Olympic Basketball- Greece Thread

[BlueintheFace]

Next game up is against Greece. I believe this will be the most interesting game of the preliminary rounds for a number of reasons.

1) First Test- Greece is the first quality, medal-contending team we will face in the Olympics.

2) Redemption- There is certainly a redemption factor after Greece bounced the Americans from the world championships a few years back.

3) Dirty Players- As you can read here, Greece is a very dirty team. They will try all sorts of tricks to get under the skin of the Americans. Keep a close eye on the actions of Dwight Howard and Lebron James when play gets rough.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/basketball/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&page=USA-Angola-080812

4) USA's Defense- Everybody, and I mean every country's scouting team as well as every American fan, will be watching this game to see how USA handles the pick and roll. How will they rotate? Will they gamble on the passing lanes for kick passes after penetration? Will they pack the lane? How easily does the ball-handler get to the rim? How easy do the Greeks get open threes.

5) Zone Buster- It will be very interesting to see how USA attacks the very organized Greek Zone. Here is where Jim Boeheim earns his spot on the bench.

This should be a very very tough and physical game for the Americans and one in which K will probably have to actually do some serious coaching during the game.

Sidenote- I thought this was an interesting excerpt from the Sheridan article:


The Americans who were on the 2006 team that lost to Greece in the semifinals of the World Championship will be extra motivated, although they haven't been motivated enough to come to the arena early and scout their opponent with their own eyes -- with the exception of Kobe, who sat next to Coach K in the stands for the Greece-Spain game Sunday.

Please add your thoughts here-

[Edouble]

2) Redemption- There is certainly a redemption factor after Greece bounced the Americans from the world championships a few years back.

5) Zone Buster- It will be very interesting to see how USA attacks the very organized Greek Zone. Here is where Jim Boeheim earns his spot on the bench.



I pretty much agree-- this is where the Redeem Team earns it's name, and Boeheim earns his paycheck.

[roywhite]

I'll venture forth with a prediction...USA by 25.

[COYS]

It will definitely be our toughest test, yet, but our roster is significantly better now than it was in 2006. No offense to Heinrich, but Williams is simply a better pg. Paul is two years older and is much improved and far more experienced (not that he was bad in the NBA in 2006, but he certainly seems to know how to get it done on the international level now). I'm a Hawks fan and love Joe Johnson, but Kobe is definitely an upgrade at SG, as well, especially on the defensive end. Add the fact that LBJ, Melo, and Wade are also older and more experienced and that the Greek team isn't as strong and it means it definitely should be a win by the USA. It will be a tough game and the team needs to tighten up the defense a little and shoot better from distance, but if we struggle and lose, it would be very concerning. I'm sure that K will have the guys more focused than ever. I expect to see a determined Team USA slowly but surely pull away from Greece as the game goes on and take the first big step towards redemption.

[weezie]

I'll venture forth with a prediction...USA by 25.

Going way out on a limb are ya'? ;)
I'm with you.

[Newton_14]

This game will tell the story. It is the first real test indeed, and a convincing win would send a loud and clear message that this team has no intention whatsoever of losing a game. I am excited and I fully believe this team answers the call and put's USA Basketball back on top. They will need to be on their game for sure, but they are being led by the greatest coach on the planet so "focus" should not be an issue.

[wolfpackdevil]

Going way out on a limb are ya'? ;)
I'm with you.

I think people here in America are underestimating the talent of the International teams here in the Olympics. I would be heavily suprised if the US won by more than 15. Greece has a solid team and is very capable of knocking off the USA.

Greece plays a physical style of defense and will not let the US get a lot of penetration to the basket or easy break-away dunks. Greece will also take care of the ball acceptionally well so don't expect many turnovers for the Greek team.

I think the US needs to shoot at least 40% from 3-point range or I think that Greece will pull off the upset and beat the US. Kobe and Carmelo cannot have the games they have been having lately if they want to be in that gold medal game on August 24th.

So watch out for the Greek team to pull an upset tommorow.

My prediction is the USA by 6, but I believe it should be one of the most physical and emotional games of these Olympics

[billybreen]

I'm saying Greece by 3 (and hoping I'm wrong).

[BlueintheFace]

I predict that Greece will actually be ahead into the 2nd quarter, and maybe even the third, but the US will pull away enough at the end of the third and will bring home the win. Look for Deron Williams to have a very big game. If not, then look for Kobe to step up.

[Jeffrey]

Hi,

What's game time (EST)?

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[Indoor66]

Hi,

What's game time (EST)?

Best regards,
Jeffrey

8:00 am EDT

[roywhite]

There is an interesting difference of opinion as to how this game will go, and I certainly respect the views of those that look for a very close game or even for a win by Greece.

