OMG US lost to Puerto Rico

newmove

Rotation player
Sunday, August 15, 2004

ATHENS, Greece -- In an upset as historic as it was inevitable, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson and the rest of the U.S. basketball team lost 92-73 to Puerto Rico on Sunday, only the third Olympic defeat ever for the Americans.

It was also the most lopsided loss in the games for the U.S. team, alarming not only for its significance but also for its decisiveness.

Puerto Rico, which had lost to the Americans five times in the past 13 months, took control in the first half, led by 22 at halftime and gamely held off a fourth-quarter comeback for one of the biggest sports achievements in the island territory's history.

The loss was a blow to the Americans' confidence, but it did little to hurt their gold medal chances. They need only to finish in the top four of their six-team group to reach the quarterfinals.

Still, the defeat will go a long way toward giving the competition the bold idea that it's someone else's turn to move to the top of a sport that's been dominated by one country for nearly three-quarters of a century.

As Carlos Arroyo left the court with just over a minute left, he defiantly pulled at the words "Puerto Rico" on his jersey. He led his team with 24 points.

Anyone in America who didn't see this coming hadn't been paying attention to the way international basketball has been changing. The U.S. nearly lost in the semifinals at Sydney on a last-second miss by Lithuania, then dropped three games on its home turf at the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis -- the first losses ever by a U.S. team of NBA professionals.

This year's team, weakened by the defections and rejections of 12 top players, opened its pre-Olympic tour of Europe with a 17-point loss to Italy and a last-second victory over Germany _ a pair of games in which their vulnerability to a tight zone defense was clearly exposed.

Puerto Rico used that defensive strategy, too, and the Americans could do next to nothing against it.

After Lamar Odom made their first 3-pointer, the Americans missed 16 straight. They tried to get the ball inside, but Puerto Rico collapsed several defenders into the paint and took the U.S. team's best player, Duncan, out of the offensive equation.

American teams had been 24-0 since the professional Olympic era began with the 1992 Dream Team, but now there is a blemish on their record to go with their two losses to the Soviet Union in the 1972 gold medal game and the 1988 semifinals.

They handled the loss to Puerto Rico with grace, congratulating their opponents and joining them in a huddle at center court before both teams exited to a standing ovation.

The U.S Olympic team's record now stands at 109-3.

Oh My God, Oh My God...
 

Bobnbuu

Rookie
After watching the game i realized that there is no way the USA can win the gold in Athens. As much as i want them too, the odds are against them. Not only do the refs make terrible calls against them, but almost everyone is the stands are as well. Besides all that, i just don't think the USA has the talent to compete with some of the best in the world. Take a look at some of the players on their roster: Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudamire, Emeka Okafor, Lamar Odom. All of these players should not be on the team. They barely have any NBA expierence, nonetheless International experience. The only legitimate players that are on the team are Iverson, Duncan, and Marbury. With Carmelo and Richard Jefferson busting terrible shots, how is Marbury going to get hot. This team sucks. Plus, NBA players, who btw are making the more money than 95% of the world combined, should be made to play. The only person who has an excuse is Kobe. Others like Shaq (who doesn;t want to play for anyone other than Phil Jackson), Tracy, and all the other no shows, should be ashamed to not taket he chance to represent the country because of so stupid technicalities. I represented the US in England and it was the best feeling in the world. I now have a different opinion of all these superstars who decided not to play. Despite all that, i can;t believe they lost.
 

newmove

Rotation player
Niether do I. I've believed in the team and they could do nothing better than loose that freaking game. Puerto Rico? Jesus, how could that happen. I was totally shoked. I'm still now. I can't believe they are going to let the golden medals slip away, simply can't believe.

Those young puppies were taking those clown shots and never let Stephon just shoot. Oh my God...

But I still hope they will win it all. I still believe. And God help them cuz they really need His help now - what a losers...
 

dr.carpy

Benchwarmer
Basketball USA hopefully will make their money selling jerseys cause that's all folks! Michael Redd a spot up shooter did not get an invitation on the all hype team. Iverson and Duncan are the only guys that seem to care. They should have tried harder to get fellas like Ray Allen, Spreewell, Rip Hamilton,the Barry Brothers guys that shoot the mid range & 3 point jumper well, where were they? Okafor, Stoudemire basically ensure the bench works or is weighted down sufficiently. They don't see any time on the floor. So why are they even on the team? Nice selection process, I hope they can win a game...they're still better than China though. 58 points? I'd go home if I was them.

P.S. Can any guard the perimeter? Just a suggestion. And yeah the refs are horrible, but they weren't sleeping out there on D.
 

Hoagies99

Benchwarmer
they just simply dontplay with any fire, all that is important to them is the money, thats why so many players didnt come to play for theU US, they should all be ashamed
 

JJtheKnick

Starter
to young and they thought they are just going to walk right through every team but now they know they have to play together and try there best. hopefully this was a wake up call.
 

jayp

Benchwarmer
richard jefferson FG(3 of 16), 3PT(0 of 6)

allen iverson FG(5 of 14), 3PT(1 of 10)

very poor performance from those guys... USA clearly needs jumpshooters on the team.. people collapse on duncan since he is the only inside threat and the rest of the guys have no perimeter shooting..
 

rady

Administrator
Staff member
thank God the game wasn't aired in Romania, this was a pathetic loss. Hopefully untill tuesday they'll get over it fast and against Greece they'll play better although it's going to be tough.

:x
 

pbjb14

Benchwarmer
the team we haev in athens has athletisism but not the type of team needed to run international ball. you need perimiter shooters perimiter defenders and great passers, as opposed to the american teams athletic poor shooting ball handlers.
 

newmove

Rotation player
The team is VERY young. Boys are facing men on Olympics. Hopefully US boys will beat the sh!t out of european men!
 

JJtheKnick

Starter
since we won yesterday its probably ganna be a big wake up for the US. they saying if we can win one game what stoping us from wining all of them.
 

JJtheKnick

Starter
since we won yesterday its probably ganna be a big wake up for the US. they saying if we can win one game what stoping us from wining all of them.
 

JJtheKnick

Starter
since we won yesterday its probably ganna be a big wake up for the US. they saying if we can win one game what stoping us from wining all of them.
 

JJtheKnick

Starter
since we won yesterday its probably ganna be a big wake up for the US. they saying if we can win one game what stoping us from wining all of them.
 

JJtheKnick

Starter
since we won yesterday its probably ganna be a big wake up for the US. they saying if we can win one game what stoping us from wining all of them.
 

JJtheKnick

Starter
since we won yesterday its probably ganna be a big wake up for the US. they saying if we can win one game what stoping us from wining all of them.
 

newmove

Rotation player
Hopefully you're right. Like Iverson said after their loss "It's a wakeup call for us". No more options for losing games.

Go US!
 
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