France shock US dream team with stunning defeat in Olympics basketball
The French held the US to just 10 points in an 83-76 win after the first-round game.
France's Evan Fournier (10) shoots over United States' guard Zachary Lavine (5) during a men's basketball game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Saitama, Japan.
Team USA led by 11-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant were beaten by France in a huge Olympic basketball upset.
The French, with a team containing NBA players including Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier, held Durant's team to just 10 points in an 83-76 win in the first-round game on Sunday.
USA’s Men’s Basketball just lost in the Olympics for the first time since 2004 and honestly they were beat by a better team. the days of just showing up and running pickup and having the other team ask for pictures after getting waxed by 40 is over.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) July 25, 2021
The Americans had looked rusty in the build-up to Tokyo, losing to Nigeria in a warm-up game, and the defeat will underline Durant's fears expressed before the Games that his side will not face a "cakewalk" in Japan.
Fans were quick to mock the US team.
1992 - Dream Team
— SportzStew (@sportzstewcom) July 25, 2021
2008 - Redeem Team
2021 - Meme Team#USA #Basketball pic.twitter.com/DLUek40a4i
Fournier was sensational for France, top-scoring with 28 points. Although the Boston Celtics player only scored four from 12 from the three-point line, he found his range when it mattered to help the French came from behind to stun the Americans.
The French had upset the US men when they last met in the 2019 FIBA World Cup quarterfinals and they had their number again on the first day of group play at the Saitama Super Arena, powered by a game-high 28 points from Evan Fournier.
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