U.S. RESTORES ORDER
Lillard catches fire, lifts Americans past Iran
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — The United States basketball team got back to winning — and winning easily. Damian Lillard scored 21 points and the Americans rebounded from an opening loss with their first victory of these Olympics, romping past Iran, 120-66, on Wednesday.
Devin Booker scored 16 points and Jayson Tatum had 14 for the Americans, who had their 25-game Olympic winning streak snapped with an 83-76 loss to France on Sunday.
The US not only bounced back with a win but did it in a Dream Team-type performance against an overmatched opponent, racing out for transition dunks and stepping back to knock down three-pointers.
“We came out with more freedom as individuals and took the shots that we normally take,” Kevin Durant said. “And they went in tonight and we guarded up, so it was a good step.”
And they made the shots they normally take.
We came out with more freedom as individuals and took the shots that we normally take.
The US knocked down 19 three-pointers and 23 of its 37 shots inside the arc.
It was a loud statement that might quiet some of the criticisms the team has heard right from the start of its summer, when it dropped its first two exhibition games.
Those came against a different caliber opponent. The Americans had played some of basketball’s best, with games against Spain, Australia and Argentina — the Nos. 2-4 teams in the men’s rankings — before facing the seventh-ranked French in the Olympic opener.
But Iran presented none of the problems of those contenders, a team that only earned its spot in the field in Tokyo by being the highest-finishing Asian team at the 2019 Basketball World Cup.
The Iranians are ranked 23rd, ahead of only host Japan — which qualified for the Games automatically as the host country — in this 12-team field.
Lillard struggled and then stumbled in his Olympic debut, going 3-for-10 from the field before a costly fall and foul with 17 seconds left. But he came out aggressively looking for his shot, a player known for his deep three-pointers in the National Basketball Association (NBA) having it easy while shooting behind the closer international line.
He had six of the Americans’ 13 three-pointers in the first half. All 11 U.S. players who played in the first half scored — late roster addition Keldon Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs didn’t play until the second half. “Our chemistry has been great since Day 1,”Durant said. “We all decided to be here. This is the National Team. But I think we were a bit too unselfish early on, trying not to step on toes. That might have bit us. But tonight guys came out super-aggressive to look for their shot but also keep everybody involved and we were able to make some shots.”
“Damian came out and got it scorching for us. We’re going to need that going forward.
Former NBA center Hamed Haddadi scored 15 points for Iran (0-2).