I like the USA by a big margin here (I predicted 25 pts above) for the following reasons:

1. The US will field some of the best basketball players in the world. I've watched several games, and seen no one to compare to LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Paul, for example. Dirk Nowitzki of Germany is on that level, but the Greek players?
2. The USA should play with purpose and intensity.
3. The USA team has enough time together and enough feel for the international game to overcome most of the "familiarity gap" represented by differences in the NBA and FIBA games.
4. The US will try to push tempo and score off its defense and will have some success doing so.

This is not the Gold Medal game, and a single loss format in medal play is risky, but we should have a better idea by tomorrow about how the US compares to the best international teams.

[ice-9]

USA by 15 with leads of more than 15 though out the game -- i.e. it ain't gonna be close once they get into the second half. USA is a better team than last time and Greece isn't going to play as well as they did in the upset.

[BlueintheFace]

4. The US will try to push tempo and score off its defense and will have some success doing so.

They certainly will try, but when you look at the Greece lineup you would have to say that this might be the team LEAST likely to turn the ball over under pressure. They essentially have 2-3 point guards on the floor at all times. It should be very interesting to see how well the Greek guards take care of the ball, however, just looking at this matchup before tip-off, I would certainly not identify "points off turnovers" as one of the reasons we should win. Your other points certainly do have merit though.

[billybreen]

1. The US will field some of the best basketball players in the world. I've watched several games, and seen no one to compare to LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Paul, for example. Dirk Nowitzki of Germany is on that level, but the Greek players?

This is the fallacy that led to our losses in 02, 04, and 06. Sure, we have the best individual players, but this is a team sport. Until we prove that we can defend the pick and roll better than we did against a Greek team that is likely stronger than the one that beat us in '06, it's foolish to be overconfident.

Again, I hope I'm wrong, but I have a very bad feeling about this game.

[BlueintheFace]

Chris Sheridan has just put up an article on ESPN.com about the game against Greece. He highlighted some interesting things to keep an eye on. (The article basically repeats everything I said at the top of the thread and more... I don't wanna toot my own horn here but... TOOT TOOT Baby).

It's a very good read and even has a Greece Roster breakdown.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/basketball/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&page=USA-Greece-080813

[Uncle Drew]

I think the US team will come up MUCH more fired up for Greece than Angola, and if they don't look for Coach K to bench the starting five quick. They may be NBA professionals and grown men. And as the announcers have said in these games it's hard to jump on teams early and deliver the knockout blow in the first quarter. But all out hussle and most of all defensive pressure and help will be needed in this game.

For those who haven't watched the China and Angola games, you've no doubt read how poorly the US team is shooting 3's. Okay, I'm a Duke fan, I'm biased, and perhaps he might not be olympic material when it comes to playing defense. But am I crazy in thinking JJ Reddick would fill a huge hole on this team? If the US doesn't start making 3's it's just going to make the defense for opposing teams pack it in even more. I realize Kobe, James et al are not "spot up shooters" as the announcers have been telling us. But at some point when you're wide open (these shots have NOT been highly contested) you gotta start knocking down some outside shots!

[jma4life]

I hope team U.S.A. wins big and I really think they should win by big unless they basically panic. THe reality of the situation is the U.S. is significantly more talented than any other team in this league. The second worst player on U.S. (Boozer in terms of playing time at least) would probably be the best player on any team other than Spain (Yao is not himself right now as he is still suffering from the injury and I would probably take Boozer over Pau but I am biased)

I know its a different game and I know the U.S. has not played together as much as some of these other teams. But I really believe the difference in talent is rather substantial.

The U.S. is certainly susceptible to a loss but it would still be highly disappointing and a borderline choke if they do. To use a college basketball analogy, in 1992 the U.S. was a 1 seed going up against teams that didn't even make the tournament. Now I'd say the U.S. is a 1 seed going up against 10-12 seeds and maybe an 8 seed. They could lose but they should win and if they do fall, it's a major upset. And unlike in 2004, this team respects its opponents and has actually played a decent amount of games together. In addition, the team chemistry including respect for the coach seems to be much higher.

[billybreen]

I hope team U.S.A. wins big and I really think they should win by big unless they basically panic. THe reality of the situation is the U.S. is significantly more talented than any other team in this league. The second worst player on U.S. (Boozer in terms of playing time at least) would probably be the best player on any team other than Spain (Yao is not himself right now as he is still suffering from the injury and I would probably take Boozer over Pau but I am biased)

I know its a different game and I know the U.S. has not played together as much as some of these other teams. But I really believe the difference in talent is rather substantial.

The U.S. is certainly susceptible to a loss but it would still be highly disappointing and a borderline choke if they do. To use a college basketball analogy, in 1992 the U.S. was a 1 seed going up against teams that didn't even make the tournament. Now I'd say the U.S. is a 1 seed going up against 10-12 seeds and maybe an 8 seed. They could lose but they should win and if they do fall, it's a major upset. And unlike in 2004, this team respects its opponents and has actually played a decent amount of games together. In addition, the team chemistry including respect for the coach seems to be much higher.

