FIBA World Championships 2010: USA vs. Lithuania Live Blog, Stats, Analysis
Welcome to the semifinal round of the 2010 FIBA World Basketball Championships, from Istanbul, Turkey.
Hopefully you're taking a little break from college football this morning to tune into ESPN Classic at 12 p.m. (EST) for today's first matchup, as the United States looks to advance to the finals with a win over Lithuania.
Both teams are undefeated at this point. USA collected an 89-79 win over Russia in the semis, while Lithuania dominated Argentina, leading by 32 at the end of the third quarter, en route to a 104-85 victory.
These two teams met in an exhibition game, with the U.S. walking away with a 77-61 victory. But this promises to be a different affair, as the Lithuanians are arguably the most successful international team in the last 20 years.
They're led by Linas Kleiza, a former NBA player who went overseas before signing with the Toronto Raptors this offseason. He's averaging 19.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per gameโin fact, he's the only player averaging double-digit pointsย for Lithuania.
On the other side, the U.S. will almost certainly be paced by Kevin Durant. In two tightly contested games against Brazil and Russia, he averaged 30.0 points (52.0 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from the three-point line), 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks.
Half-court execution on the offensive end will be key for the U.S. They've struggled at times to get good ball movement and open shots against the stronger teams so far in the tournament, and Lithuania is a solid defensive team, only giving more than 80 points one time in seven games.
Check back just before tip-off for last minute news and starting lineups. Follow along with B/R throughout the game for live updates and analysis.
