The Brazilian men's national basketball team is a medal contender at the 2012 Olympics. Great Britain, kindly, is not. And yet the Brits gave Brazil all it could handle for most of Brazil's 67-62 win in group play on Tuesday.
The British led 11-4 after the first quarter, limited Nene Hilario to four points and seven rebounds and Anderson Varejao to four points and six boards, and got all of the major Brazilian players — Nene, Varejao, Tiago Splitter, point guard Marcelinho Huertas — in foul trouble.
But Brazil held Great Britain to 39 percent shooting from the field, forced 19 British turnovers, and finished the game on an 11-5 run to stave off what would have been the biggest upset in men's basketball of this Olympics.
Luol Deng had 12 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists for the Brits in the loss. Great Britain still hasn't won an Olympic men's basketball game at the 2012 Olympics — or since 1948.
For more on the Olympics, check out SB Nation's London 2012 Olympics Hub. For more on Olympic basketball, follow the 2012 Olympic basketball section.
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