Thoughts on Team USA's Olympic Opener

Another Slow Start

Team USA got off to another slow start against France on Sunday but heated up behind Kevin Durant’s 22 points as they won 98-71. It was nice to see Kevin Love have a nice 14-point effort, as well. With Tyson Chandler in foul trouble, which is a given at this point, Love’s size and ability to stretch the floor becomes more important to Team USA. Team USA had some difficulty guarding Tony Parker early in the game but their depth eventually wore France down.

It’s a Simple Game

Team USA looked very selfish in the first quarter. There were several occasions when the ball stopped when it got to certain guys.  You saw a lot of one-on-one play and turnovers, particularly from Deron Williams, which led to a sub-par quarter. So it was no coincidence they were only up one after the first stanza.

Coach K went to a flex offense for a few possessions to get the team and the ball moving. That is all they needed. Get guys moving and get the ball moving and the game becomes much simpler. The game is really pretty simple, and it should be when you have the best players in the world, but ball movement and people movement is the key on any level.

Once they got things going, they were really good. They assisted on 27 of their 31 field goals. That is an amazing statistic. I have no reason to think they will beat themselves for four quarters yet but, at this point, they are the only team that can beat them.

LeBron is the Best

I was one of LeBron’s critics over the last couple years. But LeBron is simply on another level than everyone else right now. I told some friends the other day that LeBron gets criticized sometimes for not being selfish enough. Not taking the big shot on the big stage. And maybe that’s fair. But he can afford to be unselfish on this team.

Passing to anyone who is open on this team is a safe pass. Making a pass to the eighth or ninth player off the Cavaliers’ or Heat has not always been the wisest play for him. But he is making the game so much easier for his teammates. He can dominate a game in the Olympics, much like he did on Sunday, without scoring.

I’ve been reading Dream Team, by Jack McCallum (I’ll have more on it in a future blog.) I equate where LeBron is in his career with where Michael Jordan was in 1992. LeBron is coming off his first championship. Jordan was coming off back-to-back titles. They’re on top of the basketball world.

And how about this pass from LeBron...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaNubfhjz8M

No Zone

I tweeted yesterday that I think zoning Team USA is the wrong way to go. I think when you get LeBron into the middle of the zone or along the baseline, you’re looking for trouble. He is so good at finding other people and finishing around the rim. You’re better off taking your chances that Team USA will play those one-on-one games. They just seem to pass it so well against the zone.

Next Up

Tunisia is up next for Team USA on Tuesday, 5:15 p.m. Team USA is an overwhelming favorite. Tunisia is ranked #32 in the FIBA world rankings and they are making their first Olympics appearance. They lost their opener to Nigeria 60-56.  Tunisia only has four players under 6-feet-8, but I wouldn’t expect Team USA’s lack of interior play to be challenged.

By the way, I’m finding the Olympic Basketball Chanel fantastic. I’m watching every chance I get.

Recap of Team USA vs Brazil / Preview of Great Britian

Thoughts on USA Men's National Team vs. Brazil

I wrote in my last blog about Team USA that it is important they not settle for jump shots in their offense. They showed why on Monday night against Brazil in their 80-69 victory. They shot just 41% from the field and only 6 of 24 from behind the three-point arc. As good as they are, the reality is you cannot rely on perimeter shooting every night and expect to win against good teams. Brazil just wasn't quite good enough. It doesn't matter who you are. On nights when shots do not fall you have to rely on toughness.

For Team USA their toughness again came in the form of their defense. 26 Brazil turnovers resulted in 28 Team USA points. That was the difference. Their defensive ball pressure is the highest level of pressure you will find. I thought Chris Paul's pressure was really good against Brazil. The thing to watch is the back end of the defense in those traps. The instincts of the other three defenders when the opponent passes out of those traps is what makes a good defensive pressure team great.

As expected Team USA had a difficult time on the boards against a bigger Brazil team, too. Brazil outrebounded Team USA 38-30. The Cleveland Cavaliers' Anderson Varejao was really good, scoring 12 points and securing 13 of those Brazil rebounds.

