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To say that USA Basketball’s first stop on its road to gold at the Tokyo Olympics didn’t go according to plan doesn’t quite capture the moment. Shocking is the word that immediately comes to mind when, despite the best efforts of Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, the Americans fell to Nigeria, 90-87, in an exhibition bout on Saturday in Las Vegas.
That’s the same Nigeria that Team USA beat by 44 points in an exhibition before the 2016 Rio Olympics and by 83 points during the Games at London in 2012.
For his part, Tatum scored 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting, making 2-of-3 shots from three-point range and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. He also added a team-high seven rebounds and the Americans were plus-five when he was on the floor.
Nevertheless, Team USA was bothered by Nigeria’s length, athleticism and physicality throughout the contest. As a result, the trio of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard was just 9-of-30 from the floor. Tatum’s crew was also minus-12 on the boards.
On the other end, Team USA failed to defend the three-point line, allowing Nigeria to knock down 20 of its 42 attempts from deep. Gabe Vincent, a two-way player for the Miami Heat, was responsible for six of those. He finished with a game-high 21 points.
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Tatum on Team USA’s Shocking Loss
After the game, Tatum joined Team USA coach Gregg Popovich at the podium. In his opening statement to the assembled media, the two-time All-Star conceded that Nigeria brought the better effort to the bout.
“It just kind of goes to show that, you know, we have to play better. And, on any given night, the team that plays harder and is more physical — anybody can win,” he said. “It’s something we can learn from.”
Both Popovich and Tatum emphasized that the loss is nothing to panic over. The duo did note, though, that international teams are getting better every year. They also have a higher level of familiarity with one another. And some squads have been preparing for the Olympics for nearly a month while Team USA came together just days ago.
The limited gym time the Americans have had relative to their opponents came up multiple times during the presser.
“I don’t know the exact answer,” Tatum said of how long it would take for his team to gel. “It’s only been four days and we’re making strides. None of us have ever played with each other. So, we’re just trying to figure it out. We know we don’t have three or four weeks or whatever it may be.”
Despite Saturday’s result, the Celtics star is keeping positive. For him, the loss should be treated as a learning experience.
“I think this was good for us and we’re going to learn a lot from film. Just regroup and stay positive.”
Next Up for USA Basketball
The US men’s senior national team will be back in action on Monday, July 12 with an exhibition game against the Aussie Boomers. The Australian side is one of the more talented groups in FIBA play, even with Ben Simmons electing to sit out from Olympic competition once again.
On Saturday, the Boomers beat Argentina 87-84 when San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills hit a game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer over two defenders.
After the bout with the Aussies, Team USA will play against Argentina the following night before finishing up with a rematch against the Boomers and a final-night showdown with Spain.
Olympic play will begin on July 25 with a game against Rudy Gobert and Les Bleus of France.
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