Team USA haven’t lived up to many basketball fans hopes this Olympic campaign with another 1 shot victory in the Group Stage
If you were excited for the opportunity to see Tony Parker lead France against his American buddies from the NBA, you’ll have to wait until the semifinals of this Olympic tournament.
Assuming France can get that far.
A victory Sunday would have given the French a shot at the top seed in Group A, but France coach Vincent Collet — despite the encouragement he surely drew from Team USA’s struggles against Australia and Serbia — made the decision to risk nothing and sit Captain Parker.
It turns out that Parker sustained a toe injury in France’s victory Friday night over Venezuela, according to a tweet from France’s official team account that wasn’t issued until the start of the second half.
Despite being fully dressed and taking part in pregame warm-ups, Parker is “out until the quarterfinals.”
So …
Parker’s absence definitely dilutes the quality of the win, as does the fact that Team USA had to endure yet another nervy fourth quarter after it appeared it had finally seized control by zooming into a 16-point lead in the third.
To hearten coach Mike Krzyzewski somewhat, Team USA guard Klay Thompson rediscovered his shooting touch after four uncharacteristically chilly performances and finished with a team-high 30 points.
Thompson was shooting a hard-to-believe 15 percent (4-for-26) from the floor and 18 percent (3-for-18) on 3s through four games before this much-needed bust-out. Krzyzewski restored Thompson to the starting lineup after giving that spot to Paul George, which certainly didn’t hurt.
But not until a follow slam by DeMarcus Cousins inside the final 90 seconds, good for a 100-90 margin, did the Yanks’ lead feel truly safe.
As for that rematch with Parker in the lineup … stay tuned.
France will have to beat the second-place finisher in Group B in the quarterfinals — an opponent that won’t be determined until after Monday’s slate of games — while the United States (5-0) gets a quarterfinal date with Group B’s eventual fourth-place finisher.
Give Collet this much, though: You have to believe that the French just got a major psychological boost for a potential semifinals rematch after they hung in as well as they did with Parker spectating.
If they get there.