On nights when they don't shoot well and are outrebounded Team USA's margin for error will be smaller. I will be interested to see if Mike Krzyzewski draws up anything to get guys like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, or Kobe Bryant more post touches. They're not going to run their offense through Tyson Chandler in the post. You saw the Miami Heat be much more effective in the post-season when getting LeBron open in the post off some interior screens. Personally, I think Carmelo is much more consistent with his back to the basket than going off the dribble. And Kobe is one of the best mid-post players in the game.

USA vs. Great Britain

Team USA will play the Olympic host country today in their third exhibition in Manchester, England. Team USA will be a big favorite. It will be another chance for this team to develop in preparation for the Games. The reality is with the twelve players they have for London they have only practiced five times and played in two exhibition games.

Great Britain has several names that Americans will recognize. The most notable is Chicago Bull Luol Deng. I still have nightmares from his Duke team beating Xavier in the Elite Eight in 2004. J.J. Reddick was the all-time leading scorer in the ACC at the time but Deng, just a freshman, was the best player on the court. Without him Xavier makes the Final Four that year.

The hosts' other top player is Joel Freeland. At the age of 19, Freeland was the 30th pick of the Portland Trailblazers in the 2006 NBA Draft. The 6'10" skilled big man has played in Europe his entire career but recently signed with Portland and will play there beginning the 2012-13 season.

Almost every Great Britain team member played collegiately in the U.S. In addition to Deng, they include:

• Kieron Achara (Duquesne)
• Robert Archibald (Illinois and four NBA teams in two years)
• Eric Boateng (began at Duke before transferring to Arizona St.)
• Kyle Johnson (helped Long Island U. to 2011 NCAA Tournament)
• Andrew Lawrence (will be a senior at College of Charleston this year)
• Mike Lenzly (Wofford)
• Pops Mensah-Bonsu (George Washington and stints with five different NBA teams)
• Nate Reinking (Kent)
• Drew Sullivan (Villanova)

USA Women's National Team

I had a chance to watch some of the Women's National Team play Great Britain yesterday in an exhibition in Manchester. USA got off to a poor start and was down ten at one point. Perhaps jet lag had something to do with it. But a 21-0 run sparked the USA and they went on to win easily 88-63. Coach Geno Auriemma is using the Triangle Offense with this team. This is a great offense for this team since it utilizes great spacing and is able to isolate these great players' skills. Lindsay Whalen and Maya Moore have been playing very well for this team off the bench. I've also found it interesting to watch Diana Taurasi. She is such a talented scoring guard, arguably the best player in the world, but with all of the talent on this team she is distributing much more. Both the USA Women's National Team, much like the men, rely on their defensive pressure to create turnovers. I doubt anyone challenges them in London. They are worth watching.

A Good Test Tonight

A Good Test Tonight

Team USA faces Brazil in their second Olympic tune-up tonight in Washington, D.C. This will be a much greater challenge than the Dominican Republic exhibition.

Brazil has plenty of size, the one glaring weakness of Team USA. Their frontline consists of three NBA players – Washington’s Nene, Cleveland’s Anderson Varejao, and San Antonio’s Tiago Splitter.

Obviously injuries have kept several American bigs from competing in London. But the management and coaching staff has elected to use the traditionally smaller, international lineup. Tonight’s game will serve as a test to see if the smaller, more athletic USA lineups will be affected by teams with more size.

Brazil also boasts Marcelo Huerta, a guard who may be handle Team USA’s pressure, and Leandro Barbosa, a wing who was effective off the bench for the Indiana Pacers at times this season.  

I’ll be interested to see how much Team USA can turn Brazil over and how well they rebound at the defensive end.

When you talk about Brazil in international competition I can’t help but think of the great Oscar Schmidt’s performance in the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis. Schmidt scored 35 points in the second half, 46 for the game, in beating the U.S. for the gold medal. That U.S. team had David Robinson and Danny Manning. Those Pan Am Games in my hometown were an unbelievable experience for me as a kid, but the Gold Medal Game was not pleasant.

