Brian Windhorst, ESPN Senior Essayist
MANILA, Philippines — Group USA has taken a couple of losses over the a long time in main global festival when roster flaws had been uncovered, focal point has been a subject matter and when an opponent places in combination a lavish efficiency.
Every so often it’s the results of greater than a kind of elements, and that was once the case Sunday night time within the FIBA Global Cup. Lithuania added to its illustrious historical past via scoring every other win over the U.S., bullying and out-executing the American citizens in a 110-104 victory.
Lithuania create a sensational efficiency, mixing its benefits and emerging to the date. Some leave balls went its approach and the officiating was once puzzling every now and then, nevertheless it was once a fair-and-square important appearing.
Group USA had a 15-2 run within the 3rd quarter and shorten the manage to 4 issues within the ultimate little, nevertheless it was once at all times out of place and not gave the impression eager to overhaul the Lithuanians.
9 other Lithuania avid gamers made a 3-pointer, six had a minimum of 3 rebounds, six had a minimum of two assists and 5 scored in double figures.
Group USA was once led via a valiant Anthony Edwards, who by no means relented and completed with 35 issues, simply 3 off Kevin Durant‘s Group USA scoring document. Mikal Bridges additionally performed tirelessly and scored 14 issues plus labored as withered as somebody on protection and in chasing leave balls.
Nevertheless it simply wasn’t excellent plenty, because the U.S. was once successfully outplayed for far of the sport as its technique and weaknesses have been exploited.
“I hate losing, I probably won’t sleep much tonight,” Group USA schoolteacher Steve Kerr mentioned. “But for us to get better, we needed to feel this, we needed to respond the way we did.”
There was once an surprising sure to return out of the night time. On account of losses via the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Puerto Rico, the US clinched a berth within the Paris Olympics. That would possibly had been assumed however was once some distance from confident because the loss was once a reminder of the fragility within the global recreation.
The document presentations that Mindaugas Kuzminskas (14 issues), Vaidas Kariniauskas (15) and Jonas Valanciunas (12) led Lithuania in scoring, however credit score for the win may move to all of the roster.
It isn’t the most important win in Lithuania historical past — that left-overs the 1992 Olympic bronze medal victory over the Russian unified staff — however it’s at the decrease record, along its 2004 Olympic win over Group USA in Athens. And Lithuania did it with a great recreation plan that exploited the American citizens’ dearth of measurement and took benefit of an array of errors.
“It’s important for my country to win against USA,” Kariniauskas mentioned. “It’s happened like 19 years ago when [Lithuanian legend Šarūnas Jasikevičius] was playing. I was watching that game 20-25 times maybe. So now we did it. So it’s crazy, but we have to chill.”
The speedy repercussion of the loss for Group USA isn’t unfortunate, because it had already attach its playground within the medal spherical. Group USA will play games Italy on Tuesday within the quarterfinals and remains to be a powerful contender to win the identify. The American citizens would possibly not see Lithuania once more, and refuse staff may give the US measurement problems like Lithuania.
Nevertheless it was once a big fribble away to the staff’s rhythm and self belief, which was once up to now unblemished.
The American citizens know they’re petite, and they’ve recreation plans and methods for it. It’s not such a lot a call however a truth. The most productive obese males on the planet are typically from out of doors the U.S., and plenty of of them are from Europe. That’s why there’s a possible recruitment for Joel Embiid, who was an American citizen closing life, as it’s an actual want.
However on the finish of the pace, when you’re petite in basketball, you’re petite. And the Lithuanians are — and feature been for a few years — moderately obese. They begin 3 avid gamers 6-foot-9 and taller, and produce a number of extra off the bench. A number of of them are stream and previous NBA avid gamers.
The rebounding condition was once bloody. Lithuania gained the “battle” 43-27, and each and every one in every of its 18 offensive rebounds was once every other paper shorten for the U.S.
Group USA begins one true obese guy, Jaren Jackson Jr., and he has a unpleasant fouling addiction. True to mode, Jackson had two fouls not up to 3 mins into the sport. Next no longer having a rebound within the win over Montenegro on Friday — a recreation that portended this one — Jackson didn’t get his first rebound Sunday till halfway in the course of the 3rd quarter. It was once the one one he were given within the recreation, and he fouled out within the fourth quarter.
Regardless of the woeful rebounding, Jackson being at the courtroom mattered, because the U.S. was once plus-16 within the mins he performed and minus-22 when he was once out.
“We need him on the floor — he’s one of our best players,” Kerr mentioned of Jackson. “The early fouls changed the game for sure, and then you saw how effective he was when he was on the court. So he’s got to improve with that he knows that.”
There have been staff huddles and plenty of other lineups deployed via Kerr the use of the staff’s alternative obese males, Bobby Portis and Walker Kessler. Kerr went with taller lineups with Brandon Ingram and Cameron Johnson. However Lithuania saved getting the ball off the rim, and once in a while even if the U.S. did get it, it perceived to require a herculean attempt.
The antidote is meant to be Group USA’s velocity and its intensity. And most often it’s. It could even get the American citizens a gold medal a while from now.
However on this case, the Lithuanians have simply as a lot intensity and extra measurement. Kerr is dedicated to switching on pick-and-rolls and has defended that place with this roster. However Lithuania was once unbothered and impaired that to assemble matchups it appreciated.
Additionally, Lithuania got here into the sport with seven other avid gamers averaging seven issues or extra. It doesn’t pressure committing to the bench.
All match the U.S. has had the merit with its 2d unit, which could be the staff’s spine. Austin Reaves and Tyrese Haliburton haven’t been simply two of the staff’s easiest — they’ve been two of the match’s easiest. And they’ve completed so as a result of they’ve regularly operated in opposition to overmatched backups. However that wasn’t the case Sunday.
The Lithuanians got here into the sport important the Global Cup in staff rebounding and 3-point capturing. That may be a combo they shoved proper within the American citizens’ faces.
Lithuania made its first 9 3-point makes an attempt and was once coldly environment friendly in getting the photographs — virtually they all have been large unhidden. That was once a results of the U.S. seeking to throw some double-teams on the Lithuania bigs, which Lithuania anticipated because it flung it round to the unhidden shooters.
When the U.S. didn’t double-team, the Lithuanians attacked measurement benefits within the submit. In a single memorable generation, Kariniauskas scored on Reaves within the submit and drew a nasty, and later caught his tongue out at Reaves to the injury of the Filipino folk, which adores Reaves.
“Nothing personal, just love of the game. I played with [Reaves’ brother, Spencer], so I talked to him before the game and he said ‘give [Austin] a trash talk,” Kariniauskas mentioned. “So I give him some.”
However the rebounding was once the actual bottom tale. The American citizens had survived getting pounded at the forums previous in video games in opposition to Germany and Montenegro. However neither was once as harmful as what took place Sunday as Lithuania simply penniless them time and again via getting difference possessions.
“Luckily we get to play again,” Edwards mentioned. “That’s all I’m thinking about.”
