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Despite not being able to field their best squad, the Americans are still one of the top contenders to lift the hardware. Their second matchup of the 2019 FIBA World Cup saw them going head-to-head against Cedi Osman and Turkey, in what turned out to be a stirring encounter with every possession.
Eventually, the men in blue and white edged past their opponents for a gritty, yet nervy, 93-92 win, much to the delight to NBA fans worldwide - who'd have hated to see them go down in the group stages.
Let's skim through a bunch of prominent takeaways from this rousing USA-Turkey clash.
#1 The resilient never-die NBA approach prevails as Turkey choke down the stretch
Despite USA leading for the most part of the game, they had a hard time creating any noticeable separation in the dying moments. Ironically, they ended up being the enforcers of OT when they found themselves 2 points down and not much time left in regulation.
We can only imagine what could have been, had Turkey not missed four free throws in a row when it mattered the most. Those couple of misses each in overtime by Dogus Balbay and Cedi Osman meant USA had a chance to seal this one for good.
Tatum slipped on the next play before passing the ball to Middleton who got fouled trying to get to the hole. He iced both the FTs, getting his team ahead 93-92 with just 2 seconds left on the clock. Turkey couldn't conjure what could have been a heroic comeback and the basketball gods had orchestrated a miraculous save for the ailing Team USA.
The elite poise shown by Pop's men under pressure was trademark of their professional backgrounds.
Tatum has been diagnosed with a sprained left ankle and will be re-evaluated tomorrow.
#2 Turkey were uncharacteristically efficient from the field and gave the favorites a run for their money
After leading 41-26 early in the 2nd quarter, Team USA succumbed to a blazing 12-0 run by the Turkish side who then played bucket-for-bucket throughout the rest of the game.
Led by Ersan Ilyasova - who dropped a game-high scoring total of 23 points on 47% shooting - Turkey were far more efficient in their shot selection. His teammate Mehli Mahmutoglu, contributed a crucial 18 points as well on an impressive 8-of-13 shooting from the field. The unlikely hero for Turkey emerged in the form of Scott Wilbekin who stepped up to drain three of his four long-range attempts for 12 points of his own.
On the other hand, the Americans couldn't find the bottom even on uncontested shots and as a unit, ended up with a rather uneventful 27-of-77 shooting night from the floor. While Khris Middleton held fort for his team with a solid 15 points on 55% shooting, Mitchell and Walker could only manage a combined 8-of-26 conversion from the floor.
#3 Ugly in the bigger picture but a win anyway
In a game where the firm favorites have to rely on the nervy skillset of their underdog opponents in order to get away with a game, doesn't quite qualify as a convincing performance. Team USA did go up 2-0 in this tournament but everyone in the arena including their tougher opponents down the road could smell blood.
Jayson Tatum shot 3-of-11 from the field for a rather dull 11-point night, having injured his ankle in the process as well. None of what transpired against the Turks exudes positivity for the champs. They were sloppy and their opponents exposed them with every bucket they made at will.
USA is slated to clash with Japan in a couple of days and they might win it as well and advance to the next round as well. But that is not what they flew to China for. Anything that doesn't look like Gold would be a letdown. And with the way this squad has carried themselves in their most recent win doesn't reflect the composure that you expect from championship favorites.
