Two unbeaten teams face off in the FIBA World Cup second round of 16 at the MOA Arena tonight and it could be a preview of a final showdown if stars align. Team USA and Lithuania tote identical 4-0 records entering their colossal matchup to decide pole position in Group J. They’ll make it to the knockout quarterfinals where the winner of tonight’s duel faces No. 2 in Group I (likely Italy).
Lithuania is ranked No. 8 in FIBA’s ladder and Team USA, No. 2. Team USA has played in all 18 FIBA World Cups, including this year’s edition and won five championships. Lithuania is in its sixth FIBA World Cup appearance with a highest finish of third in 2010. Team USA is bannered by 11 NBA draft picks and Lithuania, four. Every player in coach Steve Kerr’s roster has seen action in the NBA while Lithuania features five NBA veterans.
Both teams are buoyed by depth. In four FIBA World Cup games so far, nine Team USA and eight Lithuanian players are averaging at least 15 minutes. Kerr and opposing coach Kazys Maksvytis like to juggle combinations with deep rotations, realizing the importance of playing at a fast pace in a 40-minute contest. Getting off to a strong start is a boost but making midstream adjustments is a more critical factor considering the army of players coming off the bench.
Team USA tweaked its starting lineup starting the third game against Jordan after Brandon Ingram didn’t seem to fit in the flow against New Zealand and Greece. Josh Hart, a role player who relies less on his individual skills than Ingram, got Kerr’s nod to start in the last two contests against Jordan and Montenegro. Hart is Team USA’s leading rebounder with a 7.3 average even if he’s 6-4 and his teammates include 6-8 Cam Johnson, 6-8 Ingram, 6-10 Jaren Jackson, 6-10 Paolo Banchero, 6-11 Bobby Portis and 7-0 Walker Kessler. That stat clearly illustrates Hart’s heart.
Lithuania also had a change in its first five. Tamas Dimsa started in Lithuania’s first game against Egypt then yielded his starting job to Margiris Normantas from the second contest against Mexico. Normantas erupted for 18 points to lead Lithuania’s scorers in the 93-67 win over Egypt and convinced Maksvytis he deserved to start. Other Lithuanian starters are 6-4 point guard Rokas Jokubaitis (the team’s youngest player at 22), 7-0 two-time Olympian and 11-year NBA veteran Jonas Valanciunas, 6-7 Iggy Brazdeikis (shooting 70 percent from three) and 6-9 Tadas Sedekerskis. Key relievers are 7-0 Donatas Montiejunas (six-year NBA veteran), 6-9 Eimantas Bendzius and 6-9 Mindaugas Kuzminskas (averaging 10.8 points). Eight Lithuanian players are shooting at least 50 percent from the field. Against Greece the other night, Lithuania took 24 triples and 29 two-point shots, hitting 63 percent from beyond the arc and 62 percent from two-point distance. Lithuania was down by four at the half, up by six entering the fourth period then closed it out with a 28-9 barrage to win, 92-67. Lithuania’s physicality will be a major problem for Team USA which isn’t used to the kind of rugged play that’s a trademark of the European style. Team USA had some difficulty handling Montenegro last Friday, down by one at the half and up six to end the third quarter. Team USA settled for an 85-72 win, its slimmest margin of victory so far. Tonight’s clash will clear the air on whether Team USA has the tools to make it all the way to the top.