Team USA Routs Italy 100-63, Advances to FIBA World Cup Semifinals
Team USA bounced back from their 110-104 loss to Lithuania in FIBA World Cup pool play, defeating Italy 100-63 to reach the semifinal round. Team USA held Italy to 7-38 (.184) shooting from beyond the arc while also shutting down Italy's offense inside the arc (16-37, .432) and dominating the boards 51-33. Mikal Bridges led Team USA with 24 points and seven rebounds (tied with Bobby Portis Jr. for team-high honors). Anthony Edwards, Team USA's leading scorer in the tournament (17.3 ppg), finished with just three points on 1-6 field goal shooting, but Team USA has many players who can score proficiently and efficiently; Team USA is only in danger when they do not execute the correct defensive game plan by smothering the opposing team's guards to shut down the three point shooters while also disrupting entry passes into the post.
Team USA will face the winner of Wednesday's Germany-Latvia game. Germany features several players who are familiar to NBA fans, including Dennis Schroder, Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner, and Daniel Theis. Germany has a 5-0 record in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Davis Bertans is the only active player on Latvia's team who has NBA experience; his brother Dairis, who played 12 games for the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2019 season, tore his hamstring during Latvia's 88-86 upset win over France and he will miss the rest of the FIBA World Cup. Latvia has a 4-1 record in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, losing only to Canada the game after Bertans was injured.
Meanwhile, Lithuania can finish no higher than fifth place after getting
blown out by Serbia, 87-68. Lithuania shot 14-25 (.560) from three
point range and 24-47 (.511)
from inside the arc while dominating Team USA 43-27 on the boards, but
Serbia--in marked contrast to Team USA--understood the assignment, and
held Lithuania to 9-28 (.321) three point field goal shooting while
winning the rebounding battle 33-28 in a contest during which both teams
shot well from inside the arc.
Labels: FIBA World Cup, Italy, Mikal Bridges, Team USA
posted by David Friedman @ 9:54 PM
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