VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France — Team USA coach Cheryl Reeve is no stranger to dynasties. From 2011 to 2017, her Minnesota Lynx won four WNBA championships. And during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, where Reeve was an assistant, four of her players played key roles for the gold medal squad.

So, it’s probably a pretty comforting — and in a way, a familiar — feeling for Reeve to look down her bench now in France and see four starters for the Las Vegas Aces, the defending two-time WNBA champs.

Sunday night, it was a core from the most dominant WNBA team in recent memory — go figure — that propelled Team USA to an 87-68 win over Germany in the team’s final group stage game.

Through the first 15 minutes, the game was pretty even (Germany even led after the first quarter), but midway through the second quarter — just a minute after Team USA took its first lead of the game with an Alyssa Thomas layup — Reeve re-inserted A’ja Wilson onto the floor, where she joined Aces guards Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. With the Aces core on the floor, Team USA closed out the first half on a 17-7 run.

Again, in the third quarter, midway through, a Plum-Young substitution (with Wilson already on the floor) spelled instant offensive energy for Team USA as the squad — which had allowed Germany to cut its lead to 10 — ended the third quarter on a 20-7 run.

It was a particularly effective night for Young, who finished with a team-high 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-8 from behind the arc. Through the first two games, Young had played a total of just more than 20 minutes and attempted only one shot — a 3-pointer against Japan in the opener. Her success from behind the arc is especially significant for Team USA considering the group has struggled from range through the tournament, excluding Young’s performance against Germany, Team USA shot just 23.6 percent from beyond the arc through the group stage games.

Geno Auriemma, head coach of the 2016 team that featured four Lynx players, knows the benefits of the chemistry Team USA is currently enjoying with its Aces.

“Anytime you have a group of players who have played together and won together and have great chemistry it’s invaluable to a coach and as to a team that doesn’t have much practice time to prepare,” he said. “As individuals Sylvia Fowles, Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen were just incredible to be with.”

Team USA finished group play with a 3-0 record. With Australia spoiling the host nation’s hopes for an undefeated run, the U.S. will enter knockout play as the No. 1 seed. Team USA’s quarterfinal game is Wednesday, continuing their quest for an eighth straight Olympic gold medal dating back to the Barcelona 1992 Games.

Required reading

(Photo: Jesse D. Garrabrant / Getty Images)

VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France — The “Lille Olympics” are over for Team USA and went mostly according to plan.

A few defensive hiccups here, a minor injury there, oh, and a bus ride or two because someone lit the train track on fire last weekend, disrupting team plans for trains between Paris and Lille, which is on the Belgian border.

But otherwise, the American team of stars is exactly where it planned to be as the tournament shifts to Paris for the knockout rounds, with full steam ahead toward a fifth consecutive gold medal.

Team USA beat Puerto Rico 104-83 behind 26 points from Anthony Edwards on Saturday to finish 3-0 in pool play and as the No. 1 overall seed for the Olympic quarterfinals.

The U.S. emerged from pool play No. 1 overall due to a 64-plus point differential over the three games and will play Brazil in an Olympic quarterfinal Tuesday at Accor Arena — where the NBA typically plays when it has games in Paris.

“I mean, number one, it’s been really fun to be in Lille — it’s a beautiful place,” Team USA coach Steve Kerr said. “I think we got done what we wanted to accomplish, winning all three games and securing the top seed. We know we have to play better. Part of this tournament is it gets harder as you go, of course. And our goal is just to try to get better each game and we’ll have tomorrow off and then a one-week sprint, three games. So we’ll see how we do.”

Brazil went 1-2, losing by double digits to both France and Germany but connecting on 17 3s in an 18-point win over Japan to advance to the quarterfinals. The Germans and Canadians also went 3-0 in pool play and Germany is ranked second behind the U.S.

“We’ve seen almost everybody. We haven’t seen Brazil though,” Kerr said. “Brazil is our focus.”

The first portion of the men’s and women’s tournaments were moved to an outdoor soccer stadium with a retractable roof, just outside of Lille, primarily so gymnastics could take place in Accor Arena. The U.S. stayed and practiced in Paris but traveled to Lille the night before each of the three games, which also included comfortable wins over Serbia and South Sudan.

Edwards, Team USA’s youngest player at age 22, came off the bench to shoot 11 of 15 with three rebounds, three assists and two steals. The leading scorer for the Americans last summer at the World Cup, Edwards dazzled with an array of drives to the rim, mid-range jumpers and three 3s. His coolest play was a tap-away steal and windmill slam with about nine minutes left and the Americans up by 25.

Anthony Edwards breaks out the WINDMILL in Paris! 🔥 #ParisOlympics

📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/FdFYNz5eXr

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024

“I wanted to go between the legs (in the air for a dunk), but I ain’t tried it in a minute so I didn’t want to embarrass myself,” Edwards said. “I want to dunk on somebody, but I ain’t got a lane yet. I’m glad I got that one.”

