Lithuania's guys played the U.S. to the wire only a game after LeBron and co. beat Nigeria by 83.
Image by Christian Petersen / Getty Images
You'd be forgiven if, after watching the United States' men's basketball team beat the overwhelmed Nigerian squad 156-73, you assumed that the U.S. was invincible. Nigeria's ineffectiveness aside, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and company were nearly flawless in their execution, shooting 71% from the field and 63% from 3-point range and racking up 41 assists to 7 turnovers — an insane 6:1 ratio.
But today against Lithuania, the team came back down to Earth. The U.S. won by a mere five points, 99-94, with Lithuania actually leading as late as four minutes into the fourth quarter. And statistically, the U.S. was in many ways outplayed, with Lithuania outshooting the Americans 59% to 44% and 44% to 30% from three. (What did them in were turnovers, committing a gross 23 vs. 9 by the U.S.)
So. Lithuania. Who are these guys?
Linas Kleiza, Forward
Image by STRINGER/VENEZUELA / Reuters
Lithuania's best player today, by a significant margin, was forward Linas Kleiza. Kleiza plays in the NBA, and is on the Toronto Raptors' books next season for $4.6 million. After an impressive sophomore year at the University of Missouri, during which he averaged 16.1 points and 7.6 rebounds, Kleiza went 27th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft, and he's had a mediocre career since, with averages of 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and a 12.6 PER over six seasons.
Regardless of his performances stateside, though, he's been a beast in London. Kleiza scored 25 points on 20 shots against the U.S., along with five rebounds, and in his previous games he dropped 17, 11, and 20.