On paper, it appeared that the US men’s basketball team’s 126-97 win over Argentina in the final game before the knockout stage was a breeze. In many ways it was, but for Carmelo Anthony it was a bit more painful. As you can see from the screenshot above, Anthony took a shot to the groin as he was attempting a three-pointer at the end of the third quarter.
The three went in, but as the video at Eye on Basketball shows it certainly appeared that Argentina’s Facundo Campazzo threw an unneccesary below-the-belt shot as the buzzer sounded.
“He got hit,” Mike Krzyzewski said after the game. “Look at the tape. I know, but I didn’t see it. I would like to see the tape. He got hit in the groin. That is why he buckled over. He wasn’t celebrating his shot
Tyson Chandler also stuck up for Carmelo, calling the play a “cheap shot” when discussing it with reporters. However, Luis Scola brushed the play off as something that just happens during the course of a tough game.
“Campazzo got hit in the nuts, too,” Scola said according to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. “That stuff happens.”
We’ve seen some accidental groin shots before and others that have actually saved lives, but this one looked pretty intentional. Whether the US did it first or Argentina did it first, things could be just getting started. The two teams are expected to meet again before the tournament is over.
