Shocker: US falls to Nigeria 90-87 in pre-Olympic opener

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By TIM REYNOLDS

LAS VEGAS (AP) — This is not how USA Basketball expected to open its Olympic summer.

Nigeria probably didn’t expect it, either.

If there was any expectation of invincibility for the Americans heading into the Tokyo Olympics, it’s already gone — after Nigeria shocked the U.S. 90-87 on Saturday night.

Nigeria pulled off an international shocker with a roster primarily filled of little-known NBA players that found a way to beat a group of All-NBA, All-Star and max-contract performers.



United States' Damian Lillard (6) defends the ball against Nigeria during an exhibition basketball game Saturday, July 10, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/2020-tokyo-olympics-sports-nba-olympic-games-nigeria-olympic-team-7afdd39c0551bccd2f5cd35a41349978

[SoCalDavidS]

1. The Dream Team, They're Not

I don't know why people would think that America is destined to win the Gold in Basketball. Are there really NBA superstars on the roster?

I won't be surprised if they don't medal at all

[FSogol]

2. Geeze, what a bunch of doom and gloom.

Losing an exhibition game isn't the end of the world. Team USA will do fine when the real games start. Gregg Popovich is the coach and he'll have them ready.

[BradAllison]

5. Kevin Durant isn't a superstar?

Damian Lillard? Jayson Tatum? Okay.....

[onenote]

10. If you don't follow basketball, maybe you shouldn't post about the US team.

"Are there really NBA superstars on the roster'? Only someone who doesn't follow basketball could ask that question.

Kevin Durant - 2021 All-Star, 26.9 ppg
Jayson Tatum - 2021 All-Star 21.3 ppg
Bradley Beal - 2021 All-Star 22.7 ppg
Damian Lillard - 2021 All-Star 28.8 ppg
Zach Levine - 2021 All-Star 21.5 ppg

Several other members of the team, such as Adebayo and Green, are recent past All-Stars.
Many of these guys were playing in the NBA playoffs until June. The team only began practicing together on July 6.

You may not be surprised if they don't medal, but that just is a further indication that you don't follow basketball.

[onenote]

25. Your post didn't age well.

[certainot]

3. go nigeria!

[Roy Rolling]

4. Sports Competition

I hardly know what uniform to cheer for anymore. 😂

[elias7]

6. I've always thought a real team should be picked, like the nba or ncaa champion

Rather than an all star dream team who have never played together and have weeks to develop chemistry

[Buckeye_Democrat]

7. Might work out better, with familiar teammates.

They were just exhibition games, but I remember the Cincinnati Reds traveled to Japan in the mid-70's after they won the World Series over here. It seemed to be a thing back then, with MLB champs later traveling to play Japan.

The Reds crushed them, of course, but I think the Japanese team beat them at least once in a low-scoring game. The Japanese pitcher was probably quite good.

The Reds players especially impressed the crowds with their massive home runs easily clearing the fences over there, during batting practice and the games.

Edit: My memory was wrong. The Reds played in Japan after they didn't even reach the playoffs the previous season! And they lost twice, with a 14-2-1 record.
https://ramsey.mlblogs.com/better-off-red-podcast-303-4cab54312892

[greenjar_01]

9. Um, those teams have players from different countries

It's literally how all international play works in all events. You can't have Manchester City represent England in the World Cup, because it's made up of players from around the world. Many of the Nigerian players play on NBA teams, others in European leagues.

[elias7]

16. Good point.

Didn’t think of that. I suppose even college teams are international these days

[greenjar_01]

21. Not at the same level, but certainly more frequent

For my money, I like that the international team players have to figure out a system and play together in ways they don't on their club teams. It's part of the joy of international play. I suppose people are much more used to this in soccer, where the club play-international play divisions are so clear and international play is so frequent.

[Polybius]

12. 1992 was an exception

That team was scary good.

[ruet]

20. The NBA Finals Are In-Progress Right Now.

Coming off a grueling, compressed, schedule; the last thing the NBA Champs need is to keep playing for another month without a break. The NCAA champs would get blown out. ...badly.

[greenjar_01]

22. A good European professional team would absolutely wash the NCAA champions

It's simply not the same level of play. Agreed.

[modrepub]

8. Price of Taking A Game International

Forty years ago most of the best professional basketball players were from North America. The NBA and most professional sports leagues wanted to expand their game outside of the US. The best way to increase their profits was to garner interest overseas. It was good for the league and the players.

But the trade off of this new international focus was more kids from overseas became interested in playing the game. Not just for fun. The NBA salaries offered anyone who could play the game at that level very lucrative salary (and hero status in their home country). That elevated other county's capabilities to the point where foreign players can now compete with US-born teams; not factoring the motivation factor of knocking off one of the best teams in the world.

It was the same with ice hockey, a sport completely dominated by Canadian-born players with a smattering of folks in the upper Midwest and Northeast. With the success of US franchise (with mostly Canadian players) in the 70s and 80s the game expanded into the southern states (where ponds, lakes and rivers never freeze) attracting more kids to the game. It's now not uncommon for US born players from CA, TX and FL to make the NHL. Not to be outdone, players from Europe and the former USSR, who had a rich tradition of playing and dominating the Olympics, are just as likely to become elite players in the NHL as players from North America.

It's just economics in action. You pay someone a high salary, others will figure out how to get themselves into that market. It's not all that surprising that pro sports were some of the first places that segregation broke down. It's hard to not hire someone who's going to help an owner or organization be more successful.

[Deminpenn]

24. +1

[malthaussen]

11. ROTFLMFAO. n/t

[twodogsbarking]

13. Money changes everything.

And not always for the good.

[Crowman2009]

14. Either the rest of the world is catching up, or American NBA players make too much money to care.

This loss reminds me of the time Italy lost to South Africa in the FIFA world cup.

[onenote]

15. Or maybe the fact that the team has been practicing together for only 3 days

had something to do with it.

[Bucky]

17. I thought "Any given Sunday" meant football

[Casady1]

18. No big man

The current game devalues the big man and we have none on this team. Everyone is catching up to us and a game that is centered around the 3 point shot means any team that is hot can win. I was watching this game and Nigeria hit their three's.

[ruet]

19. They Devalue The Big Man...

because he cannot protect the rim and get out on the wing to contest 3's at the same time. I'm talking about "true" bigs here. Pop will make the necessary adjustments and all will be well.

This is for the benefit of others as I'm sure you already know this.

[Casady1]

23. Ayton of Phoenix

plays like a big man and their offense is better to watch.