World Cup Day 6: Unbeaten Team USA cruises into knockout stage vs. Mexico

Team USA had nothing to play for, and it showed.

The Americans already had clinched Group C at the FIBA World Cup by winning their first four games. While other countries jockeyed to get into the knockout stage – or avoid certain opponents – Team USA was on cruise control in Friday’s game vs. war-torn Ukraine.

The United States was playing for the fifth time in six nights and had a start time four hours earlier than Thursday. The combination of apathy and possible fatigue contributed to a prominent case of the blahs for coach Mike Krzyzewski’s squad.

It showed in the first quarter, when Team USA made just 6-of-19 shots and found itself in a surprising 19-14 hole, just the third time it has been outscored in a quarter. It showed in the second half, when there wasn’t the customary flurry of offense that had turned every previous game into a rout.

And it showed in the final score, a 95-71 victory over Ukraine that extended its overall international winning streak to 59 games.

“We just didn’t come out with the necessary energy in the first quarter,” guard Kyrie Irving said in a halftime interview.

That has become a bit of a theme for Team USA, which also started slowly against Turkey. And it could be an issue once the Americans reach the medal round, where some real competition will be waiting.

But not in group play, where Team USA averaged 102.2 points and won by an average of 33.2 points. And not in Saturday’s knockout stage game vs. Mexico, which would be much more entertaining if it was a soccer match.

So when Team USA practices Friday in Barcelona for the first time since the start of the tournament, Coach K will have two points of emphasis: better energy to start games and more patience and ball movement on offense.

He also will be monitoring the condition of Irving, his starting point guard who fell hard on his left hip in the final minutes and limped off under his own power. Given Derrick Rose’s consistent inconsistency throughout this tournament, Irving’s health is kind of important.

Im all good everybody, just a tough fall. Appreciate the concern #ontobarcelona

— Kyrie Irving (@KyrieIrving) September 4, 2014

Through the first four games, the American big men ran the show. Anthony Davis was consistently excellent, Kenneth Faried emerged as a steady contributor, and even DeMarcus Cousins has gotten into the act of late. But perhaps the best sign coming out of Friday’s win was that the offense was carried by the guards and wings.

Neither team made a 3-pointer until Steph Curry drained one to give Team USA its first lead since 2-0 at 30-27. James Harden fueled a late surge that extended the lead to 44-32 at halftime. He added another 10 points in the third quarter as the U.S. took a 69-53 lead into the final period and continued to pull away.

Harden scored 17 points with five assists, Curry added 14 points and Irving had 10 with six assists. Davis scored 12 points, Cousins had 11 and Faried 10 with eight rebounds.

NBA free agent Slava Kravtsov scored 15 points and former NBA guard Pooh Jeter added 13 for Ukraine, which is coached by Mike Fratello and could have made the U.S. squirm a little more had it not missed its first 10 3-pointers.

The next victim is Mexico, which squeezed into fourth place in Group D with an 87-71 win over winless Korea.

The Mexicans had a game on their hands until putting together a 12-0 burst to close the first half – capped by Ramon Martinez’s 65-foot heave at the horn – and open a 40-30 lead. NBA free agent Gustavo Ayon didn’t play for Mexico. Nets benchwarmer Jorge Gutierrez scored 11 points.

Group A

With hapless Iran and winless Egypt at the bottom of the group, all four berths already were determined before Thursday’s action, which merely slotted the squads.

Spain joined Team USA and Greece with perfect records in group play, cruising to an 89-73 victory over Serbia as Pau Gasol scored 20 points, Jose Calderon added 15 and Ricky Rubio 12 with seven steals and six assists.

The Spaniards won their games by an average of an impressive 25.2 points. Up next is Senegal, which has no chance.

The loss dumped Serbia (2-3) into fourth and a very tough matchup with unbeaten Greece. Nemanja Bjelica had 19 points and 10 boards and Miroslav Raduljica – still looking for a team for the upcoming season – scored 13 points for the Serbs.

Brazil (4-1) finished second with a 128-65 pasting of Egypt as Warriors guard Leandro Barbosa scored 22 points to lead six players in double figures, neither of whom were Nene (7 points) or Tiago Splitter (8). In what will undoubtedly be the most heated round of 16 matchup, Brazil gets rival Argentina.

France (3-2) got past Iran, 81-76, to claim third place as Thomas Huertel scored 15 points and Spurs forward Boris Diaw added 12. The French would be a medal favorite if they had Tony Parker and Joakim Noah, but don’t expect them to make much noise in the knockout round. Their first game is against Croatia.

Group B

Greece became the second team to run the table in pool play, claiming the group’s top spot with a 79-71 victory over Argentina. Hair Club for Men President Nick Calathes scored 18 points and Giannis Bourousis added 16 and 15 boards for the Greeks, who will play Serbia in the round of 16. 

Don’t sleep on Greece. It is the last country to beat Team USA, winning a semifinal in 2006, and has a handful of NBA players on its roster that are too young to know they aren’t supposed to beat the Americans.

Pacers forward Luis Scola scored 17 points for Argentina (3-2), which dropped to third with the loss.

The Argentines were vaulted by Croatia (3-2), which blasted Puerto Rico, 103-82. Nets rookie forward Bojan Bogdanovic scored 23 points and Sixers stash Dario Saric added 15 for Croatia, which gets defending Eurobasket champion France in the knockout round.

Senegal (2-3) got the group’s final spot despite an 81-79 overtime loss to the Philippines, which finally got its first win. Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng continued his strong tournament with 13 points, 14 boards and three blocks for Senegal.

The Philippines finally got a win after losing their last three games by a combined 11 points.

Group C

When the draw was held earlier this year, everyone said the United States landed in a weak group – and it was. Group C was the only group with just two teams with winning records.

Behind the United States is Turkey (3-2), which grabbed second place with a 77-64 victory over the Dominican Republic. The Turks get Australia – more on them later – in the knockout stage.

The DR, New Zealand and Ukraine all finished 2-3. However, Ukraine’s loss to Team USA cost it a berth in the knockout stage as it lost a tiebreaker on point differential. 

The Dominicans will play Slovenia, and the winner gets – in all likelihood – Team USA. The Tall Blacks edged Finland, 67-65, and will do their Haka Dance at least one more time before their round of 16 matchup with Lithuania.

Group D

With the top seed in the group on the line, Lithuania stole it from previously unbeaten Slovenia, rallying for a 67-64 victory. Slovenia took a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter but missed its first 13 shots before Goran Dragic finally made a layup with 47 seconds left. By that time, Lithuania had the lead and held on.

Raptors center Jonas Valaciunas led Lithuania with 12 points. Dragic scored 14 points for Slovenia but made just 5-of-14 shots, including 0-of-5 from the arc.

By stealing the group, Lithuania can avoid the United States until the semifinals, which means that even if it lost to Team USA it would have a chance at a medal.

Australia also can avoid the Americans until the semifinals. The Aussies entered play with a 3-1 record but suffered a suspicious 91-83 loss to Angola that dropped them to third in the group and on the same side of the bracket as Lithuania. Dragic claimed the outcome was “fixed” by Australia. 

Basketball is a beautiful sport, there is no room for fixing the game like today Australia vs Angola!! @FIBA should do something about that!

— Goran Dragic (@Goran_Dragic) September 4, 2014

Friday is a day off, giving Dragic a chance to cool down.