FIBA World Cup: Team USA survives Turkey, but issues are clear

Will a one-point win over Turkey be a sign of things to come or a wakeup call for Team USA as the 2019 FIBA World Cup unwinds?

Team USA may have survived a scare against Turkey in their second game of group play in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, but there was nothing calming that transpired Tuesday morning.

History will look back and see a one-point overtime win for Team USA, but, more than anything, we saw a myriad of issues pop up for Gregg Popovich and company. While they might be good enough to sneak by the likes of Turkey and the rest of their group matchings, but their performance through two games proves that there could be trouble for USA in the immediate future.

In the game against Turkey, the USA found themselves down by five in the waning minutes. While they did just enough to send the game to overtime – and then close them out once they got there – you couldn’t help but feel the lack of star power that USA has on its roster.

That, argubaly more than anything, was the clear takeaway. This team doesn’t have a clear identity at the moment, and that was very much evident against a scrappy Turkey that, no question, has more experience together as a roster.

USA shot sub-40 percent from the field, and had they not made 14 3-pointers this probably would’ve resulted in a loss. Khris Middleton hit a few clutch free throws, who finished with a team-high 15 points, and Kemba Walker was one of the team’s saving graces late in regulation.

A few other things that stood out: Jayson Tatum injured his ankle late in the game and could miss some time, which could hurt this team’s depth, and Donovan Mitchell is having trouble finding a groove. Which is a big issue considering that he’s one of the biggest established NBA stars on the team.

As it stands, this is not a Team USA that we’re used to seeing. In the past, and most recently in Olympic and FIBA competitions, USA has run through its opponents. They win with ease, and look fashionable while doing it. That is not the case at the moment.

And perhaps the most disheartening is that Turkey isn’t even one of the top 3 or 4 most talented teams in this tournament. Team USA’s group play slate was supposed to come as a breeze and offer a nice little tune up before actual competition, which the team is expected to face in the knockout phase.

A one-point win over Turkey in the team’s second game in group stage could’ve not been forseen, even by the most conservative of prognasticators. As Team USA shifts its attention to Japan, the final game of their group stage slate, you have to wonder if their one-point win over Turkey was more of what’s to come or just a blimp on the road to a Gold Medal.