Gonna go out on a limb - we won't medal in Tokyo.
[ESPN] - Team USA might indeed win its fourth consecutive Olympic gold next month in Tokyo.
But if the Americans do, it will be a story of overcoming adversity.
They lost their second consecutive exhibition Monday, this time bested by Australia 91-83 in Las Vegas. Dating to the 2019 World Cup, where they finished seventh, Team USA has lost four of its past five games. It also has lost two in a row now to Australia, a team expected to contend for the gold in Japan.
It was a better showing than the loss to Nigeria on Saturday, but just reading those words is a little mind-boggling considering the pedigree of this roster and coaching staff. Their chemistry and execution, particularly in late-game situations, is holding the Americans back in their early stages of defending their title.
"I thought we got better tonight," said Team USA coach Gregg Popovich, continuing his stance of emphasizing process over results. "After a short time together, there's a lot of things that have to be covered." |