Questions Remain For United States
Through the first three exhibition games of their pre-Olympic tour, the 2008 version of the United States basketball team, or the “Redeem Team” as they call themselves, very much resembled the 1992 Dream Team. They defeated Canada, Turkey and Lithuania by an average of 41 points, using dazzling dunks, stifling defense and excellent ball movement. There were brief lapses of uninspired play, but nothing that was cause for concern.
During their fourth exhibition game against a Russian team led by Andrei Kirilenko, the United States were held to less than 100 points for the first time. Although they struggled a bit at times on the offensive end of the floor, the United States forced Russia into 17 turnovers while holding them to 39 percent from the floor. The United States had not been quite as dominant to start they game as they had been in recent weeks, but by the five minute mark they were firmly in command.
In their fifth and final exhibition game, despite the fact that Australia was playing this game without their best player, Andrew Bogut, the United States displayed extended stretches of sloppy play, shot poorly from the outside and played lazy on defense at times. Despite their 87-76 victory there were numerous reasons for U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski to be concerned.
In the previous four exhibition games there was a distinct formula the United States followed to victory. Guards Jason Kidd, Deron Williams and Chris Paul facilitated excellent ball movement, Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant shot well from the outside, and as a whole the team played pressure defense, which allowed them to dominate on both ends of the floor.
Against Australia, the United States reverted to the type of disjointed play that resulted in a sixth place finish in the 2004 Olympics. Kobe Bryant started off the game with a three-point play, and then spent the remainder of the first half playing one-on-one basketball. Anthony shot two air balls in the first half, and often times tried to shoot over double teams rather than move the ball around.
Australian guards Patrick Mills and David Barlow routinely broke the United States’ guards down off the dribble, which led to layups and easy baskets for their team. Jason Kidd, after sitting out the entire second half against Russia, looked two steps slow on both ends of the floor. Chris Paul and Deron Williams combined for just five points, five assists and four turnovers and were unable to match the stellar performances of Mills and Barlow.
This type of play probably should have led to the United States’ downfall, and against international powerhouse like Spain, Greece and Argentina it probably would have. However, they came out victorious because of the play of two star members of the draft class of 2003: Dwyane Wade and Lebron James.
Wade, who is averaging a team high 18 points, and is in the midst of a resurgence of sorts after two injury plagued seasons, and James, who has been battling a mildly sprained ankle, made up their minds that they were not going to let their team lose. Wade scored a game high 22 points and got in the lane at will, leading to easy baskets. James was also able to get the basket at will, but it was his five steals and three blocked shots on the defensive side that kept the United States in the lead.
James and Wade were able to lift the United States to victory against a weakened Australian team. But if they are going to win the gold medal once the games count on Sunday, there are two areas that need improvement: point guard and post play.
As good as Jason Kidd’s career has been, the United States seems to play better when Chris Paul and Deron Willams are at the helm. Paul does a good job of pushing the tempo and putting pressure on the opposing teams’ guards and Williams is an excellent defender who is bigger than most of the point guards he will face. Kidd has started slowly in each of the past two games which has allowed the other team’s guards to gain momentum. While he can still flash the vintage Kidd of old for stretches, the younger duo of Paul and Williams need to be closing games and getting significant minutes.
Against Australia, centers Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard were perfect from the field, but only took seven shots between them. No plays were run for them, they never got the ball in their sweet spots and the big men for Australia were able to roam the perimeter without feeling threatened by their offense. If these two men are fed early and often, not only could they establish a rhythm, but it would open the perimeter for shooters like Michael Redd, and slashers like Bryant, Wade and James.
The United States team will have just four days to shake off this lackluster performance, and prepare for the games that count. Their opponent? Yao Ming and China, who just so happen to be the hosts for these 2008 Olympic games. They will have an opportunity to show right away whether or not they are worthy of that “Redeem Team” label.
This article was written by:
Rashad Mobley - who has written 68 posts on Hoops Addict.
Rashad Mobley graduated with a B.S. in English Education, from Hampton University in Hampton, VA in 1996. He is a government consultant for the Department of Justice in Washington D.C., where he currently resides. Rashad is will be covering the Washington Wizards for HoopsAddict.com during the upcoming NBA season.
