Dawn Staley goes to bat for this Team USA coach

Team USA cruised to an 87-74 victory over Belgium on Thursday, improving to 2-0 in group play. However, head coach Cheryl Reeve faced criticism on social media during and after the contest, prompting Hall of Famer Dawn Staley to chime in.

In a post on X, the legendary South Carolina head coach offered a reality check for those watching from the comfort of their homes.

A common complaint about Reeve was the decision to start guards Diana Taurasi and Chelsea Gray. The two were ineffective at best against Belgium, finishing with more combined turnovers (three) than points (zero) over 23:18 of playing time.

Forward Breanna Stewart continued her hot start, finishing with a game-high 26 points to lead Team USA , while Sabrina Ionescu (six points) and Jewell Loyd (eight points) picked up the slack at guard.

But two more All-Star guards were left on the outside looking in, with Jackie Young playing only 8:47 and Kahleah Copper failing to see even a second of action.

Staley explained why it was "virtually impossible" to play 12 players, especially a dozen of the country's most talented players.

"It's all about combinations," Staley said. "Managing combinations within the game is extremely difficult."

Team USA is 2-0, having won their games by a combined 37 points. But, even after another convincing victory, it's still not enough to satisfy the masses.

That's not to say that the criticisms aren't warranted or unworthy of being addressed. But, as Staley pointed out, Reeve's gig is different from any other, so maybe she deserves a little leeway.