Thoughts from the Dominican Republic Exhibition

Thursday night’s rout of the Dominican Republic was a chance for Team USA to see itself against other competition. And learn a little about itself.

I found it interesting that Kevin Durant came off the bench for Team USA. This is a similar role that Dwayne Wade had on the 2008 team. Don’t forget Wade was the leading scorer on that team. I would not be surprised to see Durant lead this team in scoring, as well. I know, I know, I’m going out on a limb.

Team USA was able to get a lot of open perimeter shots. Durant (24 points) and Andre Iguodala (18) shot really well. I think it is important that Team USA not rely on perimeter shooting against good teams like Argentina, Spain, or Greece.

I was hoping to talk a little more X’s and O’s from the Dominican game. There weren’t a ton. Team USA’s pressure defense made it a full-court, fast-break kind of a game. They were certainly aggressive trapping in their man-to-man, particularly on ball screens.  

I think Team USA is going to really benefit from Russell Westbrook’s nose-to-the-grindstone play. The ball pressure he put on the Dominicans was unfair. And he is in a much different situation than with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder need him on the floor at all times. He can afford to gamble defensively because of Team USA’s depth.  

I should be able to break down some X’s and O’s more after watching the Brazil game.

Davis Replaces Griffin

Blake Griffin became the third frontcourt casualty for Team USA (Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh are the other two.). He will undergo surgery on an injured knee. It is quite an accomplishment for Anthony Davis to be added to the team. What a year he has had. NCAA National champion. Wooden Award. NBA number-one pick. I think we will miss some of Griffin’s high-flying act in London but Davis will be an upgrade on the defensive end.

A Wonderful Tribute

If you have a chance to pick up a USA Today today, please do so. There is a great article by Jeff Zillgitt. Zillgitt talks about Capt. Scott Smiley and his appearance at a recent Team USA practice. One of the interesting points Smiley made was how well the team was communicating. That doesn’t surprise me. Krzyzewski has implemented a great communication system and leadership from guys like LeBron make it work. What was interesting was that Smiley is blind from a 2005 car explosion in Iraq.

Team USA also presented the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider on Sunday. Coach K is once again providing this team plenty of reminders about who they are playing for.

I go back to who could be a better leader for Team USA than Krzyzewski? His military and basketball experiences make him the perfect guy for this job.

I look forward to watching the Brazil game tonight!

My Predictions for Team USA...Don't take them to Vegas

Earlier in the week I went over the finalists for Team USA. The team will be announced Saturday night on NBA TV. Once again, finalists by position include:

Guards - Kobe Bryant, Eric Gordon, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Deron Williams, James Harden

Forwards - Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, Blake Griffin, Andre Iguodala, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Anthony Davis

Centers - Tyson Chandler

Nine of these finalists are considered locks.

Kobe, CP3, Deron Williams, Carmelo, and LeBron are all returnees from the 2008 Beijing team.

Kevin Durant averaged nearly 23 points per game in the 2010 FIBA World Championship. Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, and Tyson Chandler all played on that 2010 gold-medal team, as well.

Westbrook has certainly become an elite talent. Love may be the best power forward in the world. And Chandler certainly provides an athletic, interior defensive presence. For Love and Chandler, the lack of depth inside makes them even more important to the roster.

It has also been speculated that Blake Griffin will make the roster.

That gives Team USA a depth chart that looks something like this:

PG – C Paul, R Westbrook, D Williams
SG – K Bryant
SF – C Anthony, K Durant, L James
PF – K Love, B Griffin
C – T Chandler

It is believed that Gordon, Harden, Gay, Iguodala, and Davis are vying for the final two roster spots.

When looking at the roster Anthony, Durant, and James are so versatile the Team USA coaching staff has some flexibility. Each of them can play three positions. LeBron could even run the point if needed.

The only true need for this team is possibly another big. For that reason, I would think Anthony Davis has a great chance of making the roster if the coaches feel his ankle will be healed in time for London.

If that is the case the last roster spot will come down to Gay, Gordon, Harden, and Iguodala, All of these except Harden were on the national team in 2010. I like the energy that Harden provides but I have a hunch his lack of international experience may hurt his chances.

