By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
For 20 minutes USA looked vulnerable against Slovenia, but in the second half order was restored. The Americans got the 119-76 win and the ticket to the semifinal against Lithuania. The biggest lead was 45 points (119-74) as six players of coach Krzyzewski scored in double digits, with Klay Thompson being the top scorer with 20.
In theory, after the first half USA should have a bigger lead than 7 points (49-42) having 16 offensive rebounds. However the Americans were shooting just 36% from the floor, despite 17 fast break points, and Slovenia managed to stay in the game. Τhat changed in the third period with USA scoring 37 points and getting a comfortable 22 points lead (86-64). The lead was 32 points (96-64) after a 10-0 run in the start of the fourth quarter and practically that was the end of the contest.
As Steph Curry said after the game: “We had a 7-point lead and defensively, we wanted to come out and do better. It was tough. They stayed in the game for 25 minutes”. Coach Mike Krzyzewski admitted that he was satisfied by his team: “Three things these guys have done well: they have listened well, they have worked hard and they have played really good defense. We have never had that not happening. We played really hard the whole game. We just couldn’t finish some of the plays in the first half. The emotion, the intensity and the effort was always there. We are beatable. There’s no question about that. We are a young team. That’s why I’m pleased with the way we played. Normally a young team will get frustrated with the ball not going in. At half-time I told them to be a matured team. And they were.”