Team USA blows out Argentina (“Video”)
By Ian Levy
Shaking off recent struggles, Team USA dominated Argentina in their Olympic quarterfinals matchup, 105-78.
This was the kind of win the United States had been looking for. After grinding out close wins over Australia, Serbia, and France, Team USA exerted their depth in talent and dispatched rather easily with a team that had given them trouble in previous international tournaments. This was an emphatic win for the US and one we’d really like to show you highlights of. Unfortunately, the International Olympic Committee has a fairly stringent policy prohibiting the creation and use of GIFs and Vines by unapproved media entities.
The policy has hamstrung our coverage, along with pretty much every other online outlet, but the IOC can’t take away our imaginations. So, two weeks into the Olympics, I think I’ve finally discovered a suitable workaround for highlights. Below you’ll find a recap of the game with replacement GIFs meant to capture the spirit of each in-game event and spark your imagination to fill in the gaps.
The game was relatively close through the first quarter and ended with Argentina trailing by just four. Team USA was active from the perimeter hoisting up three-pointers with wild abandon but most of them ended up kind of like this:
It was more than just Team USA shooting 3-12 on three-pointers in the first quarter. Luis Scola was active in the paint and Manu Ginobili was doing his typical swashbuckling dribble-drive act.
In the second quarter, Team USA picked up the defensive pressure, started forcing turnovers and getting out in transition. Jimmy Butler and Paul George were particularly active on the perimeter, basically forcing Argentina’s ball-handlers into these kinds of plays.
By the end of the first half, Team USA held a 16-point lead and essentially every bit of momentum. If there was one image that defined the American’s performance in the second quarter it was probably this sequence.
The second half was more of the same. Kevin Durant drilled a trio of three-pointers in the third quarter to help push Team USA’s lead to 27 points. When they weren’t knocking down three-pointers they were grabbing offensive rebounds or forcing turnovers. By the time the dust settled Team USA was heading to the semi-finals and the cool emotion they displayed in the final moments demonstrated their confidence.
For Argentina, it was the end of an era. Luis Scola, Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, and Carlos Delfino all helped carry the national team to new heights and this was likely the last Olympic appearance for all four players. As the final buzzer sounded, they embraced and let it all out at an ending of sorts.
For those of you who couldn’t watch the game, hopefully these “video highlights” help catch you up on what you missed. Team USA will take on Spain on Friday in the semifinals.