France made a bold move in its men’s Olympic basketball quarterfinal matchup against Canada on Tuesday, and the early returns were extremely positive.
Facing a ton of pressure in front of a raucous home crowd in Paris, French coach Vincent Collet opted to remove NBA veterans Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier from the starting lineup against the Canadians.
Gobert, the reigning defensive player of the year in the NBA, has been a staple on the French team for the past decade. But with seven-foot-four phenom Victor Wembanyama now on the squad and patrolling the paint, Collet opted to go with a smaller, faster starting lineup .
It paid dividends to start Tuesday’s quarterfinal, as France blitzed the favoured Canadians in the first quarter and sprinted out to a 23-10 lead.
Gobert didn’t play a single second in the opening 10 minutes. He finally checked into the game 2:19 into the second quarter, but was subbed back out after just over two minutes of action as he appeared to struggle with Canada’s smaller, quicker lineup.
The Minnesota Timberwolves centre came into Tuesday’s game against Canada averaging 6.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 21.2 minutes per game over France’s first three group-stage games.
Canada beat France by 12 in a pre-Olympic exhibition game on July 19.
The winner of Canada and France will take on Germany in the semifinals on Thursday.
In a surprising turn of events, French basketball star Rudy Gobert will not be starting in the upcoming game against Canada. Gobert, who is known for his dominant presence on the court as a center for the Utah Jazz in the NBA, has been a key player for the French national team in recent years.
The decision to not start Gobert comes as a shock to many fans and analysts, as he is widely considered one of the best players on the team. However, French head coach Vincent Collet has made the bold move to shake up the starting lineup in an effort to spark some energy and momentum for the team.
Gobert’s absence from the starting lineup does not mean he will not play a significant role in the game. He is expected to come off the bench and provide a strong defensive presence and scoring threat for the team. His ability to protect the rim and alter shots will be crucial in stopping Canada’s offensive attack.
Despite not starting, Gobert remains a key player for France and will undoubtedly have a major impact on the outcome of the game. Fans can expect to see him make a significant contribution on both ends of the court and help lead his team to victory.
As one of the top players in the world, Gobert’s presence on the court is always felt, whether he is starting or coming off the bench. His skill, size, and athleticism make him a force to be reckoned with, and fans can expect nothing less than a stellar performance from him in the upcoming game against Canada.