I guess I just don't understand this sense of confidence, and I worry it's misplaced. How is anything you say above different from 2002, 2004, or 2006? In all those years, we lost. Did we choke each time?

[BD80]

I guess I just don't understand this sense of confidence, and I worry it's misplaced. How is anything you say above different from 2002, 2004, or 2006? In all those years, we lost. Did we choke each time?

In 2002 and 2004 we didn't have Coach K or a team committed to playing defense.

We have a better TEAM than in 2006, and Coach K (and a very talented coaching staff) has had time to work with the team. Oh, and we have revenge as an extra motivator.

[billybreen]

In 2002 and 2004 we didn't have Coach K or a team committed to playing defense.

We have a better TEAM than in 2006, and Coach K (and a very talented coaching staff) has had time to work with the team. Oh, and we have revenge as an extra motivator.

Now that's a line of thinking I can get behind. Still, I think guarded optimism is the most that should be justified, and I think all this talk of 15-25 is over the top.

I would love to see a 30 point trouncing, but I'm not banking on it.

[kramerbr]

Sofoklis Schortsanitis is a manchild. Will be interesting to see how Team USA matches up with him.

[BlueintheFace]

Sofoklis Schortsanitis is a manchild. Will be interesting to see how Team USA matches up with him.

The dude could eat SEAN MAY... no joke

[jipops]

Nothing that has been exhibited thus far convinces me that this is somehow not going to be an absolute dog fight to the end. Sure the Greeks don't have the same kind of individual talent, but they are a true team with both an offensive and defensive system that is highly effective, disruptive, and frustrating to match.

So far we've seen several flaws/aspects of the Amercian game in the Olympics that plays right into the Greeks' hands.
1. We've been horrible from 3 pt.
2. We still get lost guarding a back cut or pick and roll.
3. We still cannot hit a decent ft percentage.
4. Greece is a very, very, very good TEAM.

Remember 2006? This was the story then as well. So to say we're going to just run away with this by 25 is based on absolutely nothing. Our main strength is scoring off turnovers which basically generates our entire offense. Greece runs a very precise offense that is not at all conducive to throwing the ball away. Go back and look at all the other games (if you happen to have them on DVR) and compare how many points are scored off fastbreaks and how many are scored in half court sets. Still think we'll win by 25? This is one of the toughest match-ups we face mostly because the style of play is something our guys have not shown a comfort level with.

Points 1-3 can certainly change, #4 will not. I just hope we win, I don't care what the margin is - that is meaningless. It's time to get off the Dream Team mindset b/c those days are long, long gone. It's a level playing field now. If we're able to somehow impose our style of play then we should be ok, but if this stays a half court game for the entire 40 minutes, then we're looking at a serious nail-biter.

[hc5duke]

Sorry this has been brought up before, but 8am EDT means on the west coast we'll watch it 3 hours delayed at 8am PDT, correct? Is the online coverage also 3 hours delayed?

--added later--
Now I'm told it's 5am on USA... guess I'll wake up and see if it's on at 5am...

[jma4life]

I guess I just don't understand this sense of confidence, and I worry it's misplaced. How is anything you say above different from 2002, 2004, or 2006? In all those years, we lost. Did we choke each time?



LIsten, I'm usually one of the most cautiously optimistic guys out there. I'm the guy reminding posters that beating the 16 seed is not guaranteed. I always show tremendous respect to any opponent and I never like to guarantee victory or have a sense that the team I am rooting for will definitely win even in games where people expect the team I'm rooting for to dominate.


But the bottom line is in terms of pure talent, the U.S. is simply superior to every team. Obviously the U.S. can still lose. 1 seeds have lost to 13 seeds. 15 seeds have beaten two seeds. UCONN's talent advantage compared to say George Mason was probably comparable to the U.S.'s advantage over most other teams. The U.S. still needs to show tremendous respect to their opponents. As a fan, I am still nervous before each game and know that the U.S. can lose. Just like I am nervous when a 1 seeded Duke goes up against an 8 or 9 seeded team in the tournament.

But just because you can lose does not mean that when you do lose its not a choke or at the very least, a failure and tremendous disappointment. The U.S. has too much talent and coaching ability to not win this tournament. I suppose since the rules are international that could put a dent in my argument but I just look at the U.S. and I look at Spain and I don't see why the U.S. shouldn't win.

[BlueintheFace]

It'll be really interesting to see how Spanoulis performs. He is a very VERY difficult player to play defense against. "Crafty" really is the best way to describe him. He finds angles to get off good shots inside the arc and has a killer stroke from distance on top of that. Plus, he is a great creator. This is a true test for Kobe as the designated defensive specialist on the team.

