| Head coach | Larry Brown |
|---|---|
| 2004 Summer Olympics |  |
| Scoring leader |  Allen Iverson[1] 13.8 |
| Rebounding leader | Tim Duncan 9.1 |
| Assists leader | Stephon Marbury 3.4 |
The men's national basketball team of the United States competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The team was led by future Basketball Hall of Fame head coach Larry Brown.
The Americans were favored to win the gold medal, after winning the tournament the previous three Olympics.[2][3] However, the team won bronze, while losing three games against its opponents, the most games ever lost by a U.S. men's Olympic basketball team.
The team lost its opening game to Puerto Rico by 19 points, which stands as the largest margin of defeat for the U.S. in the Olympics.[4] It ended their 24-game Olympic winning streak since 1992, when National Basketball Association (NBA) players were first allowed to compete.[5] The team also lost a group stage game to Lithuania and the semi-final game to Argentina.
In addition, the team lost a friendly preparation game prior to the Olympics, against Italy, by a score of 95–78.[6][7][8] This was the second time that Team USA won the bronze medal, having also done so at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
- ^ 2004 Olympic Games: Tournament for Men 13 to 29 Aug. 2004 - Athens in Greece.
- ^ Maese, Rick (August 14, 2004). "Mystique Around US Team Fades". Orlando Sentinel. Daily Press. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ Cazeneuve, Brian (August 2, 2004). "MEDAL PICKS HERE'S THE OUTLOOK FOR ALL 301 EVENTS, AS WELL AS THE U.S. PROSPECTS AND A GALLERY OF INTERNATIONAL STARS". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
Two golds are expected, though the men are in more danger of being upset, having placed sixth at the 2002 worlds.
- ^ "How the 1992 Dream Team sparked global NBA fandom". ESPN.com. September 2, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
- ^ "'Dream team' beaten by Puerto Rico". CNN.com. August 16, 2004. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ Italia-Usa 95-78: gli azzurri nella storia del basket (in Italian).
- ^ Italians' 3-point shooting nets 45 points.
- ^ Italy stun US 'Dream Team'.
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