RIO DE JANEIRO -- Two sluggish performances for the U.S. mens Olympic basketball team have not hurt its chances to win a gold medal in the eyes of Las Vegas oddsmakers.Despite a harrowing 94-91 escape Friday night against Serbia, which followed a 98-88 struggle two nights earlier against Australia, Team USA remains a 1-to-20 overwhelming favorite to win gold at the Rio Olympics, according to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.Team USA scrapped plans to practice Saturday in advance of Sunday afternoons Group A finale against France, preferring instead of focus on film work and a walkthrough on the cruise ship that USA Basketball is using as a home base here in Brazil.The quarterfinals begin Wednesday, with Team USA on course to play the fourth-place finisher in Group B -- Spain as of Saturday morning -- as long they beat France, which features NBA players?Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum, Rudy Gobert and Boris Diaw.The Americans appeared to be assembling the ideal response to the Australia game when they bolted to a 23-5 lead against Serbia, but they found themselves hanging on frantically at the finish. Bogdan Bogdanovic missed an open 3-pointer from the wing that could have forced overtime after the United States plans to foul before his shot went awry.Its a shorter game, a 40-minute game, and you can never let your guard down, Team USA assistant coach Tom Thibodeau said in a SportsCenter interview after the game. We felt that thats what we did.When things arent going well, we still have to play within a team concept and play together both offensively and defensively. The way this [international] game is played. ... You have to be tied together and you have to be able to sustain your concentration and effort through an entire possession. We didnt finish our defense as well as we could have.Thibodeau added: And then offensively, when things werent going our way, I thought we probably tried to go a little too much one-on-one, more a result of guys trying to get us going. We still have to stay within a team concept when things arent going well. You get into trouble together. You also get out of trouble together. ... We know things can change quickly. They can go from good to bad very quickly, but they can also go from bad to great very quickly.Said Team USA guard?DeMar DeRozan: We just got to step up our communication on the defensive?end. We all made that clear after the game. Thats something we got to be better at and will be better at.DeRozan echoed a concern raised after the game by teammates Draymond Green and Paul George, saying that offensive issues hurt Team USA as much as its defensive struggles to cope with a Serbian offense that, in the words of Carmelo Anthony, ran fluently.When were sharing the ball, were getting out in transition and everybodys getting a chance to touch the ball, DeRozan told SportsCenter, thats when we become really dangerous.Said Team USA big man DeAndre Jordan: Put together 40 minutes of defense and well be fine. We got some of the best scorers in the world. Offense isnt the problem. We got to worry about playing defense for a whole game. Air Force 1 White Outlet . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. Air Force 1 High Outlet .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. https://www.cheapairforce1outlet.com/ . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. Air Force 1 Outlet . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U. Air Force 1 2020 .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. NEW YORK -- Since losing four straight home games to the Boston Red Sox, the Baltimore Orioles have recovered nicely.The recovery has gone so well that not only are the Orioles solidifying their standing as wild card team, they might get a chance to host the play-in game next week.More performances like Fridays 8-1 victory at rainy Yankee Stadium would help and by the end of Saturday, the Orioles could know if they are hosting the wild card game.Step one is to beat the Yankee on Saturday afternoon and step two is for the Toronto Blue Jays to lose to the Boston Red Sox Saturday night at Fenway Park.The Orioles are in the favorable position because they have won six of their last seven games since Sept. 22. They swept Arizona at home last weekend, took two of three in Toronto and opened the series in New York by getting home runs from Jonathan Schoop, Adam Jones and Mark Trumbo.Those home runs moved the Orioles (88-72) a game ahead of the Blue Jays. Toronto only leads the Tigers by one half-game for the second wild card spot and Baltimore should clinch Saturday, it might not even find out its opponent until Monday.Not much at all until I had no choice because it was right behind the pitchers head every time I looked out there, Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said in his best attempt to deny watching scoreboards. I caught a couple of glimpses, but I dont watch it that much. I really dont. I watch our scoreboard a lot.Since the finale of their series with the Red Sox, the Orioles have hit 12 of their major league-leading 250 home runs and scored 27 runs.Perhaps more importantly is Baltimores pitchers, which has been regarded as a significant weakness, has turned in a 1.38 ERA in those games.On Friday Yovani Gallardo followed 6 2/3 strong innings by Ubaldo Jimenez in Toronto when allowed one run and two hits in six innings On Saturday it will be Wade Mileys turn to keep it rolling.Miley missed the series in TToronto to be with his wife, who gave birth to the couples first child.ddddddddddddHe returned Friday and the Orioles will look to see if he can follow up his best start of the season.A week ago, Miley struck out 11 hitters in 8 2/3 innings against Arizona at Camden Yards.Command of the fastball and setting up the off-speed pitches (was big), Miley said. (Catcher Matt Wieters) did a great job. I mightve shook one time all night long. We just kind of had a plan, and he put down the right fingers.Miley is 0-3 with a 5.77 ERA in six career starts against the Yankees. He had a chance for a win at New York April 10, 2015 when he held a 3-0 lead but Bostons bullpen blew the lead before winning a 19-inning decision.New York will be playing its second game after being eliminated from playoff contention Thursday night. While the Yankees have won four of five, they also have dropped 12 of 19 since a seven-game winning streak Sept. 4-10.Its no fun being in this position, New York manager Joe Girardi said. It isnt. You dont work to be in this position. You work to be in the other.The Yankees also will be hoping rookie Gary Sanchez can conclude the season with a .300 average. Sanchez is batting .298 and has one hit in his last 26 at-bats, marking the first time his average is under .300 since Aug. 9.Masahiro Tanaka likely would have started had the Yankees remained in contention. Tanaka missed his last start with a forearm strain but once the Yankees were eliminated they decided not to pitch him.Hes healthy, Girardi said. He threw a really good bullpen the other day. It just doesnt make sense for us.Instead, Luis Severino will start and try to get his first win a starting pitcher this season. Severino is 3-8 with a 5.75 ERA but as a starting pitcher he is 0-8 with an 8.59 ERA in 10 starts. ' ' '