Takeaways From Team U.S.A.'s Second Round

Lithuania squeaked out a win against the Americans on Sunday morning. A combination of size and physicality held off a late comeback effort from Team U.S.A. The Lithuanians tallied up 43 rebounds and snagged 18 offensive boards in a statement win. Both Sunday's matchup and game one of the second round against Montenegro highlighted the big weakness for team U.S.A.: size. On the other hand, the Americans have something no other team has, and his name is Anthony Edwards.

By halftime, Lithuania ran up a 17-point lead on a scorching hot 9-11 from deep. Even that was not sustainable for the tournament's leading three-point shooting team, so they decided to end the game shooting a breezy 56% (14-25 3P). It seems likely that this was just a bad matchup for the U.S., but the reason that is even remotely possible is the fact Lithuania is built to expose the Americans. Anchored by 6'11" Jonas Valančiūnas, the Lithuanians pounded the Americans on the inside, converting on 51% of their 2's. If that was not enough, Lithuania has the ability to light it up from deep, shooting a tournament-leading 44% from three. Valančiūnas and forward Tadas Sedekerskis combined for 18 rebounds, with the latter of the two snaring 4 offensive. Not only do the Lithuanians have size but they also have the skill to counter the versatility the US has opted for. By having players who can fulfill multiple roles (offensively and defensively), the US has ditched the value of positional size. There are pros, such as switching and spacing, but there are also the cons that this game brought to light: rebounding, post-defense, and fouling. On the bright side, the Americans have a superhero in Ant-Man.

Anthony Edwards came out hot to start the game, pouring in 16 points by intermission. He finished the game with a total of 35 points, hitting 5 threes. While his late-game heroics on both ends of the floor came up short, Edwards showed that he will continue to apply pressure on opposing teams' defenses. As the alpha of this team, Ant continues to be reliable in putting out the fires. Sunday's matchup will not show that, but that speaks more to the size of Lithuania rather than the skill of Antony Edwards. While his point production is impressive, Ant's intensity on the defensive side of the floor stood out. As Team U.S.A. was coming back, Edwards became a stallworth defensively. His physical screen navigation, incessant ball pressure, and quick hands and feet fueled the American comeback. This is what Coach Kerr was talking about when proposing Edwards come off the bench; be the Dwayne Wade of our team. But as the young star noted, there is no Kobe Bryant on the team, and he has shown flashes of being all-world offensively and defensively. His brute physical style of play coupled with his elegant athleticism allow him to be a force on both sides of the ball. Team U.S.A. will go as the Ant-Man goes.

The U.S. will look to bounce back in the Quarter-Finals against an Italian team led by squad-leading scorer Simone Fontecchio. While the U.S. holds the advantage in all general statistics, (points, rebounds, efficiency, etc.), it will be important for them to maximize their strengths of open-court play and shot-making to continue advancing. Anthony Edwards will continue to dominate. The Americans will have to hone in on their advantages and continue to be creative in their scheme to counter their lack of size, which I have no doubt Steve Kerr and his staff will do.