Is Kevin Durant the next Kobe Bryant after all? Team USA fans are certainly swaggering today after their guys’ strong showing in upending the defending FIBA world champions, 86-85.
Durant was the alpha dog for the US – a role many including BiE worried about going unfilled a la my least-favorite 2006 team – in scoring 25 points and showing he’s still a master of the zone in completely controlling Spain’s last possession to cap the win for Team USA after an incredible second half from Espana.
As USA opened with a 16-3 and an unstoppable Derrick Rose and later extending that lead to 20, Spain showed the US’ main strength to also be a weakness: When Team Spain got into the open-floor game, so went the comeback. Rather than killing with a frontcourt that would seem to have all the advantages late, Juan Carlos Navarro and Ricky Rubio instead drove Spain in the late stages of the game by doing their Krzyzewski-team impression to run, Jack, run and jump shoot their way through the final stages.
However, the final line says USA 86, Spain 85 – and this without Rajon Rondo (who’d been announced as a starter previously), Danny Granger and Kevin Love. Not bad, USA, not bad at all.
Tags: Danny Granger, Derrick Rose, Juan Carlos Navarro, Kevin Love, Kobe Bryant, Mike Krzyzewski, Rajon Rondo, Ricky Rubio, Team Spain, Team USA, YouTube
Actually, not bad Spain, not bad at all…. A game between the two favourites ends with 1 point difference… I’d say we’re set for a good and competitive tournament (one can only hope), where there is at least two teams that demonstrated they can beat the US (Lithunia is the other one – Greece will be added on Wed.
).
Greece and US are only remaining undefeated teams. I hope you change the rankings accordingly.
Spain number 3 now, Mika (ironic nod)?
Spain was lucky not to win. Usually in this kind of situation – two equal teams first meet in a friendly, then a bit later in a do-or-die game – team that wins the meaningless game later loses the important one. That has happened a lot of times in sports. To be honest, it is a bit strange to see WC favourites USA, Spain and Greece meeting like this in a situation where they will probably go against each other in World Cup semifinal and/or final.
With Durant playing D like that down the stretch you’d better have a second scoring option if you want to pull one out against the US. What a monster. It’s going to be a fun tournament.
Calderon is out, Scariolo will most likely call Raul Lopez to replace him.
Very entertaining game. Espana came out like zombies in the first quarter, but lessons were learned on both sides, no doubt. Why the odd rotation by Coach K?
I’d agree with rookie, but that wasn’t the case in the Olympics.
USA, except Durant, didn’t look impressive, just barely beating Spain even though their shooting was off. I don’t think they’ll have that margin for error against Greece. I’m really looking forward to that game!
OS what are your thoughts on this? It is certainly raising some eyebrows around Europe. It reminds me of Coach K’s 2006 post game interview after the US-Greece game………
http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/barrigon/2010/08/22/if-knowledge-is-power-us-in-trouble/
unreal…………
Interview of Russell Westbrook in Athens.
Greek reporter.
Russell you were just 18 y.o. when USA team lost from Greece and lost the ticket for the final game on previous WC in Japan. What do you remember from that game?
Russell Westbrook.
Nothing. I haven’t watch previous WC games of USA. I don’t even know when that happened. What year did you say we lost from Greece?
Well. I just hope that wont happen again.
I don’t get how hard it is for you guys to understand that most American’s don’t really give a damn about the World Championships. It sucks, but why would an 18 year old Russell Westbrook preparing for his first season at UCLA waste his evening watching USA games when he is living out his last days before college starts?
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good good…this post deserves nothing
…hahaha just joking 
…nice post 