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US basketball players(L-R) Carlos Boozer, Lamar
Odom, Lebron James, Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury
watch their teammates during action against Puerto Rico in the first
half of their men's basketball game in the Athens 2004 Olympic
Games. (Agencies) |
The United States lost their first basketball game
at the Olympics since 1988 on Sunday when Puerto Rico sent them
reeling to a 92-73 defeat.
The defending three-times gold medallists never led after early in the
first quarter and the NBA-laden team looked in disarray at times.
It was also only the third defeat for the Americans in Olympic history
after losses to the Soviet Union in 1972 and 1988.
"I'm humiliated. Not for the loss, I can always deal with wins and
losses, but I am disappointed because I had a job to do as a coach to try
to get us to understand how to play as a team, and I don't think we did
that," said US coach Larry Brown.
In another shock at the Athens Games, San Antonio Spurs forward Manu
Ginobili banked in an off-balance shot as time expired to propel
Argentina to a 83-82 victory against world champions Serbia and
Montenegro.
Home team Greece sent its fans home happy with a 76-54 win over
Australia, Pau Gasol led Spain to an 83-58 win over Yao Ming and China,
Lithuania came from behind to beat Angola 78-73 and Italy edged New
Zealand 71-69.
The United States came to Athens riding a 24-game Olympic winning
streak.
But that came crashing down in just 40 minutes of play as Carlos Arroyo
scored 24 points and added seven assists to leave the Americans, who hold a
109-3 record at the Games, scratching their heads as to what they must do
to win a fourth consecutive gold.
The Americans showed their lack of outside shooting, hitting only 26 of 75
field goal attempts. Tim
Duncan and Allen Iverson both had 15 points to pace the United States.
"They came out and they wanted it more than us, I don't know why. We
didn't make shots. We dug ourselves into a hole that we didn't allow
ourselves to get out of," said Miami Heat (news) guard Dwayne Wade.
Arroyo said: "Without a doubt this was one of the best games of my
career, but by far it was the most emotional win I have ever been a part
of."
Ginobili had hundreds of Argentinian fans dancing in the aisles after
hitting a controversial shot on the buzzer.
The Serbs felt the play should be reviewed, but the referees refused to
overturn the call.
"Whether it was a basket or not, I don't know. But that's not what I
was arguing," said Serbia and Montenegro coach Zelmir Obradovic.
"I don't know how the referee made the call that it was a basket
without conferring with the scorer's
table. Without any discussion. This is what I see as the
problem."
Ginobili led all scorers with 27 points but it was his final two that
gave his team a measure of revenge after Serbia and Montenegro beat
Argentina in the 2002 World Championship final.
"It was a childhood dream, the classic story. Winning at the end,
beating the world champions, that kind of team. But we shouldn't celebrate
too much because we have Spain next and it will be just as tough, if not
tougher," Ginobili said.
Earlier, Spain's Pau Gasol also had a dream start as he got the better
of China's Yao Ming in Olympic basketball's clash of the giants.
The 2.13 meter (7ft 0in) Gasol poured in 21 points as he and the 2.29
meters (7ft 6in) Yao, the tallest man in Olympic history, traded baskets,
assists, rebounds and elbows.
(Agencies) |