Comments
By Yi on August 7th, 2008 at 2:11 am
Brilliant posting- I’m an expat living in Shanghai, so I had the opportunity to watch the last four games (not the first against Canada). Kobe is absoluely atrocious, if he had put up one more turnaround-fall away from 20 feet I would have put my foot through my TV screen. He also commits a huge number of lazy, reach-in fouls, attempting in vain to emulate the turnover-inducing defense by teammate Lebron. I understand criticism of early Carmelo, but to be fair, he hit some big shots in the second half, and seems to be more of a solution than a problem on that team. Kidd is a broken man, literally, he had his ankles broken on one of the first few exchanges of the game. The team hotel is across teh street from my office, and I saw Kidd on the team’s day off. He was shopping alone, and he had a look of resignation about him, as if he wanted to hop a plane north to Siberia to get the heck away from everyone until the Olympics was over. If the pointguard needs to function as a leader in order for a team to be successful (and that certainly is not a definite), this team is in big trouble. Lebron is incredible, but it seemed like he was extremely frustrated in the first quarter when he wasn’t receiving the ball and stood in the corner sulking on offense. Here was my main point of contention: with the US shooting terribly from the perimeter and being out-rebounded, out-muscled (and actually intimidated) on the inside, why are Michael Redd and Carlos Boozer relegated to water bottle duty? Michael Redd is not exactly Steve Kerr or Matt Bullard, one dimensional longe-range specialists. He is a great all-around player who can shoot from the outside. Here is what seems to be the general problem: Coach K doesn’t want to bench Kidd (i.e. not start him) because it would cause a ton of controversy and be problematic this close to the start of the Games. This forces him to have a second unit backcourt combination of Williams-Paul, which is a total waste, because they are both point guards, and, while I love both, Deron Williams as the “two-guard” is just dumb - hes not a lights-out shooter and gets hurt on D. This arrangement obviously makes Michael Redd the odd-man out. He can’t supplant either Paul or Williams because both garnered so much (well-deserved) attention for their spectacular play last season, and Coach K would get killed leaving either of those guys as the “5th gaurd”. Its a classic case of the US team stubbornly applying notions of superior NBA play to situations which require FIBA-oriented solutions.
By Geoffrey Britain on August 7th, 2008 at 2:27 am
Great analysis.
Talent is NOT enough.
Given the talent disparity between our NBA players and other nations, that is probably the very hardest thing for supremely talented players like Kobe to accept.
By rashad on August 7th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Yi-I didn’t think Redd was one dimensional leading up to this tournament, but he has had noticeable problems getting his shot off against tight coverage. And the Williams/Paul combo will work against certain teams, but Australia was not one of them. In terms of Boozer, he would have played more had Bogut been in the game. Boozer is strictly a low post player, whereas Bosh can drift in and out. My only guess is that Coach K likes his big men more versatile to compliment Howard.
Geoffrey -
I agree, and its ok if Kobe doesn’t accept that talent is not enough. Carmelo, Wade and Lebron have good memories of that whipping they took last go round, and i’m sure they won’t take this lightly, despite their bogus guarantees
By Garron on August 8th, 2008 at 6:46 am
I’m an International student living and Hong Kong, and managed to check out the 2 games in Macau, and Yi did say something that holds true, which I’ve been commenting a lot on; Kobe, and the rest of team USA’s, slap happy defense.
The team doesn’t play any real defense besides trying to get into the passing lanes, especially in the post. Against Lithuania, sure, they held Sarunas to a low score, but their post players were scoring a lot against Melo.
On the other end it also seems they can only get by on the break. With other teams running with them in the final too exhibition games, they were held to very low scoring. The problem is their half court sets. If you watch, they really don’t seem to have any real plays; no pick and rolls, and very little if any off the ball movement. This does not work against a zone defense, and the way to beat the defenses is with intricate offenses (australia’s offense was by far the smoothest even though at times they didn’t make their open shots).
USA really needs to step up their game if they want to compete. Spain is looking more and more dangerous every day, not because of how well they are playing, but because of how well USA should be, but are not, playing.
By rashad on August 8th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Garron,
I agree 100% about their lack of half court sets, which is why I’d like to see them work Howard and Boozer in the mix.
By Ryan McNeill on August 8th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Only Howard and Boozer? It’s downright shameful that you forgot to mention Chris Bosh…
By rashad on August 8th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
My apologies Ryan..and Bosh. Although Bosh is a little more comfortable outside the perimeter and in the paint, so he’ll be fine regardless. i won’t snub him again
By Brendan de Haan on August 8th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
The U.S will dominate teh olympics. They play when they have to. You have to remember these are warmup games and they dont care.
By rashad on August 8th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Brendan,
If 2004 had never happened I’d be inclined to agree with you, but the last they had to play, they couldn’t pull it out. And ask the 2007 and 2008 Detroit Pistons how that whole “we can turn it on when we want to” approach works. I hope you’re right and I’m wrong though.
Trackbacks