It was never going to be an easy FIBA World Cup run for Team USA. The team was just formed weeks before the tournament and it showed against a ruthless Lithuania team led by Jonas Valanciunas. Hero ball reigned supreme in the last minutes of the game as the Red, White, and Blue tried to stage a comeback through Anthony Edwards but fell short. Austin Reaves was getting posted up on defense and got hounded on by multiple defenders. Overall, Steve Kerr does not think that this was their best outing but they needed it.

NBA coaches tend to operate on what they can control and the past is not part of that. Steve Kerr also follows this philosophy of marching forward and getting better. He had this mentality as a coach for the Golden State Warriors and continues to use it for Team USA. Kerr outlined why the FIBA World Cup loss to the Jonas Valanciunas-led squad is good, via Jasmine W. Payo of Rappler.

“It was good for us. I hate losing, I probably won’t sleep much tonight. But for us to get better, we needed to feel this, we needed to respond the way we did,” Coach Kerr said. He also did not forget to give his flowers to Lithuania and their FIBA World Cup run, “These guys have to feel it. They have to feel how good these teams are. Lithuania is a brilliant basketball team. I mean they move, they shoot, they cut hard, they’re really well-coached.”

There is still a lot of basketball to be played for Team USA. They face Italy's Azzurri led by Simone Fontecchio during the FIBA World Cup quarterfinals.