Final thoughts
Well, what did we learn from today’s game? Honestly, not much that we didn’t already know. This is a US team that’s clearly more talented than their opponents, but they’re not invulnerable. If they don’t play better in the upcoming elimination games, it wouldn’t even be a huge upset if they get knocked out at some point. In back to back games, the US have been able to survive partly because time ran out on their opponent’s comeback attempt. It’s probably particularly troubling that France was able to pressure them all game without Tony Parker playing a single second.
Maybe this is a tad too gloomy. With the win, the US has secured the top seed in the group and one has to think that they’ll raise their game once the real tournament play begins. We’ll see. That’s it for today’s US basketball coverage, but stick with the Guardian for literal around-the-clock coverage of the Rio Olympics. Thanks to everyone who followed along with this liveblog today, particularly those who contributed. Ciao!
US wins!
USA 100-97 France, FINAL
The US takes a timeout to set up a final possession. Irving misses a three pointer, but at this point there’s not enough time for France to tie it. Diot hits a three pointer at the bucket and the US barely hang on. It’s their second straight game where they’ve won by merely three points.
USA 100-94 France, :33, 4th quarter
Except as soon as I type it, Batum makes two straight layups to cut the US lead down to just 6 points.
USA 100-90 France, 1:25, 4th quarter
But Carmelo Anthony settles things down with a three pointer. Maybe the key bucket of the game, considering where we are.
Heurtel hits a jumper… But Cousins tips in a missed Kyrie Irving shot. It’s looking like the US is going to stay afloat.
Updated
USA 95-88 France, 2:22, 4th quarter
Kyrie Irving does something super rare in this game: he makes two out of two free throws.
France have to start going for the long ball here. Diot attempts one, but it’s off-line. The US have the ball, but Boris Diaw makes a steal and gets the ball to Heurtel who knocks down a three!
USA 91-83 France, 3:47, 4th quarter
Gelabale with another jumper, he’s secretly maybe been the player of the game. But now the clock’s starting to become a factor. France needs stops here.
Instead Carmelo hits a corner three.
USA 88-81 France, 4:29, 4th quarter
Kevin Durant has had enough of this.
He pulls off a dunk that causes the whole place to explode. Momentum changer?
Maybe. Cousins finally gets on the good side of a fouling situation, where he hits one of two free throws (as has, basically, like everyone in this game.)
USA 85-81 France, 5:27, 4th quarter
Klay Thompson tries to calm things down with a quick basket. It doesn’t last long. Lauvergne with a dunk! And a foul! The crowd is definitely on the underdog’s side here, cheering loudly.
Er, but he misses the freebie. A lot of free throw line issues for both teams this game.
USA 83-79 France, 6:09, 4th quarter
And the US need to take a timeout. Coming out of it, Lauvergne misses two free throws, so I guess that move paid off. (It’s like icing the kicker, sorta.)
Oh wow. Lauvergne with a defensive rebound. Gelabale ultimately gets the ball and hits a jumper and it’s just a 4-point game.
Updated
USA 83-77 France, 7:17, 4th quarter
Irving on the line, makes two free throws. Lauvergne makes a jumper. DeRozan gets called for a travel which gets the ball back to France where Heurtel makes a layup and France Is Not Lying Down Here.
USA 81-73 France, 8:13, 4th quarter
Kim Tillie with a layup and, uh oh, this is now officially Interesting Times.
USA 81-71 France, 8:36, 4th quarter
A minute in and we finally get our first scoring. Gelabale hits a jumper and it’s just a 10 point US lead.
USA 81-69 France, 9:15, 4th quarter
The US win the jump ball but they immediately turn it over after getting a whistle. Lauvergne tries for a three and it’s no good. Lowry wrestles control of the ball. The uncharacteristically quiet Green tries and fails to hit a three pointer. Neither team starting this quarter crisp.
USA 81-69 France, end of the 3rd quarter
Gelabale hits a jumper, Jordan gets to the line and he hits one of two free throws, really the best case scenario with DeAndre, and that will do it for the scoring in the third quarter.
USA 80-67 France, :56, 3rd quarter
…but Kim Tille tips it in.
USA 80-65 France, 1:29, 3rd quarter
Well if you can’t stop Thompson from hitting threes, you can try hitting them yourself. Antoine Diot knocks down a three-pointer.
But France is trying to run in quicksand here. Jodran immediately gets another dunk and Diot’s second three point attempt doesn’t take.
