Olympic Basketball: Previewing USA vs. Lithuania

At 9:30 AM Eastern Time on Saturday morning, Team USA will take on Nigeria.  The game will air on the NBC Sports Network (check your local provider for listings).  Tomorrow morning, the US will resume action in men’s basketball in Pool A play against Lithuiana at London’s Olympic Park Basketball Arena.  Team USA has now defeated France, Tunisia, and Nigeria in Olympic Pool Play this summer.  They have won 12 consecutive games in the Olympics now.  In pool play, they are winning by an average margin of 52.3 points.

Aug 2, 2012; London, United Kingdom; United States center Anthony Davis (14) dunks the ball against Nigeria during the preliminary game in the London 2012 Olympic Games at Basketball Arena. The United States defeated Nigeria 156-73. Image Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Entering the game, Lithuania is 1-2 in pool play.  On Sunday, Lithuania lost to Argentina 102-79.  They beat Nigeria 72-53 on Tuesday.  Yesterday, they lost to France 82-74.

How they got here:  Lithuania was able to qualify for for its 6th consecutive Olympic Games in 2012 after a 3-1 record this past summer at the the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Team USA is 5-1 against Lithuania in the Olympics and have won by a margin of 14.7 points.  They last met during the Bronze Medal game on August 28, 2004, where Team USA barely won 104-96.

Olympic Pool Play record: 76-2 (97.4%)
All-Time Olympic Record: 125-5 (96.1%)
All-Time National Team Record: 112-7

Is Lithuania afraid of the United States?  After Thursday’s shellacking of Nigeria, they very well should be.

This is a Team USA team that just set new Olympic records in overall scoring and broke several national team records including overall team score, individual scoring, 3 pointers made, and 3 pointers attempted.

Team USA is winning by scoring an average of 121.3 points per game while holding opponents to 69.0 points per game.

In 3 Olympic games so far, former Kentucky Wildcats star Anthony Davis has played a total of 37 minutes, averaging 12.3 minutes a game.  He’s scored 24 points, an average of 8 points per game.  He’s picked up 12 rebounds, an average of 4 rebounds per game.  In the 3 contests, Davis has only blocked 2 shots.

Carmelo Anthony had some nice things to see about Davis after the game last night.

“He fits in perfectly,” Carmelo Anthony said.  “He fits in well.  The encouragement that we give him out there on the basketball court when he’s in the game, just talking to him, he’s learning as he goes along.  We have guys that are constantly teaching him and giving him advice while he’s out there on the basketball court or when he’s on the bench watching, and when his number is called he’s going out there and he’s producing.  So you can’t ask for anything more from Anthony Davis than what he’s giving us.”

Probable Starters
United States
F – Kevin Durant
F – LeBron James
C – Tyson Chandler
G – Kobe Bryant
G- Chris Paul

Lithuania
F – Linsa Kleiza
F – Jonas Maciulis
C – Jonas Valanciunas
G – Rimantas Kaukenas
G – Mantas Kalnietis