PARIS — They played poorly in the first half against Nigeria. Like, not very good at all.
They led by 19 at the half.
This is life for the U.S. women’s national basketball team, which won its 59th consecutive Olympic game Wednesday, handling Nigeria 88-74 to advance to Friday’s semifinals, when they’ll play Australia. They’re now 76-3 all-time in Olympic play, dating back to when women’s basketball was introduced in 1976. They haven’t lost an Olympic basketball game since Aug. 5, 1992 — and I know that because I covered that game that day in Badalona,...