The U.S. is going to the Paris Olympics next summer
The U.S. is going to the Paris Olympics next summer. Lithuania made sure that was the only good development for the Americans on Sunday night, when it pulled off a Basketball World Cup stunner.
Vaidas Kariniauskas scored 15 points, Mindaugas Kuzminskas added 14 and Lithuania beat the U.S. 110-104 in a second-round game at the World Cup.
The loss — the first for the U.S. in 10 games this summer, counting five exhibitions on the way to the World Cup — came on a night when the Americans officially clinched a berth in the Paris Games.
And the loss won’t necessarily hurt them in the World Cup medal chase, either. The U.S. will play a quarterfinal game on Tuesday, when the knockout stage for the final eight teams begins. Win Tuesday, win Thursday and win next Sunday, and the Americans are gold medalists.
But it was a still a shocker, especially for a U.S. team that was the overwhelming favorite to win the gold. Anthony Edwards led the U.S. with 35 points, his high of the summer, while Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges each added 14.
For Lithuania (5-0), it became another night to remember against USA Basketball. And the nation once famous for the tie-dyed T-shirts — some of them were worn by fans in the building Sunday night — sent a clear message to the Americans and anyone else still in the World Cup.
