If there’s a fine line between teams that feel an opponent out and those that merely overcome their own anemia, Team USA has toed it like a high-wire circus act throughout the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
The scenario played out once more in the tournament’s quarterfinals, with Mike Krzyzewski's crew recovering after a sluggish start and mere seven-point halftime lead to dispatch an outmanned Slovenia 119-76 Tuesday night.
As with their somewhat harrowing pool-play showdown with No. 7-ranked Turkey, the game’s early going found the Americans struggling to find an offensive rhythm, allowing Slovenia—led by brothers Goran and Zoran Dragic—to catch its foes off guard in transition.
All’s well that ends well, of course, and a 43-point drubbing certainly fits the bill.
Still, it’s worth wondering how long it might be before Team USA learns its lesson the hard way.
It’s one thing to spot an early lead to Ukraine or the Dominican Republic; it’s another thing entirely to give a team like Lithuania, Serbia, France, Spain or Brazil—the tou ...
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Article written by Jim Cavan
How Long Can Team USA Survive on Slow Starts in 2014 FIBA World Cup?
September 9th, 2014 by Jim Cavan Leave a reply »
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