[billybreen]

Sorry this has been brought up before, but 8am EDT means on the west coast we'll watch it 3 hours delayed at 8am PDT, correct? Is the online coverage also 3 hours delayed?

--added later--
Now I'm told it's 5am on USA... guess I'll wake up and see if it's on at 5am...

You don't get the HD feed showing every basketball game without commercials? It's rad.

[billybreen]

Nothing that has been exhibited thus far convinces me that this is somehow not going to be an absolute dog fight to the end. Sure the Greeks don't have the same kind of individual talent, but they are a true team with both an offensive and defensive system that is highly effective, disruptive, and frustrating to match.

So far we've seen several flaws/aspects of the Amercian game in the Olympics that plays right into the Greeks' hands.
1. We've been horrible from 3 pt.
2. We still get lost guarding a back cut or pick and roll.
3. We still cannot hit a decent ft percentage.
4. Greece is a very, very, very good TEAM.

Remember 2006? This was the story then as well. So to say we're going to just run away with this by 25 is based on absolutely nothing. Our main strength is scoring off turnovers which basically generates our entire offense. Greece runs a very precise offense that is not at all conducive to throwing the ball away. Go back and look at all the other games (if you happen to have them on DVR) and compare how many points are scored off fastbreaks and how many are scored in half court sets. Still think we'll win by 25? This is one of the toughest match-ups we face mostly because the style of play is something our guys have not shown a comfort level with.

Points 1-3 can certainly change, #4 will not. I just hope we win, I don't care what the margin is - that is meaningless. It's time to get off the Dream Team mindset b/c those days are long, long gone. It's a level playing field now. If we're able to somehow impose our style of play then we should be ok, but if this stays a half court game for the entire 40 minutes, then we're looking at a serious nail-biter.

Amen, my man.

[mgtr]

You don't get the HD feed showing every basketball game without commercials? It's rad.

Conmmercial-free basketball is one of the highlights of the Olympics. It is right up there with Monk and House.

[billybreen]

Conmmercial-free basketball is one of the highlights of the Olympics. It is right up there with Monk and House.

Psych is really growing on me. The John Hughes episode was fantastic.

[Edouble]

Sorry this has been brought up before, but 8am EDT means on the west coast we'll watch it 3 hours delayed at 8am PDT, correct? Is the online coverage also 3 hours delayed?

--added later--
Now I'm told it's 5am on USA... guess I'll wake up and see if it's on at 5am...

Here in Richmond, it is on at 8AM EST, but that's the replay. I would think that the replay for you would be at the same time, 8AM PAC TIME. It's on here, live at 2 AM, so I am staying up to watch. For you, I guess it would only be 11PM, so you should stay up and watch.

Anyone else gonna catch the game live?

[roywhite]

Here in Richmond, it is on at 8AM EST, but that's the replay. I would think that the replay for you would be at the same time, 8AM PAC TIME. It's on here, live at 2 AM, so I am staying up to watch. For you, I guess it would only be 11PM, so you should stay up and watch.

Anyone else gonna catch the game live?

Stay up if you like; Angola---China is at 2:30 AM EDT, but the USA---Greece is at 8:00 AM EDT live, and yes, USA would have it on at 5:00 AM Pacific DT.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/schedule?discId=7


There are several sources for programming info, and this link is to the ESPN site.

[Edouble]

Stay up if you like; Angola---China is at 2:30 AM EDT, but the USA---Greece is at 8:00 AM EDT live, and yes, USA would have it on at 5:00 AM Pacific DT.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/schedule?discId=7


There are several sources for programming info, and this link is to the ESPN site.

I'll be up! Interesting link. My sources, which include a commercial that I just saw an hour ago, plus NBC's official press kit/schedule, say that USA vs. Greece is on live at 2:00 AM (scroll to the bottom of page 25, it's a huge PDF).

http://www.nbcumv.com/special/S__Press_DEPTS_NBCMV_Press_Kits_2008_Beijing_24-HR_Listings_Document_080208.pdf

It does appear that other schedules are claiming that the game is actually live 6 hours later. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

[BD80]

I'll be up! Interesting link. My sources, which include a commercial that I just saw an hour ago, plus NBC's official press kit/schedule, say that USA vs. Greece is on live at 2:00 AM (scroll to the bottom of page 25, it's a huge PDF).

http://www.nbcumv.com/special/S__Press_DEPTS_NBCMV_Press_Kits_2008_Beijing_24-HR_Listings_Document_080208.pdf

It does appear that other schedules are claiming that the game is actually live 6 hours later. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

I believe that segment of live coverage on USA network begins at 2:00 AM EST and runs until noon, but the USA men's basketball isn't the first event in the schedule for that segment. I believe the game is scheduled to start at 8:00 AM EST.

