Westbrook feeling it right now. USA slowly pulling away. Damn, Durant has played the whole game, didn't know we're that dependent on him.
The USA doesn't play well together, they rely on pressure defense and individual skills......mostly Durant and Rose.... They are the favorites, but not by all that much... DD
And of course, the usual suspects have their lectures about "team ball" and "fundamentals" ready to go and are hoping for the US to lose because of them. If and when the US wins, they will be nowhere to be seen, just like 2 years ago. Then Argentina will win because of "team ball" which consists of LS4 with an inhumane, otherwordly usage rate.
In my humble opinion, Krzyzewski's job is pretty much improvable. I've said several times that USA could dominate every game and every rival with a different purpose. They decide to play without true PFs, true centers, they play nothing in static offense, no off the ball movement, no post game. The team has no roles, some players are doing what they are not used to do (with a consequent lack of confidence)... The team is not solid. They become unstoppable when everything is going ok for them, but have a lot of different troubles with a competed game. Surely they will beat easily Argentina/Lithuania in the semifinals, but they may lose the final against Serbia/Turkey, or at least suffer a lot... And with those players, you shouldn't, absolutely.
This is clearly the USA's B or maybe C team. When you watch the games, you can clearly see who understands how to play the game, and who is getting by on being a superior athlete. Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose stand out to me as players who "Get it" and are also extrodinary athletes. Westbrook gets it on defense, but on offense he is not much other than a good athlete. And in Fiba, sometimes that is not enough. I think the USA might have been better served to bring in a player or two like Rip Hamilton, or Kevin Martin, guys who move off the ball and into open space to help create for the team. Either way, our athletes are better, but sometimes that is not enough. DD
Sure it is....they will probably win it. I just question some of the selections and the overall mix of the team....but hey, if they get the result, that is good enough, for sure. DD
Team USA continues to grind it out. I've been impressed with this team during the tournament. I heartily agree with those that say the overall makeup of the team was a little suspect and odd, but it has worked. Some of it can be chalked up to other nations missing top players for sure. I mean, Russia likely wins that game if they have AK-47, Khryapa, and J.R. Holden. That fact can't take away from the fact that Team USA has silenced more than a few doubters already. Quite frankly, Turkey may be the team to beat at this point. Everyone was kind of overlooking the host nation at the start, but they have been blowing just about everyone out thus far.
And USA wins that game if they have lebron, kobe, dwight, wade... etc... who cares. I think they look pretty good for a young team that was pretty much thrown together.
Serbia had them. We were up the entire game and the guys played their hearts out. I want to complain about certain things, like the international intentional foul rules and Omer Asik's "injury" but I won't. Well played game and a flat out heartbreaker that didn't bounce our way. And I'm still not understanding the defensive breakdown on the last play. You were saying?
Unfortunately I missed the game. Had to go workout. Props to Serbia. I'm might try to watch the reply later today to get another read on Turkey. When they started looking like a contender, they became the team I wanted in the final against Team USA. I can't wait until tomorrow. On my PC, I'll be watching Texans/Colts on CBS and USA/Turkey on ESPN3. The World Championships have been like a lake in the hot desert for me. The wait for the NBA season will be a lot easier.
The tournament organizers got the matchup that I'm sure they wanted. Team USA as the establishment against Turkey, the host nation and upstart.
