U.S. nears quarters after rout of Giannis, Greece

SHENZHEN, China — Kemba Walker scored 15 factors, Donovan Mitchell scored 10 on his 23rd birthday and Staff USA contained NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, defeating Greece 69-53 in a second-round recreation on the FIBA World Cup on Saturday.

Harrison Barnes and Derrick White every scored 9 for the U.S. (Four-Zero), which may clinch a quarterfinal berth Monday in a number of methods. It wants both a win over Brazil or a Greece win over the Czech Republic or via a three-way tiebreaker, if vital.

Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks star, scored 15 factors for Greece (2-2).

France and Australia reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup on Saturday. They be a part of Serbia, Spain, Poland and Argentina who’ve already reached the ultimate eight.

The U.S. nationwide crew has gained 57 consecutive video games in worldwide tournaments with NBA gamers, beginning with the 2006 world championships bronze-medal recreation and persevering with via each FIBA Americas, world championships, World Cup and Olympic occasion since.

The streak began after a 101-95 loss to Greece in 2006 — a defeat that prompted the U.S. to alter its program.

The Individuals have not misplaced within the greatest tournaments since.

“I believed we performed nicely,” Walker mentioned. “Caught to the sport plan.”

Antetokounmpo’s eyes have been closed as he mouthed together with the phrases of Greece’s nationwide anthem. After the U.S. anthem performed and the rosters from each side met at midcourt for the customary pregame alternate of presents, the NBA MVP shook arms with Bucks teammate Brook Lopez and gave him a fast hug.

Aside from that, there was no pregame interplay between Antetokounmpo and the Individuals.

He was aggressive from the soar, spinning his technique to a layup on the primary possession, making a Three-pointer on Greece’s second possession and getting fouled on a baseline drive on the following journey down the ground.

That was 5 factors within the first 43 seconds for Antetokounmpo. He scored 4 in his subsequent 18 minutes of enjoying time.

The Individuals saved a gentle stream of various seems coming on the MVP — who was guarded within the first half alone by Barnes, Khris Middleton, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Sensible and Myles Turner. Brown and Sensible, maybe aware of what Antetokounmpo did in opposition to their Celtics in final season’s playoffs, held him scoreless within the half and the U.S. went into the break with a 38-25 lead.

Antetokounmpo had a steal and dunk late within the third, which bought loads of followers out of their seats and Greek followers waving flags. However the final result was by no means unsure, and the MVP was on the bench for your complete fourth quarter in a considerably puzzling transfer.

TIP-INS

U.S.: Mitchell’s birthday got here a day after Joe Harris turned 28. … Sensible, who has twice missed time with leg accidents this summer season, slipped and fell as he chased a free ball out of bounds with 1:11 left within the first. He stayed within the recreation. … The U.S. shot solely 36%.

Greece: The end result got here 5 years to the day after the Greeks have been ousted by Serbia within the Spherical of 16 on the 2014 World Cup. … Nick Calathes turned the third Florida participant to be a part of a loss to the U.S. this summer season; Andrew Nembhard performed within the Individuals’ pre-World Cup win over Canada in Australia; and Scottie Wilbekin performed for Turkey in its extra time loss to the U.S. within the group stage.

HOLDING LEADS

By 4 video games, the U.S. has trailed for all of seven minutes, 48 seconds — out of a attainable 165 minutes. The Individuals have led for 147:02, and video games have been tied for 10:10.

CLAMPING DOWN

The U.S. has held Japan and Greece to a mixed 98 factors within the final two video games. That represents the fewest factors the U.S. has allowed in consecutive video games of a significant worldwide event for the reason that 1988 Olympics, when the Individuals gave up 92 in a two-game stretch in opposition to Egypt and Puerto Rico.

UP NEXT

U.S.: Performs Brazil (Three-1) in a second-round finale Monday in Shenzhen.

Greece: Performs Czech Republic (Three-1) in a second-round finale Monday in Shenzhen.

FRANCE 78, LITHUANIA 75

At Nanjing, Evan Fournier led France with 24 factors and Nando De Colo scored 21. France led after three quarters 65-54 and withstood a closing cost by Lithuania.

Lithuania was led by Jonas Valanciunas with 18 factors and eight rebounds. Mantas Kalnietis scored 12.

CZECH REPUBLIC 93, BRAZIL 71

At Shenzhen, the Czech Republic saved itself within the hunt for a spot within the World Cup quarterfinals with a simple win over the beforehand unbeaten South Individuals.

Tomas Satoransky scored 20 factors, added 9 assists and had seven rebounds for the Czechs (Three-1), who will play Greece on Monday. Ondrej Balvin scored 15.

“It was one other nice victory for us,” Satoransky mentioned, with the crew enjoying to its id by “enjoying quick, working, sharing the ball and combating on protection.”

Added coach Ronen Ginzburg: “It is a tremendous time for us, for Czech Republic basketball. It is an ideal win.” Vitor Benite scored 12 for Brazil (Three-1), which can face the U.S. on Monday within the second-round finale for each groups. Leandro Barbosa and Marcelinho Huertas every scored 11 for Brazil.

AUSTRALIA 82, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 76

At Nanjing, Australia, which had already clinched a spot in subsequent 12 months’s Olympics by being the highest crew within the World Cup out of Oceania, took away the Dominican Republic’s probabilities of reaching the quarterfinals.

Australia (Four-Zero) was led by Patty Mills of the San Antonio Spurs with 19 factors and 9 assists. Chris Goulding added 15 with 13 from Jock Landale. Eloy Vargas led the Dominicans with 16 factors and Victor Liz added 14.

TOKYO OLYMPICS Australia joins Japan as the 2 certified groups for Tokyo. Japan is in because the host nation. Six extra groups for the 12-team Olympic discipline can be determined from the World Cup.

Three-POINT RECORD

Canada set a FIBA World Cup (and world championship, its predecessor) single-game file for Three-pointers made, hitting 24 of them in its 55-point win over Jordan.

The earlier file was 19, completed twice, each occasions by the U.S. in 1994 — first in opposition to Puerto Rico, then once more in opposition to Russia. The second-highest complete at this World Cup was 18, finished Saturday by New Zealand in opposition to Japan.

CLASSIFICATION ROUND

New Zealand (2-2) 111, Japan (Zero-Four) 81

Canada (2-2) 126, Jordan (Zero-Four) 71

Turkey (2-2) 79, Montenegro (Zero-Four) 74

Germany (2-2) 89 vs. Senegal (Zero-Four) 78