Jaren Jackson Jr. did not have the best start against Lithuania.
Twenty-four seconds into the game, Lithuania’s imposing center, Jonas Valanciunas, drew Jackson’s first foul.
At the 7:10 mark, Valanciunas attacked Jackson once more, earning him his second foul and prompting him to sit out the rest of the first quarter.
With the USA’s big men rotation already in shambles so early in the game, the tall Lithuanian squad cruised to a 31-12 advantage in the opening frame, boosted by a perfect 6-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
Team USA mounted a comeback in the second half, but it wasn’t enough as the Lithuanians emerged victorious, 110-104, on Sunday evening, taking the leadership position in Group J of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
The USA had only Jackson, Bobby Portis Jr., Paolo Banchero, and Walker Kessler as their big men against Lithuania, who had an average height of 6-foot-8, with Margiris Normantas and Rokas Jokubaitis as their smallest players, standing at 6-foot-4.
However, Jackson didn’t want to dwell on his foul trouble because, according to him, whether he played longer minutes or not, Lithuania would still dominate the game with their exceptional shooting.
“It doesn’t matter. They played really well. It really doesn’t matter,” said the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year regarding his early fouls. “They shot the lights out. Credit to them for shooting very well, playing really hard, playing together, and winning.”
Despite the loss, the journey isn’t over for Team USA, who qualified for the quarterfinals last Friday with their win over Montenegro, coupled with Lithuania’s win over Greece.
Team USA will face Group I leader Italy on Tuesday at 8:40 p.m. in the knockout quarterfinals. JJJ and the rest of the NBA-laden team will focus on practice to bounce back and advance to the semifinals.
“Practice. The same thing. What else would you do if your work isn’t enough? Just keep working,” said Jackson, a key piece of the Memphis Grizzlies.
And if fate allows it and the stars align, the USA and Lithuania could face each other again in the gold medal match.
Jackson is determined to get another chance against Lithuania, saying, “Yeah, for sure.”