USA 78-62 France, 2:26, 3rd quarter
Of course it doesn’t matter if France keeps answering shots if Thompson keeps at this pace. He knocks down two more three pointers, bookending a DeAndre Jordan signature dunk, in the span of about a minute.
USA 70-62 France, 3:59, 3rd quarter
Some beautiful ball movement results in Thompson getting the ball, and Thompson is feeling it. He knocks down a three-pointer.
But, once again France strikes back. They’re not getting blown out. Diaw makes a layup and an “and one.”
Oh and it looks like Tony Parker injured his toe, so the team has decided not to play him until the elimination games begin. So don’t expect even a cameo here.
Updated
USA 67-59 France, 4:45, 3rd quarter
Kyrie Irving hits a jumper but Batum gets fouled and gets on the line and knocks down all three of his freebies.
USA 65-56 France, 5:00, 3rd quarter
Gobert with a layup, which gets Marv Albert to start gushing about his wingspan which is always super-creepy to me.
And De Colo with a layup, France not going away.
USA 65-52 France, 5:54, 3rd quarter
AND KLAY HITS HIS SECOND STRAIGHT THREE
France calls for a timeout.
USA 62-52 France, 6:15, 3rd quarter
Jordan comes in to spell Cousins, who has picked up another foul. Heurtel hits a jumper for France, hey maybe they don’t need Tony Parker after all.
Oh but Klay Thompson fires a shot from downtown. The US lead is back up to double-digits.
USA 59-50 France, 7:04, 3rd quarter
Durant with a steal and a fastbreak dunk. He made it look so easy and effortless too.
USA 57-50 France, 8:03, 3rd quarter
Cousins gets called for a non-shooting foul. And De Colo makes a layup.
Difference in USA-France really comes down to benches. No U.S. starter has a plus-minus better than plus-2. Joffrey Lauvergne is minus-16!
— Kevin Pelton (@kpelton) August 14, 2016
Is that not optimal?
For the half, NBC is giving us a softball Usain Bolt interview. Which is fine, because it gives me a chance to link to this:
Email from Brian Tyacke:
I think it was a Freudian slip the mention Canada. We should be at the Olympics but thanks to a devastating loss to Venezuela those plans were squashed.
Well, there’s still the Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to root for as Honorary Canadians, right?
Is this how that works?
It's like no-one is playing D. A game for Harrison Barnes, surely #USAvFRA #Olympics #basketball @HunterFelt
— Gordon Reid (@g_j_reid) August 14, 2016
I have a feeling we won’t see Barnes until this is decided, one way or another.
Halftime thoughts
The US have been the better team here so far, but not by enough. France are still in this. It’s hard to tell how this game is going to go until we see how both teams come out of the half.
Updated
Halftime!
USA 55-46 France, end of the fist half
Paul George holds for the last shot… and holds… and holds… and just gets the ball off in time, a jumper that comes up short and that’s how the first half will end.
USA 55-46 France, :26, 2nd quarter
DeAndre Jordan with a dunk. DeAndre giveth. DeAndre’s foul then puts Kim Tillie on the line where he makes both free throws. DeAndre taketh away.
USA 53-44 France, :50, 2nd quarter
The USA’s scoring run continues with an Irving layup but De Colo ends France’s scoring drought with one of his own.
French coach Vincent Collet picks up a technical for something he said to the officials. Durant takes and makes the technical free throw.
USA 50-42 France, 2:08, 2nd quarter
Rudy Gobert with a dunk. He’s known for his defense, but he can score too.
And Kahudi fouls Durant past the three point line. That never, ever ends well. It doesn’t here, Durant makes all three free throws.
And Nand De Colo’s three is off-line, US are starting to get separation here.
USA 47-40 France, 2:59, 2nd quarter
But De Colo fouls Thompson past the three-point line and this time Klay knocks down all three of those.
Paul George snatches the ball away from George! But he can’t convert on the other end. 90% to a highlight play that was.
Updated
USA 44-40 France, 3:30, 2nd quarter
COLO-BLOODED. Nando De Colo hits a three and it’s just a four point game as things are getting late in the first half. US can’t be happy at this.
Updated
USA 44-37 France, 4:04, 2nd quarter
Heurtel with a layup and an and one. France is trying to creep back into this but the US shooters aren’t letting him. Irving with a jumper.
And a goaltending call gives two points to Kahudi.
USA 42-32 France, 4:59, 2nd quarter
Carmelo Anthony (and his shoelaces) gets into the scoring column with an Irving-assisted jumper.
Klay Thompson gets to the line, once again only makes one of two (unusual for him although it would be welcome from DeAndre Jordan).
