United States coach Mike Krzyzewski has launched a counterattack against Russian coach David Blatt, who said the Soviet Union was the rightful winner of the gold medal game at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

"He's a Russian," Krzyzewski said of Blatt.

Blatt actually holds dual American and Israeli citizenship.

Team USA will play Russia Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Championship.

On Monday night, Blatt recalled how he cried the night the Soviet Union defeated the United States after a controversial finish in which the final three seconds were replayed three times, with the Americans losing.

Afterward, the U.S. team refused to accept their silver medals.

"You know, he coaches the Russian team, so he probably has that viewpoint, and his eyes are clearer now because there are no tears in them," Krzyzewski said. "So, it's great. Whatever he thinks, he thinks. It really has absolutely no bearing on what we're trying to do tomorrow. Absolutely none. Our bearing is how we guard [Anton] Ponkrashov at point when he comes in, how we defend [Timofey] Mozgov and [Sasha] Kaun inside, that we don't let [Sergei] Monia get shots. That's our goal, so that's what our focus will be.

"And we've addressed that that game was played 38 years ago, and five of these guys are 21. So I don't think they remember it as well. It is what it is. It'll be a negative from the way the U.S. looks at it forever, and should be. And it'll be in some ways a positive for those who believe in fairy tales," Krzyzewski said.