RIO DE JANEIRO -- It didnt feel like a 12-alarm fire when word got out that Sue Bird wasnt going to play. The U.S. Olympic womens basketball team is too dominant for that. It was more like the basketball equivalent of having a rock in your shoe, or having a painting thats hung crooked on the wall. Something just didnt feel right Thursday night in their semifinal game against France. Something was just ... off.Bird always says shes not the fastest or highest-flying talent in womens basketball. But when youve been the point guard for the U.S. national team dating back 16 years, running the show at every major international competition since 2002, and the team has not lost an Olympic game in all that time, its not surprising that the sight of Bird on Thursday would be disorienting for the U.S. The sight of Bird walking out in her navy team warm-up suit unable to play in the American teams semifinal against France because of a sprained right knee capsule might have even felt like an unprecedented opportunity for France, which had five or six players and coaches standing and watching the U.S. layup line before the game as if they couldnt believe their luck.I didnt know she wasnt going to play, said French forward Sandrine Gruda. Even at halftime we were saying, Believe. Believe. Believe.Asked the last time she missed an Olympic contest, Birds eyes opened wide and she laughed and said, Never.Until Thursday, the 35-year-old had played 28 of the last 30 Olympic games for the U.S. team stretching back to 2004. She did not play in the semifinal and gold-medal games in Athens in 2004.While the Americans looked discombobulated early on without her -- France trailed only 40-34 at the half -- they eventually overcame Birds absence like theyve overcome everything else in this tournament, relying on their experience and depth of talent to run away to a gratifying 86-67 win, their smallest margin of victory in the tournament. A 25-8 run in the third quarter put France away to stay.The American team now goes into its sixth-straight Olympic final Saturday, this time opposite Spain, a team it beat by 40 points in pool play earlier in these Games.Whether Bird plays or not, it would be an epic upset if the U.S. loses this gold medal or its 48-game Olympic winning streak now. Bird said her plan is to try to practice Friday, and see how she feels. Head coach Geno Auriemma says it will be her call whether to play or sit.To be honest, yesterday I didnt feel amazing, but I woke up today feeling better, and Im just hoping for the best tomorrow, said Bird, who has had five previous surgeries on her left knee but no issues with her right knee until now. Im not going to be stupid about this. Its your body. You dont want to put it in danger. But if I can play, Im definitely playing.Lindsay Whalen, a 32-year-old veteran, is the only other true point guard on the U.S. roster. But Auriemma said the upside of having already played one game without Bird is the U.S. wont have to spend a half working the kinks out of their offense in the gold-medal game like they did on this night. Auriemma filled Birds spot in the starting lineup by moving Seimone Augustus into the backcourt opposite Diana?Taurasi, and asking Taurasi to be a bit more of a ball handler and passer even though, Thats really not her role.Taurasi is used to filling in. Even if she prefers to have Bird on the court.When Sues out, you forget how much she does for this team, she said. We have so many scorers, and she finds a way to get everyone in their spots, to get everyone touches, and she sacrifices her own offense for that ... I think we figured it out in the second half. But it was still hard.Taurasi still led the U.S. with 18 points. And Bird was predictably uneasy having to endure watching the game. During pregame warm-ups, she made a few passes to teammates in the layup line, and the other U.S. players said she was vocal in the locker room at halftime, too, reminding them of little details, telling them not to worry that their four-point margin was so slim. Stay calm. When the U.S. went back on the court and the five players who were going to start the second half huddled by the U.S. bench for one last quick talk, all of a sudden a sixth -- Bird -- stuck her head in and started giving instructions, sending them out with a pep talk.What was watching like? Now? Not so hard. During the game, very hard, Bird laughed. We were a little out of sorts, and I feel I can help in that department. But honestly, they did a great job. Its not easy. A semifinal game -- I dont care who youre playing against -- its the hardest game because you lose that and you get nothing. Or, I mean, you can only maybe get bronze. So its really difficult. And Im really proud of them.It was yet another measure of the top-to-bottom skill of the U.S. team. But Auriemma said he doesnt want to hear remarks like, What time is the gold medal ceremony? as if Saturdays win is a given.Its not like that, he insisted.But no one believes him. Bird is one of the winningest players in basketball history. With her or without her, the U.S. women just keep rolling on. Wholesale Jordans For Sale . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. Wholesale Jordans Cheap . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. http://www.wholesalejordans.us/ . Barcelonas entertaining victory ensured the defending Spanish champions retained their share of the league lead with Atletico Madrid two rounds ahead of their meeting in the capital. Real Madrid needed a late goal by substitute Jese Rodriguez to earn a 3-2 victory at Valencia to stay in third place and three points behind its title rivals. 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England Women 220 (Winfield 79, Sciver 58) beat West Indies Women 108 (Gunn 2-8) by 112 runsScorecard Lauren Winfield top-scored with 79 and Nat Sciver made 58 as Englands women reclaimed the lead in their ODI series against West Indies in Jamaica with a crushing 112-run victory at Sabina Park.Despite a repetition of the batting frailties that cost England dearly in the second match of the series in Trelawny earlier in the week, Winfield and Scivers efforts proved more than enough as West Indies crumbled to 108 all out in reply to 220.Jenny Gunn, recalled to the side in place of Anya Shrubsole, who was ruled out of the remainder of the tour with a side strain, was the pick of Englands attack with 2 for 8 in five overs.After winning the toss and choosing to bat, England started badly with the loss of Tammmy Beaumont and Georgia Elwiss inside the first eight overs.ddddddddddddWhen Heather Knight fell for 22 to make it 74 for 3, Winfield and Sciver combined for a fourth-wicket stand of 95 to lay the foundations of victory.However, from the moment Winfield was bowled by Deandra Dottin, England lost their last seven wickets for 53, including five for 12 in 17 balls as Shaquana Quintyne finished with 3 for 36.Englands total, however, proved to be more than enough. Katherine Brunt trapped Hayley Matthews lbw for 5 before Gunn prised out Stafanie Taylor and Quintyne in quick succession, and when Merissa Aguilliera was run out for a duck, West Indies were 4 for 48 and sinking fast. Jerseys NFL China Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale China Jerseys NFL Jerseys China Discount Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys China China NCAA Jerseys Cheap Cheap Nike Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Nike Patriots Jerseys Cheap Nike Jets Jerseys Cheap Nike Bengals Jerseys Cheap Nike Browns Jerseys Cheap Nike Steelers Jerseys Cheap Nike Texans Jerseys Cheap Nike Colts Jerseys Cheap Nike Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Nike Titans Jerseys Cheap Nike Broncos Jerseys ' ' '