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USA | 99 | Final | 94 | Lithuania |  |
STARTERS
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Chris Paul, G 3-9 FG | 1-4 3PT | 0-0 FT | 7 REB | 6 AST | 7 PTS Paul's shooting woes continued in this one, but I liked that he was aggressive in looking for his shot and to set up his teammates. It felt like he was in control of the offense more than at any point thus far. Plus, his perimeter defense was stifling. |
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Kobe Bryant, G 1-7 FG | 0-3 3PT | 4-5 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 6 PTS It finally happened — Kobe went Hero Ball on us. With Team USA struggling offensively, Kobe attempted to take control by hoisting several tough, contested jumpers. With this many offensive talents on the court, those just aren't smart shots, even for him. |
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Kevin Durant, F 5-12 FG | 4-7 3PT | 2-2 FT | 4 REB | 2 AST | 16 PTS KD shot the ball well from deep, but he seems too passive and reliant on others to create quality looks. He isn't looking to attack toward the basket consistently, so he isn't in rhythm when he does so. I love his spot-up shooting, but I'd want more aggression. |
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LeBron James, F 9-14 FG | 1-4 3PT | 1-2 FT | 5 REB | 0 AST | 20 PTS When LeBron decides he wants to get to the rim, nobody in the world can stop him. Case in point? The last two minutes of this game. Team USA needed a savior, and James stepped in and took over. Now if he would just play that way more often... |
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Tyson Chandler, C 0-0 FG | 0-0 3PT | 1-4 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 1 PTS On possession after possession in the second half, Coach K's small lineup got beat on the perimeter, allowing Lithuania to penetrate at will. The problem? No rim-protecting presence behind them. Someone please explain how Chandler is only getting 8 minutes. |
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BENCH
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Carmelo Anthony, F 7-13 FG | 2-6 3PT | 4-4 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 20 PTS Melo has effectively used this Olympics to remind us just how great a scoring talent he is. This wasn't exactly his scorching Nigeria performance, but it was pretty good nonetheless. He was unguardable on the block, and Team USA exploited that nicely. |
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Deron Williams, G 4-12 FG | 2-6 3PT | 2-4 FT | 1 REB | 2 AST | 12 PTS Deron missed a lot of shots. That can be forgiven. What can't be forgiven is missing shots while playing terrible on-ball defense. Williams simply can't stay in front of anyone. That could be a problem with Team USA's lack of shot-blocking presence. |
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Russell Westbrook, G 3-7 FG | 0-1 3PT | 1-1 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 7 PTS This was an uneven game for Russell, and he struggled in the fourth quarter. However, he came up big in a crucial stretch in the second, attacking the rim with his athleticism and helping to fend off a Lithuania run. That's why we keep him around. |
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Kevin Love, F 2-3 FG | 0-1 3PT | 3-8 FT | 8 REB | 0 AST | 7 PTS For the love of everything good and holy, Kevin Love. Make a free throw. There are a lot of reasons this was a close game. Love (and, to be fair, others) going stone cold at the stripe was a big one. He did rebound well, but missing those five freebies was huge. |
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Not Graded: Andre Iguodala, James Harden
Did Not Play: Anthony Davis
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