[hc5duke]

I believe that segment of live coverage on USA network begins at 2:00 AM EST and runs until noon, but the USA men's basketball isn't the first event in the schedule for that segment. I believe the game is scheduled to start at 8:00 AM EST.

Yeah that makes sense. On my DVR it shows up as 11pm PDT - 9am PDT, and the description does say US vs. Greece. Guess I'm waking up at 5am to watch this.

[Edouble]

I give up. I'm going to leave my cat in front of the TV with my HD Olympic channel on, and hopefully he'll come wake me when the game starts--whether it's 2 or 8.

[throatybeard]

This is the fallacy that led to our losses in 02, 04, and 06. Sure, we have the best individual players, but this is a team sport. Until we prove that we can defend the pick and roll better than we did against a Greek team that is likely stronger than the one that beat us in '06, it's foolish to be overconfident.

Again, I hope I'm wrong, but I have a very bad feeling about this game.

It disturbs me that you're commenting extensively on something as trivial as basketball. :D

[BlueintheFace]

early reffing is atrocius... the intentional on Kobe was a joke!!

[arydolphin]

The officiating in the Olympics is interesting, to say the least.

The USA guys are switching on every screen out on the perimeter, which is something we see with Duke all the time. I'm still not sold on the screen-roll defense down low, and our offense doesn't look great against the Greek zone.

[dkbaseball]

Is the game televised? I'm not getting it on NBC.

[BlueintheFace]

The officiating in the Olympics is interesting, to say the least.

The USA guys are switching on every screen out on the perimeter, which is something we see with Duke all the time. I'm still not sold on the screen-roll defense down low, and our offense doesn't look great against the Greek zone.

I'd actually call our defense decent to good early on. K obviously told them to give up the occasional layup in order to overplay the kickout for three. They have also (in typical Duke fasion) managed to push the offense further from the basket. Only 16 points in the first quarter!! As soon as the Offense picks up in the second quarter things could be good.

[kramerbr]

The game is on USA network.

[Bob Green]

We are stepping it up in the 2nd Quarter. The team is having trouble adjusting to the way the refs call the game.

[dkbaseball]

The game is on USA network.

Thanks. Found it just as you posted.

[BlueintheFace]

Kobe and Dwade are passing out of their minds...impressive stuff

[arydolphin]

Dwyane Wade has really brought a spark off the bench, and the defensive effort has really stepped up with him on the court.

The US also plays much better with CP3 at the point instead of Kidd. It's a blessing in disguise that Kidd got 3 early fouls.

[BlueintheFace]

The US also plays much better with CP3 at the point instead of Kidd. It's a blessing in disguise that Kidd got 3 early fouls.

I thought the same thing

[BlueintheFace]

For the first time this year, EVERY player on the court is playing good defense and offense. Bosh has been great.. AMAZING DEFENSE!! A very good second quarter!

[heyman25]

On other boards they ask why Boozer doesn't play much. Big reason is Chris Bosh what a great 1st half.

[ice-9]

Up 19 points at half time. Damn, was I too conservative in my forecast for 15 points? I expect Greece to turn it up a notch in the 2nd half but for USA to meet it punch for punch.

[jacone21]

... AMAZING DEFENSE!!...

QFT!


Gotta love the switching on those high screens and the ball pressure. It reminds me of a certain college team, but I can't remember their name. Blue something or other.


Team USA really needs to keep the pressure on in the second half. Don't let up guys!

[Edouble]

Some people were saying we wouldn't be able to run against Greece. We weren't going coast to coast early on, but by the end of the second half, the throttle was completely let out. Aside from the missed alley-oop by Kobe, our passing has been close to perfect.

It will be interesting to see how much PT Boozer gets in the second half. Hopefully not much, becase Bosh has been great.

[billybreen]

I'm totally wrong so far and loving it. Keep it up!

[Stray Gator]

Seasoned observers of college basketball could have told you who was coaching this team just by watching the first half. Classic Krzyzewski defense. And after too much one-on-one take-your-man NBA offense in the first 6-8 minutes, the passing game really blossomed. Here's hoping our guys can maintain the intensity--and margin--through the second half.

[Carlos]

Chris Bosh has been very impressive on the defensive end of the floor. 3 times at the end of the half he got switched out on Greek guards and he had two clean steals and a block.

On the other end of the floor Wade looks like he's back to the player he used to be. That play where he saved the ball from going out of bounds and managed to throw a perfect alley oop pass to Kobe was brilliant.

The team does play much better when Paul or Williams is in there instead of Kidd. Kidd gets the Irving G. Thalberg Lifetime Achievement Award and deserves to be on the team, but he's really not the same player he was even just 2 years ago.

[BlueintheFace]

Welcome to the Block Party. I'm your host Lebron James. Meet my friend Mr. Bosh.

[Edouble]

MVP of the game: Jerry Colangelo for trusting Dwayne Wade, when Wade told him he'd be ready to play in China.