LeBron James, as usual for this tournament, handed in a complete performance with 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds in just 18 minutes. Kevin Durant scored 11 points and still needs four more to become USA Basketball’s all-time leading scorer at the Olympics for both the men’s and women’s programs, ahead of Lisa Leslie (488 career points).

Edwards’ domination in the second half (he scored 14 points from late in the third to the middle of the fourth quarter, with Durant on the court) had something to do with Durant falling just short of passing Leslie.

Joel Embiid returned to the U.S. starting lineup after sitting out against South Sudan. He scored 15 points with three boards in nearly 23 minutes. In a confounding twist, the French crowd continued to boo him each time he touched the ball, but the crowd at large erupted in applause when he scored or blocked a shot. There were American fans in the building, sure, but the applause was so loud, that at least some of the people booing him for picking Team USA over France for the Olympics also had to be cheering when he scored.

“I think that’s all you can do is laugh about it and he’s done a good job just making light of it,” Kerr said. “And his teammates, obviously, have his back, but it’s all part of it. I’m sure he knew this was coming and what I liked is that after the French fans would boo, you could hear the American fans cheer and so everybody seems to be having some fun with it.”

With the U.S. ahead by an insurmountable number and the clock winding down, Embiid held the ball to run out the clock and was hit with another chorus of boos. He stuck his hand to his ear, as though he wanted the boos to grow louder. Over the last two games, Embiid’s U.S. teammates have joined him in taunting the crowd in response to the boos.

“I love it,” Edwards said. “I don’t get what’s going on, so I’m all for it.”

Jrue Holiday did not play due to an ankle injury suffered in Wednesday’s win; Kerr said Holiday will play against Brazil and could have participated Saturday. Jayson Tatum started for Holiday and finished with 10 points.

Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans, the only NBA player on the Puerto Rican roster, led his team with 18 points. The Puerto Ricans outrebounded Team USA, 51-48, despite a distinct size and skill disadvantage in the post. By American standards, the 11 turnovers the U.S. committed weren’t bad, but giving up 18 offensive rebounds to Puerto Rico is something to clean up before Tuesday.

Nearly 20 years ago to the day (12 days shy of the anniversary, if we’re counting), Puerto Rico opened the 2004 Olympics by pulling one of the largest international upsets in history, defeating the Americans by 19 points. It was the first loss by a Team USA squad with NBA players.

And for about 17 minutes in the first half, a hint of possibility that another huge upset wafted in the air. Alvarado scored nine points in the first quarter and the Puerto Ricans led by as many as eight. It was a 46-43 game with 3:15 left before halftime when James threw a dazzling behind-the-back pass to Embiid for a layup. That play sparked an 18-2 run to close the half for the Americans, who carried a 64-45 lead into the break.

James, 39, had six points and three assists during the run.

It was ALL Team USA in the first half against Puerto Rico. 💪 #ParisOlympics

📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/E2IOR4x55x

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— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024

“I think we’re in a good place,” James said. “We can always get off to a better start to start games, but teams are very excited to go against us and it’s not a feel-out, but we could do a better job starting the games. Giving up (29) in the first quarter today, we didn’t like that and we got better from that moment on though.”

While Durant is looking for what would be an Olympic record four gold medals in men’s basketball, James can get his third gold with three more wins. He was on the team that lost to Puerto Rico 20 years ago, co-captained the Redeem Team four years later with Kobe Bryant and was part of the 2012 team that dominated in London.

This summer, counting five exhibition games and three Olympic contests, James leads the team in scoring and assists.

“Maybe one of the best things about this trip for me has been to see LeBron behind the scenes, see the preparation, see the focus and getting a picture for why he is who he is,” Kerr said. “It’s just amazing to watch him. He loves the game so much. He loves the work, he loves his teammates. There’s an energy and a joy to LeBron that just, it sort of spreads through the locker room.”

Required reading

(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

Blake Snell threw a no-hitter in his first start for the San Francisco Giants after the trade deadline, and it was one of the most ridiculous, energizing and demonstrative displays from a pitcher in team history.

In the 141 years of the franchise, there have been just 18 no-hitters. Between Carl Hubbell in 1929 and Juan Marichal in 1963, the Giants didn’t have one. They moved from one side of the country to another, won two World Series and played through the Great Depression and World War II, but there wasn’t a no-hitter to be found. Each no-hitter is a gift. Some of them more than others. And Snell’s no-hitter is up there with the sweetest of them all.

About 4,500 minutes ago, there was a chance that Snell would hop on a plane to New York, Baltimore or Cleveland, if not San Diego or even Los Angeles. He was going to pitch for a team that was practically guaranteed to make the postseason, and he was going to give them a much better chance to win the World Series.

If Snell were traded at the deadline, his greatest moment as a Giant would be that time he struck out 15 Colorado Rockies. In 20 years, people were going to ask you where you were when he did that. And unless you were at Oracle Park that day, you would have no idea. The Blake Snell Giants era was going to be lost to the mists of time, like Reggie Jackson on the Baltimore Orioles or Dick Allen on the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Instead, Snell became a forever Giant. If you think that’s hyperbole, think about what you’d say if Chris Heston asked you for a lift downtown. “Sure, Chris Heston. I can drive you,” you’d say. When a pitcher throws a no-hitter, he’s in the Forever Giant club. Chris Heston, let me buy you a drink or make you a mixtape. Just say the word.

