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Team USA takes one step closer to the gold medal in the FIBA World Cup, by defeating Lithuania and moving into the finals.
The pattern has been emerging from USA, as they once again started slow and sluggish in the game.
Apart from the apparent lack of energy that USA seemed to have, Lithuania forcibly slowed the pace of the game, with fouls and effective defense.
However, in the first quarter, Lithuania was already in the penalty zone within the first three minutes of the game. After the first quarter, they were trailing by five points.
USA turned on their defense in the second quarter, after Lithuania head coach Jonas Kuzlauskas put in Mindaugas Kuzminskas.
Kuzminskas was able to use his athletic skills, while also showing off some good ball handling ability.
USA's Anthony Davis was a mainstay at the rim though, and helped to bolster their defensive capabilities. They forced 12 turnovers from their opponents, and allowed only 1 out of 8 from beyond the arc.
At the end of the second quarter, USA lead by eight points, 43-35.
In the third, James Harden happened. He lay dormant for most of the game and hadn't scored anything yet. Yet all his 13 points came from the third quarter.
USA added another 20 to that, bring the collective tally of the quarter to 33; an amount equal to Lithuania's score on both final quarters combined.
The pace-changing strategy of Lithuania soon broke down, and they were forced to pull up to the line and gamble with their shots to no avail.
USA routed Lithuania and remains undefeated, 96-68.
They await for the winner of France versus Slovenia, and look to defend their FIBA championship and gain their fifth international title.
