Unfortunately for Vaidas Karniauskas, his attempt to rile up Austin Reaves backfired.
Los Angeles Lakers swingman Reaves was questioned about being taunted by Lithuanian player Kariniauskas after.
Team USA's shocking defeat to Lithuania on the weekend during a media scrum at the FIBA World Cup on Monday.
Reaves responded quite responsibly, which deserves praise.
Reaves reportedly remarked, "It's basketball," according to Nicole Ganglani of Silver Screen and Roll.
There have been plenty of occasions in my career when people have given me strange looks or done things, but that's okay because it's just basketball and it doesn't matter.
Reaves remarked, "Kariniauskas played a fantastic game." To put it mildly, they outplayed us as a team and won. Therefore, we will recover.
On Sunday, in a game that didn't count toward the tournament's standings, Karniauskas and Lithuania astonished the basketball world by defeating the United States 110-104.
Kariniauskas's tongue-out celebration after scoring on a "and-one" against Reaves produced the game's most memorable moment as Lithuania built a 17-point lead (see the highlight here).