Surprising defeat of the USA basketball team, which falls on their Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games against France (83-76) and returns to lose a game in the five-circle tournament from the 2004 Athens semi-final, when the Americans were defeated by ‘Argentina. Holiday’s 18 points were not enough for the team led by coach Popovich. On the opposite side shines Fournier, best scorer of the match with 28 points and 4 rebounds.
The Americans got off to a good start in the first half, leading 45-37 at the long interval thanks to their defensive energy, but a disastrous third quarter with a run of 25-11 allowed France to take the lead. The comeback does not come, France resists and ends with a sensational defeat. At the Olympics, the United States remains the team to beat, with a record of 139-6 (win / loss) and 15-time gold since joining the Olympic program in 1936. But their recent form suggests that reaching the top spot on the podium may not be as easy as in the past, after they lost two friendlies this month including the surprise one against Nigeria. The preparations for the Games were also complicated, thanks to the absence of players due to the late NBA playoffs this year and to late substitutions in the roster due to the results of the swabs.