The U.S. men’s basketball team suffered its first Olympic defeat in 17 years against France on Sunday.
The French took victory in an 83-76 upset, marking the end to Team USA’s 25-game winning streak spanning back to the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
TOKYO OLYMPICS COMMENCE WITH SUBDUED CEREMONY AFTER ROCKY BEGINNINGS
Sunday’s loss is the second the U.S. has endured against France on the international level but is the first to take place in the Olympics.
The Boston Celtics’ Evan Fournier led Team France to victory, scoring 28 points during the game, the highest on the team.
The defeat does not necessarily mean Team USA won’t medal, as the team still has a chance of advancing to the quarterfinals if it wins its matches against Iran and the Czech Republic. Team USA will face Team Iran on Wednesday, seeking to redeem themselves after the crushing loss.
Before the Olympics began, fans were already left disappointed when several members of the U.S. basketball team were sidelined for health and safety reasons. Starter Bradley Beal tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month and was taken off the team’s roster as a result. NBA champion Kevin Love also left the roster due to an injury. The players were replaced by JaVale McGee and Keldon Johnson.
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The 2020 Olympics are being hosted in Tokyo this summer after being canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The games started on Friday and will go until Aug. 8.
