:strip_icc()/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_bc8228b6673f488aa253bbcb03c80ec5/internal_photos/bs/2021/r/H/SckiUsR8S2a9gc7KACaQ/2021-07-28t045207z-1104874211-sp1eh7s0diruj-rtrmadp-3-olympics-2020-bkb-m-team5-gpa-000300.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "United States beat Iran in Olympic men’s basketball | olympics")
The American basketball team beat Iran by 120 x 66 this Wednesday, in a match valid for the second round of the men’s basketball group bracket, with an impressive 20 three-point balls. After the scare of their debut in defeat to France, Gregg Popovich’s men had no difficulty getting past Iran, the best Asian team today, but which did not go beyond 23rd place in the 2019 World Cup.
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If Brazil is not represented in basketball with any team, Andreia Silva is present in the refereeing. She became, on Wednesday, the first woman in history to referee a men’s basketball game at the Olympics.
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Gregg Popovich rotated the players a lot, none of them stayed on the court for more than 25 minutes. The top scorers in the US were Damian Lillard, with 21 points, and Devin Booker with 16. The game wasn’t exactly a show, one that basketball fans are used to. A few dunks and stumps, a lot of triples and a very loose marking on both sides. In the end, a quiet victory for the Americans.
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Lillard tries stub in US vs Iran — Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder
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The Americans opened up on the scoreboard in the first few minutes, using and abusing the three-point balls, mainly with Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 28 to 12.
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The US team did little to push the ball into the bottle, as the Iranians always left room for three-point shots. NBA players are used to a 3-point line 30cm farther from the basket. Thus, they finished the first half with 60 to 30, with 13 balls out of three converted.
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In the third quarter, American players continued to run, while Iran tried to maintain a standard of play. The team could not bother in attack and, in defense, tried to close the bottle more, always leaving the chance for the Americans to shoot from far away. In the end, the score was 82 to 43.
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Kevin Durant and Draymond Green celebrate — Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder
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In the last quarter, Iran started more active, mainly with Mohammad Jamshidijafarabadi, and scored seven points in 1:30, which forced Gregg Popovich to ask for time. Afterwards, the game went back and forth, without much aggression, but still with speed. In the end, a quiet score from 120 to 66.
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The Americans return to the court against the Czech Republic next Saturday, to close the qualifying round. Iran will play France on the same day.
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