Nando De Colo with another made basket…. which is nullified and then some by a Thompson three. He can still make those.
USA 36-28 France, 6:18, 2nd quarter
DeRozan hits a jumper to push the US lead back to 10… but only briefly. Rudy Gobert rebounds an off-target Charles Kahudi basket and tips it back in. Anthony and Thompson both miss three-pointers on the US end.
USA 34-26 France, 7:43, 2nd quarter
Nothing doing out of the timeout for France (whom I mistakingly just called Canada in the last status update I just realized.)
Lauvergne blocks a Kyle Lowry shot, gets possession of the ball and eventually hits a jumper on the other end for France’s first scoring of the quarter.
USA 34-24 France, 8:49, 2nd quarter
Paul George starts things off in the second quarter with a layup. Batum… loses the ball, which is the US team’s gain. Butler makes a jumper. Batum’s three bounces off the rim and France’s going to take a timeout here.
Updated
On Carmelo Anthony’s shoelaces:
@g_j_reid @HunterFelt I thought it was a tribute to all 7 year olds
— bball pants (@bballpants) August 14, 2016
USA 30-24 France, end of the 1st quarter
DeRozan draws another foul, on Mickael Gelabale again btw. He knocks down two. Paul George, having a good game so far, makes a jumper.
And Gelabale fouls DeRozan again. That’s his fourth. DeRozan makes one of two. France gets the last shot of the quarter though, making a layup to cut into the US lead.
USA 25-22 France, 1:43, 1st quarter
Lauvergne keeps France on pace with a layup.
Then… Oh hey, nifty play here. DeMar DeRozan with a layup, draws a foul. Paul George then tips in DeRozan’s missed free throw.
USA 21-20 France, 2:18, 1st quarter
And France has the lead. Lauvergne with a layup.
And it doesn’t last. DeRozan gets fouled, gets to the line, and makes both of his.
USA 19-18 France, 3:32, 1st quarter
Joffrey Lauvergne makes a jumper for France. Then Batum knocks down two free throws. France are just down one.
USA 19-14 France, 4:09, 1st quarter
Cousins with a layup. Klay Thompson hits a three. Boris Diaw answers with a jumper. Thompson with a layup…
Okay lots of scoring here, but it’s hard to tell if it’s great offense or just neither side focusing on defense. There’s an All-Star Game feel here.
USA 12-12 France, 5:33, 1st quarter
Both teams are getting in the rhythm now. Cousins gets an assist (!) when he sets up a Kevin Durant layup. It’s the first of two for Durant, the second set up by Irving.
Batum calmly drains a three however to tie things back up.
USA 8-9 France, 6:42, 1st quarter
And Cousins gets called for a travel. This might be a long day for Cousins. And a short game.
Heurtel makes a jumper, maybe France doesn’t really need Parker right now.
Kevin Durant with a three pointer, and the US are down by just a point.
USA 5-7 France, 7:29, 1st quarter
You’ll never believe this but Cousins just got called for an early foul.
Meanwhile, Heurtel makes a layup and De Colo makes a jumper to give France the lead.
Updated
USA 5-3 France, 8:04, 1st quarter
Nano De Colo with a layup and France is on the board, and he’s fouled by Irving. He makes the free throw to tie things up.
But Kevin Durant makes a layup. He’s fouled too, but he misses the free throw.
USA 3-0 France, 8:27, 1st quarter
Klay Thompson gets to the line, makes one of two free throws.
Opening tip
USA 2-0 France, 9:37, 1st quarter
Thomas Heurtel is starting over Tony Parker at point guard, which suggests that France is conserving their energy this game. Kyrie Irving gets the ball to DeMarcus Cousins who dunks for the US’s first points of the game.
And, for those who have been (understandably) more focused on swimming this past week, here’s the cast of crew for the US men’s team.
Melo hasn't tied his sneaks which NY Post take as a tribute to prison gangs #USAvFRA @HunterFelt
— Gordon Reid (@g_j_reid) August 14, 2016
You could say anything about the Post’s NBA coverage and I would believe it as long as it was sufficiently racist.
There’s a brief interview with Draymond Green, who is (sadly) completely on-message about playing “one on one” and not indulging in any trash talk. I guess that’s the downside of the US not demolishing every team in its path, we don’t get the Full Draymond Experience.
The pregame talk before USA vs France is all about their defensive struggles. Let me tell you a secret: Most analysts are kinda secretly happy that these games have been close because we at least have something to talk about.
