US basketball players(L-R) Carlos Boozer, Lamar Odom, Lebron James, Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury watch their teammates during action against Puerto Rico in the first half of their men's basketball game in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. (Agencies)

The United States lost their first basketball game at the Olympics since 1988 on Sunday when Puerto Rico sent them reeling to a 92-73 defeat.

The defending three-times gold medallists never led after early in the first quarter and the NBA-laden team looked in disarray at times.

It was also only the third defeat for the Americans in Olympic history after losses to the Soviet Union in 1972 and 1988.

"I'm humiliated. Not for the loss, I can always deal with wins and losses, but I am disappointed because I had a job to do as a coach to try to get us to understand how to play as a team, and I don't think we did that," said US coach Larry Brown.

In another shock at the Athens Games, San Antonio Spurs forward Manu Ginobili banked in an off-balance shot as time expired to propel Argentina to a 83-82 victory against world champions Serbia and Montenegro.

Home team Greece sent its fans home happy with a 76-54 win over Australia, Pau Gasol led Spain to an 83-58 win over Yao Ming and China, Lithuania came from behind to beat Angola 78-73 and Italy edged New Zealand 71-69.

The United States came to Athens riding a 24-game Olympic winning streak.

But that came crashing down in just 40 minutes of play as Carlos Arroyo scored 24 points and added seven assists to leave the Americans, who hold a 109-3 record at the Games, scratching their heads as to what they must do to win a fourth consecutive gold.

The Americans showed their lack of outside shooting, hitting only 26 of 75 field goal attempts. Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson both had 15 points to pace the United States.

"They came out and they wanted it more than us, I don't know why. We didn't make shots. We dug ourselves into a hole that we didn't allow ourselves to get out of," said Miami Heat (news) guard Dwayne Wade.

Arroyo said: "Without a doubt this was one of the best games of my career, but by far it was the most emotional win I have ever been a part of."

Ginobili had hundreds of Argentinian fans dancing in the aisles after hitting a controversial shot on the buzzer.

The Serbs felt the play should be reviewed, but the referees refused to overturn the call.

"Whether it was a basket or not, I don't know. But that's not what I was arguing," said Serbia and Montenegro coach Zelmir Obradovic.

"I don't know how the referee made the call that it was a basket without conferring with the scorer's table. Without any discussion. This is what I see as the problem."

Ginobili led all scorers with 27 points but it was his final two that gave his team a measure of revenge after Serbia and Montenegro beat Argentina in the 2002 World Championship final.

"It was a childhood dream, the classic story. Winning at the end, beating the world champions, that kind of team. But we shouldn't celebrate too much because we have Spain next and it will be just as tough, if not tougher," Ginobili said.

Earlier, Spain's Pau Gasol also had a dream start as he got the better of China's Yao Ming in Olympic basketball's clash of the giants.

The 2.13 meter (7ft 0in) Gasol poured in 21 points as he and the 2.29 meters (7ft 6in) Yao, the tallest man in Olympic history, traded baskets, assists, rebounds and elbows.

(Agencies)

reel : to be thrown off balance or fall back（蹣跚, 退縮）

disarray: a state of disorder; confusion（混亂）

off-balance: （失去平衡的）

assist: （籃球中的助攻，指幫助隊(duì)友得分的傳球）

outside: a position at a distance from the inside or center, as of a playing field or racetrack（外圍的）

field goal: a score made by throwing the ball through the basket in regulation play, worth two points or, if attempted from beyond a specified distance, three points（投籃得分）

overturn: to invalidate or reverse (a decision)（推翻，文中指改變判決）

scorer's table: （記錄員工作席）

rebound: to retrieve and gain possession of the ball as it bounces off the backboard or rim after an unsuccessful shot（籃板球）