Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday scores 18 points but Team USA falls to France at Olympics
SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — France dealt the U.S. a major blow in basketball once again.
Evan Fournier’s 3-pointer with just under a minute left put France ahead to stay in what became a 83-76 win over the Americans on Sunday in the opening game for both teams at the Tokyo Olympics. The U.S. was outscored 16-2 over the final 3:23 of the game.
The U.S. had won 25 consecutive Olympic games, last losing at the Athens Games 17 years ago and settling for a bronze medal there.
Fournier had 28 points for France, while Rudy Gobert scored 14 and Nando de Colo had 13.
Milwaukee guard Jrue Holiday, who arrived in Tokyo late Saturday night after helping the Bucks claim their first NBA title in 50 years, had 18 points for the U.S. His Milwaukee teammate, Khris Middleton, missed the only two shots he took.
France knocked the U.S. out of the World Cup two years ago as well.