Kara Lawson urged to back Caitlin Clark and bench veterans to get Team USA working better

Kara Lawson has been urged to put more faith in Caitlin Clark and move away from relying so heavily on Team USA's veteran players after a difficult 55-52 win over Italy at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup .

The Americans remained unbeaten at 2-0, but the performance was far less convincing than their 94-61 opening victory over China.

Former ESPN anchor Linda Cohn believes Lawson's rotations were a major part of the problem.

"Here's the other criticism I have, and this is probably the bigger one. She stays too long with either her veterans on the floor, or she'll stay too long with the young players on the floor without mixing them up with the veterans," Cohn said.

"She needs to not be afraid to change things up. She was outcoached against Italy, but I believe in Kara Lawson. I believe she'll make the right moves on Monday. She's gonna have to... Don't stay so long with the veterans."

Caitlin Clark could get bigger Team USA role

Clark herself endured a difficult game against Italy.

The Indiana Fever star played 18 minutes and finished with just one point, four rebounds, one assist, two steals and a block.

Despite that performance, Cohn believes Lawson should consider an even bigger change by putting Clark into the starting lineup.

"Would it be the end of the world if you mixed up the starting lineup and for the first time, you put Caitlin Clark in the starting lineup?" Cohn said.

"Because I promise you this: she's not going to have back-to-back one-point performances. She'll be inspired more than ever. Think about that adjustment, because it just might mean everything."

Lawson faces major rotation decision

Lawson began the tournament by leaning on experienced national team players in her starting five, while Clark and several other younger stars came off the bench.

That approach worked comfortably against China, when Clark produced 14 points and 11 assists.

Italy exposed more problems.

Cohn isn't arguing that the veterans should disappear from the rotation entirely. Her criticism is that Lawson needs to blend the two groups more effectively instead of leaving either unit together for too long.

With Team USA still unbeaten, there is time to experiment.

But after escaping Italy by only three points, the pressure is growing on Lawson to find the combination that gets the best out of Clark and the rest of the roster.