By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Despite the fact that the final score was 100-97, USA’s win was not in danger. Still the fact that they suffered against France which didn’t use Tony Parker is one more cause of concern.
Klay Thompson found his real self and scored 30 points on 7 out of 13 threes, Kevin Durant followed with 17 points on 6 out of 6 shots and Kyrie Irving remains a true leader with 10 points and 12 assists. Still with Nando De Colo scoring 18 points and not playing in the last quarter, Thomas Heurtel adding also 18 points and 9 assist and Nicolas Batum contributing 14 points, France was in the game until the very end.
Antoine Diot with a three at the buzzer cut the final point difference to three points – he was fouled by Carmelo Anthony on his shot, no call was made, but anyway it wouldn’t change anything – and the point remains that USA in not unbeatable.
During halftime it was announced that Parker was not used because of a toe injury, however with the two teams possibly facing each other in the semifinal, it’s also possible that this was a tactic choice. After all the best French player of the game, Nando De Colo, also wasn’t used in the last ten minutes.
Thanks to this win USA sealed the top spot in the final group standings, Australia is second and France has to settle for third, no matter what the Boomers will do against Venezuela.
