Heading into this summer’s FIBA World Cup, hopes were high that Team USA was about to reclaim the gold medal it has always felt entitled to. It had finished seventh in the 2019 World Cup and seemed to have a very solid roster full of young and hungry players.
One of those young and hungry players is Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who blossomed into a stud this past NBA season. He played very well throughout the summer, and most expected the Americans to handle Germany in its semifinal contest on Friday and advance to the gold medal contest.
Reaves played very well on Friday with 21 efficient points, 11 of them coming down the stretch of the fourth quarter. But that production wasn’t enough, as Germany stunned Team USA, 113-111.
Reaves’ former teammate Dennis Schroder hit the decisive shot with less than a minute left over him, and it highlighted a potential concern regarding him that was on display at times during the tournament.