Future's "March Madness" blasting before USA meets FRA. Players grooving in layup line. Only Harrison Barnes is "playin' for the Mavericks."
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) August 14, 2016
This is a definite improvement over “A Thousand Miles.”
And, for those who have been (understandably) more focused on swimming this past week, here’s the cast of crew for the US men’s team.
G Jimmy Butler
F Kevin Durant
C DeAndre Jordan
G Kyle Lowry
F Harrison Barnes
G DeMar DeRozan
G Kyrie Irving
G Klay Thompson
C DeMarcus Cousins
F Paul George
F Draymond Green
F Carmelo Anthony
Oh yeah, I suppose I should also mention just who exactly will be participating in today’s game. We’ll start with France’s roster.
PG Thomas Heurtel
SF Nicholas Batum
G Antoine Diot
F/C Joffrey Lauvergne
SF Charles Lombahe-Kahudi
PG Tony Parker
PF Florent Pietrus
G Nando de Colo
PF Boris Diaw
SF Mickael Gelabale
C Rudy Gobert
C Kim Tillie
Predictions
So now we shift over to our main event.
I cannot believe that the US will play three close games in the row. Of course, I also believed that the Cleveland Cavaliers had no shot of even lasting more than six games against the Golden State Warriors during the NBA Finals and they ended up winning the whole thing so maybe my judgment isn’t perfect here.
Does anybody want to predict that France will knock off the US today? Or even just keep it close? Tweet @HunterFelt or email Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com if you have any predictions, or even just hopes for today’s game. (I’ll start with hopes: I want DeMarcus Cousins to lead the US team in assists during one of these games.)
US women's team wins!
This one was never anywhere close to in doubt. The US beat China 105-62 as USA chants break out.
And now the US women are leading 102-55 with about two minutes left in the game. When their run is over, this 2016 team might be remembered as one of the most impressive basketball teams ever assembled.
Women’s basketball
Right now, the US women are keeping up their impressive run. They hold a comfortable 93-51 lead over China in the 4th quarter. This might end up being a tough act to follow up for the men’s team.
Preamble
Oh hey so it looks like things are getting interesting for the US men’s basketball team. This is, to put things mildly, not a good thing. It was one thing for Team USA to play a close game against an Australian team that many thought would give them a challenge. It’s their effort against Serbia in the very next game that was more worrisome. Serbia was a missed (wide open) three pointer away from inexplicably forcing overtime, something which should shock some sense into this motley collection of NBA stars (and also Harrison Barnes).
These two back-to-back games are the closest thing the US team has had to a struggle since the disaster that was the 2004 Olympics. Yes, it’s only group play, but Team USA doesn’t quite look like the unstoppable juggernaut that hey really should be. This is a team that can be beat and if that seems entirely out of the realm of possibility, well we all saw what happened to the US women’s football team on Friday.
So there’s really only two possibilities for how today’s game against France’s national team will play out: France will either exploit the US team’s struggles or they will be utterly demolished by a US team desperate to prove themselves before the elimination games start.
The positive thing for France, who have already secured a spot in the quarterfinals, is that they have legit NBA talent on their roster. The San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker leads a group of players that includes the Utah Jazz’s Rudy “The Stifle Tower” Gobert, the Charlotte Hornets’ Nicholas Batum and teammate Boris Diaw and former teammate Nando de Colo.
So it could be an interesting game. Or it could be a blowout. Let’s find out together! If you want to contribute to today’s blog, just send out your emails (to Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com) or tweets (to @HunterFelt) and we’ll use them throughout the next few hours. USA vs France is scheduled to tip off at 1:15pm EST, but we’ll be back well before then.
Hunter will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s how the US got on in their last game:
Kyrie Irving scored 15 points and the US men’s basketball team survived their second straight strong challenge in the Rio Games, edging Serbia 94-91 on Friday.
The Americans won their 48th consecutive international tournament game, but it was anything but easy.
Serbia’s Bogdan Bogdanovic missed a three-pointer from the left wing with two seconds left that would have tied the game, and Kevin Durant grabbed the rebound to keep the Americans unbeaten. They barely escaped against Australia on Wednesday.
Seeking their third straight gold medal, the Americans built an early 18-point lead but couldn’t put away the Serbians, who lost by 29 to the US in the 2014 Basketball World Cup final.
DeAndre Jordan scored 13 and Carmelo Anthony 12 for the US, which will close pool play on Sunday against France.
Nikola Jokic scored 25 and Miroslav Raduljica 18 before fouling out for Serbia.
