The United States had stormed back to a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter. They chipped away at a double-digit lead France built meticulously through the first half. Their size gave the U.S. problem and they slowed the game to a crawl, keeping the U.S. fast-break at bay.
That is never enough to keep the Americas down. They always have a chance. And with each whirling Donovan Mitchell drive, they took the lead back and caught France stretched thin and Rudy Gobert outside the paint.
France had to find its groove again. And the ball found itself in Evan Fournier‘s hands.