Jayson Tatum Goes Down With Ankle Injury As Team USA Survives Turkey In OT

BYKyle Rooney1.7K Views
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Team USA survives OT scare as Turkey bricks four straight free throws.

Team USA picked up their second win of the 2019 FIBA World Cup on Tuesday, but it wasn't pretty and they didn't escape unscathed. 

We'll skip right to the final seconds of the fourth quarter, where Turkey held an 81-79 lead over the Americans. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum missed a three pointer from the top of the key, but was fouled with .1 seconds remaining. He connected two of the three free throws, sending the game to overtime.

Turkey once again had a chance to pull off the upset in OT, as they led by as many as five, but they simply could not put Team USA away. Hanging on to a 92-91 lead in the final minute, Turkey bricked four consecutive free throws before following Milwaukee Bucks sharpshooter Khris Middleton with two seconds left on the clock.

Middleton drained the two free throws to give USA a 93-92 victory, but the celebration was hampered due to an injury suffered by Jayson Tatum, who rolled his ankle on the final possession of the game. According to The Athletic's Joe Vardon, Tatum sprained his ankle and will be reevaluated on Wednesday.

Team USA, now 2-0 in group play, will next play Japan on Thursday morning. Check out the ankle injury, as well as Middleton's clutch free throws, in the videos embedded below.

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<b>Sports &amp; Sneakers Writer</b> <!--BR--> New York born and raised. Long-suffering Knicks, Mets &amp; Jets fan who fell in love with sneakers when Allen Iverson laced up the 11s at Georgetown. Commissioner of one of the premier fantasy football leagues in the USA.
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