I think Andre Iguodala gets the last spot. He is a good defender and is a pretty good offensive player, as well. That combination can make Iguodala a nice option off the bench.

If Anthony Davis ends up not being able to play I think Rudy Gay’s 6’8” length gives him an advantage over the rest.

I love Eric Gordon but EG is a little inconsistent as a shooter. And his ability to attack the basket is a strength of nearly every wing on the roster. He’s a guy that needs the ball in his hands a lot to create. I don’t think that would happen on this team.

These are just predictions. Don’t hold me to them.

Thoughts from The Gold Standard

Mike Krzyzewski wrote this as kind of a memoir/leadership book telling the story of the rebuilding of USA Basketball. It is still one of my favorite books. It is packed with leadership principles while it also discusses the building of the 2008 USA Basketball gold-medal winning team.

On what Team USA emphasized...On our team, there were two things that we talked about every single day: the gold medal and defense, our goal and our competitive edge. Those are two pretty important things for your team to always have on their mind.

I was struck with Krzyzewski's positive impression of LeBron James as a leader. This is a great example of LeBron's leadership...
The first practice (for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team that summer) also helped our players get reacquainted with LeBron’s voice after having been apart for an NBA season. He communicated throughout. When going from one segment of practice to another, LeBron would announce the transition to the team. This is the type of communication you want from the bench to the court during a game. When a coach says something to a player on the court, you want that player to echo your message. LeBron did that naturally in practice. We may have just finished doing some work on our inbounds plays and I would say, “Okay, let’s get going on some shooting drills off of our sets. Divide up into two groups and each go to a basket.”

LeBron would immediately take control: “Shooting off sets, guys. White over there and blue over here. Let’s go.” This echoing of instruction is something that makes a practice run much more smoothly and is essential in games.

You have to be a family first to be a team. – LeBron James

On developing his systems...

On my basketball teams, I try to instill three systems. Our offensive and defensive systems comprise those X and O strategies that we implement on the court. But most important of all is our system of communication.

What teams need...
Every team needs an ultimate goal, a purpose for which it unites and prepares. Thinking about the goal that lies ahead is what gives your team energy. It’s what you get excited about. It’s why you practice hard. No matter what intermediate steps you take, your team should always have your ultimate goal in mind and allow its pursuit to invigorate.

On Legacies...
Legacy asks the question, “Who were you? Did you win? Did you lose? Did you do something special?”

A Look Back at Beijing

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!
Since I am writing about Team USA I would be un-American if I did not begin by wishing our great country a Happy Birthday! Everyone be safe and enjoy your holiday. A big thank you to those who have fought for our freedoms. A friend of mine recently made me realize how many opportunities there are for Americans to create their own work, especially in today’s technology age. Thank you to everyone who has made possible the great dreams that we have.

PERSONNEL NEWS
As soon as I post my own update of personnel yesterday, Lamar Odom announces that he is not going to be able to participate in London. In addition, it was reported today that Anthony Davis will, in fact, report to Team USA’s training camp and participate after his ankle is healed. This makes fifteen players that will be vying for twelve roster spots. More on this Friday.

A LOOK BACK AT BEIJING
The first decade of international competition for Team USA in the new century was subpar, to say the least. Prior to the 2004 Athens Olympics, USA won three consecutive golds and four of the previous five (The lone non-gold year was in 1988, the last year USA sent all amateurs.) But it was obvious that many international opponents were catching up in a sport that the USA owned throughout the sport’s century of existence.

Things hit rock bottom for USA Basketball in 2002 when it finished a pathetic sixth in the FIBA World Championships. To make matters worse the world championships were held on its own soil, in Indianapolis. To add insult to injury a young Team USA brought home just a bronze from the Athens Olympics.

Things began to change when Jerry Colangelo was hired as the Managing Director of the USA Basketball National Team in 2005. And the most important personnel move did not involve making sure LeBron or Kobe or Dwayne Wade participated on the team. It was hiring Mike Krzyzewski as head coach. Coach K was hired to implement a program where the players would participate for three years, with the ultimate goal of bringing home gold from Beijing.

