Despite its “jayvee team” moniker, Team USA has steamrolled through its 2014 FIBA World Cup schedule and finds itself one game away from a spot in Sunday’s championship.
Certainly the American team will feel an extra sense of buoyancy after watching France oust FIBA host and erstwhile upset threat Spain in Wednesday’s quarterfinal matchup. However, if Spain was caught overlooking a foe for a shot at the number one ranked team in FIBA, will the USA Basketball team suffer the same fate as it looks to repeat?
Odds are that the answer to that question will be a resounding no.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski has prepared this team masterfully, and the guys’ chemistry has taken them far beyond the expectations of many fans in the United States, who were left in wonder after watching the likes of Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Russell Westbrook drop out of contention.
This came after a Team USA squad led by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Durant narrowly held off Spain for the gold medal in the 2012 Olympics in London.
So what would a team comprised of Derrick Rose, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kenneth Faried, James Harden, and Anthony Davis be able to do against veteran teams like Spain, France, and Lithuania?
Plenty, it turns out.
Despite an entire basketball world wishing for its utter failure, Team USA has run roughshod over its first seven foes at the FIBA World Cup, winning by an average of 33 points.
"I think we've played well. I don't know what everybody's been watching," Krzyzewski said. "Sometimes when people see you miss shots, they say 'sloppy.' And I don't understand that, to be quite frank with you."
Even now, with Spain in the losing bracket, Team USA naysayers are claiming that Lithuania will be the undoing of the top team in the world. The word is that Lithuania’s size will cause fits for the “small” American team.
"That's what's going around?" Faried said. "That's massively disrespectful. I'm not buying that at all. We'll just have to see tomorrow, I guess."
Indeed, Team USA will face a stout center in Jonas Valanciunas, a Toronto Raptors product. Lithuania will also suit up a few other NBA-caliber players, including Donatas Motiejunas (Houston Rockets) and Renaldas Seibutis (a former Dallas Mavericks draft pick).
To beat a Lithuanian team that has caused them fits in the past, Team USA must win the rebounding war, especially on the defensive side. If the tall Lithuanians are allowed second and third chances, the Americans will find themselves in a battle. Conversely, if Faried, Davis, and Andre Drummond can corral the ball consistently and start fast breaks, Team USA will waltz into its second consecutive FIBA championship game.
Through it all, Krzyzewski is staying cautiously optimistic of his young team’s chances.
"We're proving worthy of winning,” he said. “Now whether we do or not …"
