Damian Lillard, Rudy Gobert, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, USA Basketball (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Portland Trail Blazers fans who tuned into USA Basketball’s first group match against France to watch Damian Lillard are probably kicking themselves for waking up so early on a Saturday for what turned out to be a huge disappointment.
The US lost 83-76, marking the first time they’ve dropped an official game in 25 straight contests. More upsetting than the loss was how the team wound up there. It was a huge concern that the US squad was too used to NBA play, perhaps a little softened by the league’s quick whistles, and that they seemed like five individuals wearing the same uniform, rather than a team during their tune-up games.