It is really a great story. A story of dealing with adversity. No longer was Team USA the bully that could throw the ball out and beat any France, Germany, or Puerto Rico. USA Basketball responded to their failure.

The 2008 team was comprised of a tremendous mix of veterans (Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd) and youth (LeBron, Carmelo, Dwight Howard), among others. And they had the opportunity to play together for three years. And the coaching staff had the opportunity to spend three years to learn the international game, a game uniquely different than the college game that Krzyzewski and Assistant Jim Boeheim know and the NBA from which Nate McMillan and Mike D’Antoni know.

The buy-in from these so-called spoiled, coddled superstars was off the charts. Ask Krzyzewski if he thinks they’re not professional. It all resulted in dominating performances from Team USA. They won all eight games in Beijing by double digits. They were somewhat challenged in the gold medal game by Spain but was able to pull away for a 118-107 victory.

This was not 1992 “Dream Team” dominating. But it was “Redeem Team” dominating. This team earned their name and the shoe fit. They redeemed USA’s claim as the greatest basketball country in the world.

And they did it the American way: as a team. Six different players led the team in scoring over eight Olympic games. All twelve players played in each game. Five players averaged in double figures while eight averaged at least eight points per game. The up-tempo, pressure-defensive system that Krzyzewski and his staff implemented was just what USA needed to “redeem” themselves.

There are two moments from Beijing that stick out in my memory. Both occurred after the gold medal victory. The first was of Krzyzewski. Keep in mind that the coaches in the Olympics do not receive medals during the medal presentations. Only the athletes. Each player gave Coach K his medal to wear. This is a man that is a graduate of West Point. He coached at West Point. He loves his country more than basketball. And to have his team win a gold medal under his tutelage had to have been at the top of his greatest basketball moments.

The other was of Doug Collins. Collins was serving as color analyst for NBC’s coverage of the Olympics. Collins has certainly contributed a lot to the game as a head coach in the NBA and as a broadcaster. But his most famous basketball moment was not a good one. He was on the floor when the officials in the 1972 Munich games took victory away from Team USA not once, but twice, in the most controversial end to probably any basketball game. It was the USA’s first basketball loss in international competition. And it was stolen. Collins’ son, Chris, was part of Krzyzewski’s scouting staff for the Olympics. I’m sure Collins still has a bitter taste of the incident in ’72 but he was sure proud of Team USA in 2008.

TOMORROW: Some thoughts from The Gold Standard: Building a World Class Team, by Mike Krzyzewski

A Look at Team USA Personnel

The original twenty players that USA Basketball announced as finalists for the men’s national team in January is quite a bit different than the 16 still eligible to make the final squad. Injuries have been the biggest factor. USA Basketball was going to announce the final roster on June 18. However, Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose were late withdrawals so USA received an extension to select the team this Saturday, July 7.

Here is a breakdown of who is still eligible, who may or may not play, and who will be missed due to injuries.

WHO IS CURRENTLY A FINALIST FOR THE 12 ROSTER SPOTS?

Guards
Kobe Bryant
Chris Paul
Deron Williams
Russell Westbrook
Eric Gordon
Andre Iguodala
James Harden

Forwards
Carmelo Anthony
Kevin Durant
Rudy Gay
Blake Griffin
LeBron James
Kevin Love
Lamar Odom

Centers
Tyson Chandler
Anthony Davis

OUT OF THESE FINALISTS WHO STILL MAY NOT PARTICIPATE?
Anthony Davis– The recent #1 pick suffered a mild ankle sprain while working out for his new team, New Orleans, on Sunday. Davis won’t be able to participate in a workout with Team USA this week but still could be added to the team.

Blake Griffin – Griffin, another former #1 pick, injured his knee during the NBA playoffs and may or may not be ready.

WHO IS INJURED AND WITHDREW FROM CONSIDERATION?
LaMarcus Aldridge – Aldridge was an early withdrawal when he had hip surgery in April.

Chauncey Billups – Billups was an early withdrawal when he tore his ACL back in February.

