Team USA squeaks past the gritty Lithuanians 99-94 – 1st Half Breakdown - London Olympics Men Basketball Recap Part 2
Team USA came into the game fresh from handing a mauling to the Nigerians while the opponents infront of them had lost by 8 points to France and above 20 points to Argentina, and were desperately searching for their groove.
In all probabilities, this was expected to be yet another walk in the park for the mighty Americans, and the way the game started, it certainly look likely to be the case.
Linas Kleiza opened the game with a deuce and the Lithuanians managed to keep pace with the Americans for nearly one and a half minutes.
Inside the next minute though, Chris Paul netted a two pointer to start an 8-0 run which was capped by a three pointer from Kevin Durant, and all of sudden USA were leading by 12 points to four.
Lithuania scored the next five points, but back to back three pointers from Carmelo Anthony and KD in the fifth minute ensured that the Americans held on to a significant lead.
However Linas Kleiza was just unstoppable in the first quarter.
With the scores at 11-18 and 5:20 remaining, the Toronto Raptors forward who had already scored 6 Lithuanian points by that point, slipped in a two and after Carmelo Anthony shot 2 of 2 from the stripe on the ensuing American possession, he first knocked down a triple and then found Darius Songaila for another two pointer, which brought the scores at 18-20.
Anthony and LeBron James combined for the next four points and the Americans opened up a safe lead, which they bolstered to 33-25 courtesy of two three pointers in the last 34 seconds of the period.
Songaila started the second quarter with a layup to cut the deficit, but after a series of missed shots from both sides, Durant nailed a three pointer and James Harden Immediately followed with a three point play to extend the American advantage to 12 points, 39-27.
What followed were five consecutive points from Paulius Jankunas and after some continuous Lithuanian pressure, a Pocius three pointer made it a five point game with 3:43 to go till the break.
The Americans responded with a 7-2 run, but the Europeans finished the second quarter strongly, and went into the break with a four point deficit at 51-55.
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