To clinch a spot in the Olympic quarterfinals, Team USA needed to first win a group stage match against Czech Republic. It certainly helped that they had a player with proven success in play-in situations. Damian Lillard wasn’t the force that he normally is offensively, but he made up for it with a strong defensive performance. That, paired with Jayson Tatum’s 27 points, Kevin Durant’s historic 23-point performance, and an abundance of depth proved to be enough to push Team USA in the Group A finale with a 119-84 win.
This morning’s triumph provides Team USA with a chance to clinch a top-four seed, which could assist them in avoiding some of the teams they’ve struggled against (France or Australia).