Chris Bosh – Bosh is going to rest after playing with that strained oblique on the way to a NBA Championship.

Dwight Howard – Superman has been in the news more lately for his other drama than the Olympics but his April back surgery will sideline him from London.

Dwayne Wade – Wade will have surgery on his left knee, which looked like was bothering him throughout the playoffs.

Derrick Rose – Rose tore his ACL and MCL in the NBA Playoffs and will be out through most of the 2012-13 season.

WHAT DO ALL THE INJURIES MEAN TO TEAM USA?
They don’t help. It is obvious that the gap between the USA and the rest of the world closed tightly over the last decade or so. USA was able to recover the gold in Beijing in 2008 and also claimed the FIBA World Championship in 2010. I have a feeling some of these absences could hurt the USA’s chances. Consider these items:

- I believe Chauncey Billups’ absence is the most underrated out of everyone. I had a hunch he would have played the role that Jason Kidd played in 2008. Veteran leader. Could have likely started each game yet played very little. But his leadership will be missed.

- I am really disappointed Derrick Rose can’t play. He plays with some good players in Chicago. But I would pay to watch him play with guys like LeBron, KD, and Kobe. WOW! Very unfortunate. He would have helped but if there was one position Team USA could afford to lose a player it is point guard. They’re still pretty solid there.

- Chris Bosh has been in the national team program for a while. His ability as a big man to stretch the floor with his shooting ability in the international game will be missed.

- Wade was the leading scorer on the 2008 team. And his chemistry with James has only gotten better over the last two years.

- Howard was such a defensive presence in 2008. I do wonder how all of his recent drama would have affected his performance had he been able to play.

- With these injuries to Aldridge, Bosh, and Howard, and the possibility of Anthony Davis and Blake Griffin not being able to play the USA is left with little depth of true post guys.

SO WITH ALL OF THE INJURIES WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS?
The good news is Team USA still has the best three, four, five, etc. players in the world on their team. And the lack of interior depth may not be so bad. LeBron and Carmelo showed how effective the USA could be with a small lineup in 2008. They are perfect 4-men in the international game. KD can probably be slotted in that category, as well. The versatility of the USA’s best players will be so vital to their gold medal chances.

Five players (James, Bryant, Williams, Paul, Anthony) expected to make the roster have won Olympic gold. And these five are expected to see a lot of playing time in London. The leadership of James and Bryant, in particular, is elite. Eight more players won gold in the 2010 World Championships. These guys have won!

So that is a breakdown of where the USA’s personnel stand as of now. Remember that the team is announced on Saturday. I’ll leave my predictions on Friday.

TOMORROW’S BLOG: Reviewing Beijing 2008

USA, USA, USA....

I am going to do something a little new and different with this blog over the next month. It may spur me to do similar things when the month is over. I, like many sports fans, love the Olympics. And I have come to really enjoy watching international basketball. And the USA Men’s Senior National Team has been pretty fun to watch under the guidance of Jerry Colaneglo and Mike Krzyzewski.

So I’m going to provide some in-depth perspective, from a coach’s point of view, on the USA Men’s National Team through the Olympics in London. Well, it will be as in-depth as I can without actually being with the team at their practices and in London.

I will blog about the direction that USA Basketball has taken to improve their international standing, give some perspective on their games, discuss some of the philosophy that Mike Krzyzewski and his staff have developed, and preview some of their Olympic opponents.

In addition, Jack McCallum’s new book Dream Team comes out July 10. It is on my summer reading list and I’ll chat about it some, too. I'll review some of the book that Coach K wrote after the 2008 Beijing Olympics Gold Standard. I loved that book. Coach K gave insight on a certain iconic figure that was very revealing.

I will also attempt to talk some USA Women’s National Team.

I've already got a lot to talk about. So beginning tomorrow, expect a breakdown of the final roster candidates. It is quite a bit different compared to what it was a month ago, and from what the original 20 announced in January were. USA Basketball will announce the men's roster on Saturday, July 7.

Please follow along. I would love to hear your thoughts on the Olympic team.

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