TEAM USA STRUGGLES TO BEAT PARKER-LESS FRANCE IN RIO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 15 Aug 2016
The United States which has struggled to beat opposing teams in the Rio Olympic Games had a hard time against France, winners of the Manila Qualification Tournament even though the French missed their NBA star Tony Parker who was rested because of a sore toe on Sunday.
The Americans opened up a 16-point lead late in the third quarter but failed to slam the door shut on France and only won, 100-97.
Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson was outstanding leading the Americans with 30 points while Thomas Heurtel, one of France's less celebrated players, according to FIBA "was arguably the best player in the game with 18 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds."
The USA won for the fifth time in as many games to clinch first place in Group A while France saw their three-game winning streak come to an end and will go into the Quarter-Finals with a 3-2 record.
France cut the USA lead to just four points in the fourth quarter after a drive by Joffrey Lauvergne but not long after, a steal by Carmelo Anthony triggered a fast break and led to one of the best plays of the Olympics.
FIBA reported that "Kyrie Irving was falling down but managed to deliver a perfect alley-oop pass to Kevin Durant and that sparked a run for the Americans that put them in front by 10."
Thompson finally had the three-point shooting eruption that everyone was expecting and reminded everyone that he was one of the Americans' best players at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The Golden State Warriors superstar entered the game shooting just 19 percent from behind the arc but he drilled 7 of his 13 attempts (54 percent) against France. Irving also had 12 assists to go with his 10 points.
FIBA said the bottom line was that the USA "were not convincing winners, but winners nonetheless. Everyone is wondering when this team will start locking teams down on offense as they have done in most games during coach Mike Krzyzewski's 10-year reign."
France's defeat to Australia now seems like a long time ago. To push the USA as close as they did without the services of Tony Parker, who was rested because of a sore toe, suggests they have good things ahead. France have several NBA players and others like Heurtel and Nando de Colo that are outstanding and possess a lot of national team experience.
Photo: Klay Thompson (L) scored 30 points in USA's 100-97 defeat of France in the ongoing Rio Olympics.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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