Team USA Takes It All In Vegas
The saying goes, "What happens in Vegas... stays in Vegas." Well, if there's anyone (or a group of anyones) that wouldn't want that saying to be true, it's anyone associated with U.S. Basketball. The team simply dominated the competition in Sin City during the FIBA Americas tournament, including today's 118-81 win over Argentina, Team USA's second over the team in the tourney winning a previous meeting. Team USA now owns a 7-0 record against Argentina.
So, how good was Team USA? They led the tournament with a 116.7 points per game, with Mexico a distant second at 90.8 points per contest. The U.S. shot an incredible 58.7% from the field and with a team full of superstars - LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony - one might (erroneously) think that nobody on the team would pass and share the basketball. Well, they finished first in the category averaging 25.9 assists per game with Brazil placing second with a 19.6. So, you best believe that this is a team of unselfish players and not a team of individual statistic hogs. They check the "oink, oink" at the door.
This team has a great mixture of players that covers ever facet of the game. And with players such as Michael Redd and Mike Miller, Team USA now has the perimeter marksmen that they were missing in previous international competitions. Hopefully, the stellar and all-around devastating play will continue during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Do they have slot machines and Wayne Newton in Beijing?
My apologies to the international community that reads this blog, but I'm feeling pretty proud right now - USA! USA! USA!
Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Comments
USA USA USA!!!
The USA finally picked a true “team” of Inside power players, slashers, but most importantly was that it took true pure shooters Michael Redd, Miller, and true pass first court leader Point Guards Jason Kidd, and Deron Williams.
Lebron, Melo, and Kobe may be the stars of the team, but “Team” always comes first. Melo is made for the FIBA International game, Kobe seems to struggle more against the FIBA zone defenses, but Lebron is fast becoming the best basketball player on the planet. J.Kidd and Lebron are the engine and the best passers on the team, that passing game sets up the entoire USA offense. Hopefully with D.Wade added for the Olympic Team and Possibly Greg Oden or Kevin Durant, this USA team is ready to repeat the ‘92 Dream Team feat, if they lose any shooters they need to add a JJ Redick or someone of that shooting stature, as the importance of the FIBA 3 point line and Trapezoid lane means that if you take no shooters you get Bronze like the USA did without any pure shooters, the great jump shooters open up the entire game, and give you the inside game, instead of the other way around in US Basketball. The USA MUST put great perimeter and 3pt shooters on it’s Olympic roster, and have a pure PG to distribute the ball. Then the gold medal is just a formality. We finally figured out that it wasn’t just for David Stern to sen send the NBA rookies out there to get more publicity, but instead these other International teams send a true well-rounded team with great perimeter shooters, we match their shooting and the athleticism edge is all USA. Game over FIBA teams, USA rules again when we finally decide to send our best, and an actual well-rounded team. The horrible team picking in the past few years give the world a false sense of security that really never existed, they just picked a horrible USA team for FIBA rules. Colangelo and Coach K have corrected that mistake. USA rules again!
I wouldn’t blame stern for the previous teams. I think that alot of the best players didn’t want to play. Like Shaq, nobody in the world of basketball could stop Shaq over the last decade yet he didn’t go to the Olympics with us? Not to mention this is the first time that Kobe EVER plays on the team!
I agree with ufo3, in the fact that if Redd or Miller doesn’t go to China that JJ would be a good replacement. This by the way is coming from one of the biggest UNC fans on the planet. I also agree that this is the first time we’ve sent a TEAM. If we do that in China, and all the rest of the games, then USA will dominate again, and again and… oh well you get the message. Go USA!