[jacone21]

Even in the third... mostly due to much improved 3pt shooting from Greece. What were they, 5 of 6?

[hedgehog]

Dwyane Wade has really brought a spark off the bench, and the defensive effort has really stepped up with him on the court.

The US also plays much better with CP3 at the point instead of Kidd. It's a blessing in disguise that Kidd got 3 early fouls.

Maybe we are also luck that Kidd tried to throw that backboard pass to Lebron. I wonder if that will lead to more bench time for him. For the "elder statesman" of the group, that certainly wasn't leading by example the way Coach K would like and respecting the opponent. After Spain came back from 13 down on China, I would hope we would be more focused about putting the game away.

[COYS]

This is one of the most impressive defensive displays I've seen in a long time . . . at least in a game involving NBA pros. Deflected passes, traps, tips, steals, blocks, rebounds leading to crisp outlet passes . . . It's been a joy to watch. Bosh has been spectacular. It hasn't been a perfect game by any means. Even though our offensive passing has been very impressive most of the game, there have been sequences when we've been a little careless with the ball. But man, otherwise this game is exactly what I had hoped to see out of Team USA today. The only bad thing is that Boozer is certainly not doing anything to earn more minutes right now as the 4th quarter winds down. Hopefully he'll get his rhythm back after today. Otherwise, great job, guys!

[billybreen]

On the other end of the floor Wade looks like he's back to the player he used to be. That play where he saved the ball from going out of bounds and managed to throw a perfect alley oop pass to Kobe was brilliant.

Agreed, that was spectacular.

Now, let's see what we can do with those dorks from Spain.

[Bob Green]

An excellent 23 point victory over a team many predicted we would have trouble matching up against. Now it is time to focus on Spain.

[Edouble]

Yeah, awesome win. If it wasn't clear already, we just sent the message that we are the team to beat.

[jacone21]

Nice outing for Team USA. Is it just me, or does the rhythm and flow of the team seem amazingly Duke like? The only thing missing is Dickie V talking about "patented USA spurts."

[billybreen]

The only thing missing is Dickie V talking about "patented USA spurts."

And thank criminy for that!

[BlueintheFace]

1) I was certainly one of those who believed we would have trouble. It became clear in the first half that Greece has the game plan to play us close, but does not have the same talent as 2 years ago or enough for this year. That was a GREAT defensive performance by the US.

2) I still am confident in saying that if we have a mediocre, not even bad, game against Greece, Argentina, and maybe Spain in the knockout stage, we WILL lose. We still shot poorly from three for most of the game and gave up too many open threes (though they weren't hitting).

3)However, I am now also confident in saying that if the US plays to this standard every game, it will be Gold Medals all around.

4)My Player of the Game is Chris Bosh

5) Finally, I hope the press gives K all the credit in the world here. His fingerprints were all over this defensive effort. He stayed in man-to-man despite criticism from the media and second guessing about playing zone. Also, he seemingly made all the right personnel decisions. I do, however, wonder who will start the next game.

Note- Nice to see Kobe got his touch back (I liked the JJ method... if you are missing, just take a step back)

Note- DWade is going to be a beast in Miami next season.

[Indoor66]

1)I do, however, wonder who will start the next game.

10 to 1 it is the same five as today.

[slower]

Maybe we are also luck that Kidd tried to throw that backboard pass to Lebron. I wonder if that will lead to more bench time for him.

And when they cut to K after that play, you could see him say "What was that bulls**t?"

[heyman25]

Great defensive performance. Only criticism would be poor free throw shooting and noone shooting well from 3 pt range. That was Greece's only strength today. Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh were outstanding. Jason Kidd is really not adding much,but who new. Another accurate shooter or rebounder would have been better than Kidd. Boozer is not sharp when he is in the game. Too bad for him,because everyone needs to play full throttle when they are on the court.

[ice-9]

Boozer didn't look comfortable when he first came in, but after a few minutes it seemed like he calmed down and became more reliable. If push came to shove, I think he could be counted on to deliver once he warms up.

I see the poor 3-point shooting as actually the cherry on top for USA's crusade for gold. Even though USA shoot poorly in the Olympics, they still won every game by a very comfortable margin. Can you imagine: with the kind of defense they've played and all the fast break points (remember -- many of you said that we wouldn't get many points off of turnovers against a Greece team that supposedly takes good care of the ball) AND a decent-to-good 3-point shooting, this USA team will be nigh unstoppable. And I'm sure the 3-point shooting touch will return at some point in the Olympics.

The free throw shooting is a concern though. It was weird to see Wade miss so many.

