Four members of the Boston Celtics were integral to Team USA’s run in the FIBA Basketball World Cup this summer in China.
However, that run came to an unexpected early end Wednesday, when the two-time defending champions — albeit fielding a diminished roster — fell to France in the international tournament’s quarterfinals. And several of the Celtics players leading the up-and-coming team lamented missed opportunities after blowing a fourth-quarter lead.
Team USA held a seven-point lead with seven and a half minutes left in the game, but France staged a comeback led by Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina to win 89-79.