckin trip keepin them on the bench and starting jefferson and marbury.........fuckin sad to watch
the us always bring the players with good image, man, put the wallaces in, with a doug christie guys like that. More hustle = more baskets. Like DatonFamily was sayin the 3 major players are AI, tim and james. jefferson stepped up last game though. But at the same time fuck bitchin about the composition of the team too and see how they do. other teams miss some players too like italy and serbia. i still think a gold medal is possible if the us continue to improve.
Its a shame comparin' da 92 & 96 teams to this year's.
http://www.usabasketball.com/history/index.html
http://www.usabasketball.com/history/index.html
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SIGN UP NOW FOR THE SICCNESS.NET(NORCAL TROTERS)TEAM VS. TEAM USA....
SO FAR I GOT
MEAN MUG AND THAT KILLER CROSS OVER
CARLOS IS OUR OFFICIAL WATER BOY
I GOT POWER FOWARD
CZAR "NOT IN MY HOUSE" IN THE CENTER
KAH THA SHARP SHOOTER
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WITH THIS LINE UP WE ALREADY GOT A 76 TO 1 ODDS OF WINING
SIGN UP NOW FOR THE SICCNESS.NET(NORCAL TROTERS)TEAM VS. TEAM USA....
SO FAR I GOT
MEAN MUG AND THAT KILLER CROSS OVER
CARLOS IS OUR OFFICIAL WATER BOY
I GOT POWER FOWARD
CZAR "NOT IN MY HOUSE" IN THE CENTER
KAH THA SHARP SHOOTER
YOUNG "SKY WALKER" NUTT SHOOTING FOWARD
ALL HEADED BY NONE OTHER THAN COACH NEMO
WITH THIS LINE UP WE ALREADY GOT A 76 TO 1 ODDS OF WINING