-------------

On a small side note: watching the USA team reminded me just how important athleticism is to make Coach K's system shine. I think one of the main problems with Paulus' class, despite being highly rated, is that it didn't have the kind of athletes necessary for the kind of pressure defense that Coach K demands. This to me is the biggest reason why in the past few years we have underperformed relative to expectations. With the recruitment of players like Nolan, Henderson, Elliot and Olek however, it seems like the coaching staff is once again emphasizing athleticism.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

2) I still am confident in saying that if we have a mediocre, not even bad, game against Greece, Argentina, and maybe Spain in the knockout stage, we WILL lose. We still shot poorly from three for most of the game and gave up too many open threes (though they weren't hitting).

I think it depends where you apply the term "mediocre." I think we've clearly shown we can overcome mediocre 3pt shooting. And dare I say it would be hard for it to get much worse. If we play only mediocre defense, then we may have a real problem. But something tells me K won't let that happen. And I think these guys have too much pride themselves to let it happen. That was swarming but controlled D they just played against a really good team. I was very impressed with their intensity and feel this level of D alone will carry them to the gold.

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

I see the poor 3-point shooting as actually the cherry on top for USA's crusade for gold.

Bingo. When we need more shooting we'll bring in Redd earlier. If Kobe et al can get on track (I loved Blue calling it the "JJ method," btw) we become even more deadly.

I was also really impressed with how well we were able to turn Greece's "no layups" rough play against them. How many and1's did we have today? Finishing with strength put us in the bonus early, really seemed to frustrate them, and covered for a lot of missed FT's.


On a small side note: watching the USA team reminded me just how important athleticism is to make Coach K's system shine. I think this is also a great point, and augers well for the next few seasons. Lots of reasons to smile today. :)

[Turk]

I was nervous too going into this game, but now I'm sold. Whoo, that 2nd quarter was great. DWade is back from the dead, LBJ was all over the floor, and some guy named Kobe is the 3rd banana... Great game from Bosh, and also saw signs of life from Melo. Looks to me like everyone is on board with the program....

It looks like USA can really crank up the D and get lots of points inside, so I am not as worried about the iffy 3point shooting as I used to be... Doesn't mean USA will continue to roll by 20 every game but the guys really look like they're playing with fire and heart...

A couple of my buddies who like to bash Duke told me they are setting that aside during the Olympics in the spirit of unity - they said if USA wins gold they might have to start cutting Coach K some slack... Go USA!!

[jipops]

An excellent 23 point victory over a team many predicted we would have trouble matching up against. Now it is time to focus on Spain.

I was one of those predicting a nail-biter for this one. I am extremely impressed to say the least of the defensive effort our guys put forth today (watched the 1st half before leaving for work and most of the 2nd half online). Let's keep this in perspective, this was not some pushover team we manhandled. This was a very precise and effective offensive system that we completely disrupted. We scouted and executed against them to near perfection on the defensive end. I love how we had Bosh out there defending on the perimeter. Our guys had terrific positioning on defense leading to countless deflected or errant passes.

This is exactly the kind of defensive intensity we need to capture gold.

[mapei]

Nothing to add except that I totally agree!

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

4)My Player of the Game is Chris Bosh

It's safe to say Chris Bosh's intense training regimen (http://video.aol.com/video/chris-bosh-exclusive-training-video/2192720) has paid off

[moonpie23]

one of the haters on espn today was saying that the europeans were "known for playing possum" when they know they are going to be in the medal round..

so, i guess the greeks wanted to lose...



it's all about the defense.....and today, they made defense turn into offense..

[_Gary]

The only way I see us losing a game is if we really hit a major, major cold spell from three and our opponents hit a major, major hot spell from three. Because what I see as being consistent are:

1) Our pressure "D" disrupting even the most seasoned offenses. No one is going to be able to run half court offense like they want to for 40 minutes against us. The better teams will have some nice moments and go on a few runs here and there with back doors and such, but for the most part our "D" should really keep other teams down, scoring wise.

2) That same pressure "D" should lead to an awful lot of steals and fast break points. Even if our half-court offense suffers we should still always be able to generate a ton of baskets each and every game with the great defense and aggressive play from everyone on our team. There's not anyone on our team that doesn't look to outlet or push off steals or rebounds, so I can't imagine us going so cold on offense that we can't put up 80+ each and every time from here on out.

The only way we get in trouble is if we go stone cold from the perimeter as a team (something like 20% or less from 3) and our opponents go nuts even with hands in their faces (something like 60% or more). Otherwise I just can't see us losing.

Gary

[DukeDude]

Bosh was just incredible in the 2nd quarter. Twice he switched onto a guard on a pick and roll and batted the ball away when the guard tried to drive leading to a US fast break. The third time the guard got Bosh on a switch, he tried to pull up for a 3 right before the half and Bosh came out and blocked it. He was also part of a trap with Deron Williams just across half court that led to a steal and dunk by LBJ. He was like a Battier with hair. He also converted 2 old fashioned 3 point plays during this stretch as the US pushed the lead from 8 to 19. Greece got Boshed.