The timing of Snell’s achievement, combined with the unlikeliness of it all, makes it extra sweet.

Start with the timing. He wasn’t sure if he’d still be on the Giants in August. It’s one thing for a radio host or a baseball writer to pontificate about Snell on the Yankees, Orioles or Guardians, but it’s another to be the human being who has to deal with the logistics of it. How will I be received? How will I fit in the clubhouse? What does this mean for my family, especially my 3-month-old baby?

If it seems stressful, that’s because it is. Snell had just found his sea legs with the Giants, and he was pitching better than ever. He didn’t want to deal with the uncertainty and misery of a midseason job transfer. He was finally comfortable. If only there were a powerful way to demonstrate this …

Blake Snell had his no-hitter stuff tonight 😎 pic.twitter.com/NOmS0BwwYx

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) August 3, 2024

Move to the unlikeliness of the no-hitter. This 3-0 win in Cincinnati was the first game in Snell’s career in which he pitched into the ninth inning. Not only did he not have a complete game to go with his two Cy Youngs, but he didn’t even know what it felt like to walk off the mound after eight full innings. No pitcher had ever started more games in baseball history without getting through eight full innings. Giants starters who knew the feeling of finishing an eighth inning included Tyler Beede (once), Tyler Anderson (once) and Ty Blach (three times). Snell had never done it in his career, and he hadn’t come especially close.

What’s worse is, other than his two Cy Young awards, Snell’s legacy was going to be tethered to Game 6 of the 2020 World Series, when he got pulled with 73 pitches in the sixth inning. He was a newfangled starter in an era that didn’t care about complete games or 200 innings. He was the symbol of modern baseball, for better or for worse. He got pulled with a no-hitter after seven innings last season, and maybe that’s the reason his manager had to find a new job.

You’ve heard of five-and-dive pitchers. Snell got rich as a five-and-thrive pitcher. Now he has a no-hitter. A partial list of Cy Young winners without a no-hitter:

• Don Drysdale
• Steve Carlton
• Greg Maddux
• Roger Clemens
• CC Sabathia
• John Smoltz
• Barry Zito
• Jake Peavy

The last two were added for nostalgia, but you get the idea. Being so good and for so long that you get into the Hall of Fame (or deserve to) was never a guarantee of a no-hitter. Unforgettable achievements and moments aren’t passed out as the door prize at Cooperstown. There has to be a confluence of events, a singularity, a perfect combination of luck, skill, opportunity and execution.

The no-hitter happened the game after a shutout from Logan Webb, in a season where an embattled front office is taking criticism for not blowing it all up. It’s the kind of timing that doesn’t have to mean anything if the Giants get shut out for the rest of the road trip. But it’s also the kind of timing that can mean a whole lot more in retrospect. You can hear the voice of the San Francisco-adjacent celebrity like Mike Patton narrating the World Series film and detailing how the season turned around with the no-hitter. How the vote of confidence that came with the Giants deciding not to sell at the deadline reinvigorated the clubhouse.

If that doesn’t happen, and it most likely won’t, it’s just cool as heck. The first inning of Friday’s game was one of the silliest, most dominant outings in Giants history. No Reds hitter had a chance in that inning. Snell struck out the side on 11 pitches, and it didn’t feel like an anomaly. A nine-inning, 27-strikeout perfect game was most certainly in play.

Snell had to settle for a nine-inning, 11-strikeout no-hitter, which also happened to be the first shutout of his career. He’ll take it. That first inning was a declaration. He was going to continue his nonsense from before the deadline, and he was going to feel even more comfortable doing it.

Do the Giants ride this momentum? Does it help or hurt their chances to keep Snell beyond this season?

No idea. There’s time to figure that out. Until then, consider that a Giants pitcher achieved one of the coolest possible achievements in baseball. I’m not sure what the prospect-to-achievement exchange rate is these days, but my guess is Snell has already justified the decision to keep him around. Not because the Giants are still technically in a postseason race, but because now the 2024 Giants have a defining reminder that baseball can be very, very exciting and worthwhile. That’s something that the last two seasons lacked.

There’s a chance for a big-picture takeaway from this, but the most likely takeaways are: Blake Snell threw a no-hitter, which is rare, and it was a lot of fun to watch, which is rare for a Giants game over the last three seasons. No-hitters are an incredible shorthand description of the entire sport: a little luck, a lot of skill and you’ve got a stew going.

Snell’s no-hitter doesn’t have to be proof of anything — a new direction, a charge over Kettle Hill or a momentum shift. It’s just a moment in time that reminds you baseball can be so impossibly fun.

It was close to not happening. We’ll probably never know whether the inactive trade deadline cost the Giants a championship or if it prevented one for the Dodgers, but at least the Giants got a no-hitter out of it. If you haven’t seen it, pull up the video. It’s incredibly fun, as baseball should be.

(Photo: Jason Mowry / Getty Images)