[hc5duke]

one of the haters on espn today was saying that the europeans were "known for playing possum" when they know they are going to be in the medal round..

so, i guess the greeks wanted to lose...
Since we're already talking about Futurama in the OTB...
http://www.ssfuturama.cz/info/nations/persons/bubblegum.jpg: It was always our plan to lose the qualifying round game, thus deepening America's eventual humiliation. Also, what game were the refs watching?

[pfrduke]

Great article on the U.S.-Greece game over at Basketball Prospectus (http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=401). My favorite part - the author tracked Greece's success on the screen-and-roll after the 2006 shred job that play caused. The results:


It all started with the defense on the pick-and-roll, which Greece famously ran 42 times in the 2006 victory. Because of that, I started charting how the USA defended pick-and-rolls early in the game, ultimately stopping midway through the fourth quarter when the game was well in hand. Overall, I counted 23 pick-and-rolls in that span that led directly to offensive action. On those 23 opportunities, Greece scored four times for a total of nine points.

That's just ridiculously good defense.

[hc5duke]

Some pretty funny quotes from Yahoo's Ball Don't Lie (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Team-USA-to-you-Are-you-not-entertained-;_ylt=AgKjp5X1CgneWGigGEuCE0q8vLYF?urn=nba,100834)


• 92-69? That's it? What is that, eight, nine points? We should be beating teams like Greece by 80 or 90 points. We should be winning games 150-6! And those six points should only happen because we're shooting on our own net in the first half to get used to the rims.

• (Following a 14-foot USA jump shot): Is this is a joke? We're supposed to be the GREATEST TEAM IN THE WORLD and we can't dunk the ball from 14 feet? Pathetic. Brent Barry would have dunked that. Where is Brent Barry? Why will no one answer me?

[DBFAN]

Since we're already talking about Futurama in the OTB...
http://www.ssfuturama.cz/info/nations/persons/bubblegum.jpg: It was always our plan to lose the qualifying round game, thus deepening America's eventual humiliation. Also, what game were the refs watching?

The only problem with that phlosophy is that if Greece were to lose their next game it is possible for them to not make the medal rounds. There was no doubt about it this was just a clinic on how to play the game.

Go
USA

[BlueintheFace]

It all started with the defense on the pick-and-roll, which Greece famously ran 42 times in the 2006 victory. Because of that, I started charting how the USA defended pick-and-rolls early in the game, ultimately stopping midway through the fourth quarter when the game was well in hand. Overall, I counted 23 pick-and-rolls in that span that led directly to offensive action. On those 23 opportunities, Greece scored four times for a total of nine points.

That is amazing. Somebody should tell ESPN so they can give K a little credit over there.

[CameronCrazy'11]

Great game, but free-throw shooting was atrocious. Come on guys.

[mapei]

K will get tons of credit if the team keeps playing like this. No worries. He already is, thought it's a bit indirect and tentative, as frankly it should be after only 3 games.

I kept thinking that I was seeing what Duke defense might look like if Duke players could actually play Duke defense. ;) Someone mentioned Shane upthread and that's probably how long it's been since we've seen anything like this in blue and white.

Yeah, they should make their FTs - the rest of the world seems much better at that than we are - and make more 3s. Kobe is the only one I feel good about taking 3s right now. Redd obviously can do it - several of them can - but Redd doesn't see much playing time. But they are SO quick to the ball and to the hoop. It can be breathtaking to watch.

[dkbaseball]

But they are SO quick to the ball and to the hoop. It can be breathtaking to watch.

Word. I've been a somewhat reluctant fan up until now. I love the way K has screwed their heads on straight and brought them together as a team, but I prefer watching the intricate pattern offense some of the other countries play to the NBA/K style of trying to find mismatches for superior athletes. So I was mustering up only two cheers for the team, and I still think they can lose if someone can get them into a half court game.

But to this point that doesn't seem at all probable, so I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the show. They just come over you like a tidal wave every couple of minutes, and it's awesome to behold. The physicality James and Wade are bringing to the table is stunning. The Dream Team would be overmatched athletically against this bunch.

[Edouble]

The Dream Team would be overmatched athletically against this bunch.

Interesting you should make this point, as I have been thinking if (when) we win the gold, there will definitely be some Dream Team comparisons, and some "Which team was better" articles.

There's no real point in discussing it now, before medals are won.

Sidenote: why does Bosh insist on that horrible Kid 'n' Play hairstyle?

[roywhite]

Just saw some brief comments by USA players after the win over Greece. Apparently, prior to the contest, Coach K played highlights of the Greek team celebrating the win over the US in the 2006 World Championships. When asked by a reporter what kind of motivator Coach K was, Chris Bosh answered, "A +++". K himself complimented the team on a great defensive effort and gave a sly smile.