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Team USA overcame a sluggish first half to defeat China 101-70 in Beijing. The United States struggled from outside, but were able to capitalize on their superior athleticism and pressure defense in the second half.
Dwyane Wade led all scorers with 19 points on 7-of-7 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line. LeBron James scored 18 points on 8-of-12 from the field, grabbed 6 rebounds, dished out 3 assists, and tallied 3 blocks. Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant paced the US with 13 points a piece.
Team USA shot 38-of-70 from the field, but connected on only 7 of their 24 three-point attempts. Bryant was 1-of-7 from behind the arc and took at least three ill-advised three-point shots.
Defensively, Team USA was solid, but not spectacular. The United States had trouble defending the 3-point line early, as China opened the contest 5-of-7 from the three-point line. Team USA’s defensive intensity was good, but their rotations were slow at times. Wade overplayed the passing lanes twice and gave up three 3-point baskets by failing to stick with his defensive assignment.
The United States was shaky offensively, but their ball movement improved when Coach K went with his two point guard lineup featuring Chris Paul at the point guard position and Deron Williams at shooting guard. Williams applied great ball pressure and Paul had 6 assists in the contest.
There is plenty of reason for optimism after a 31-point victory.
But I’m still concerned about a few things:
- Outside shooting. Team USA is 10-of-42 from the 3-point line over their last two games. The reason is simple: Michael Redd is the United States’ only catch-and-shoot threat. The international 3-point line is 20 feet, 6 inches, that’s roughly three feet shorter than the NBA 3-point line. Dwyane Wade and LeBron James haven’t fine-tuned their mid-range games. Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony have perfected their mid-range jumpers, but both players do their damage off the dribble or fading away instead of squaring up and measuring themselves from that distance. The United States can get away with shooting poorly from outside against the likes of Australia and China because they can make up the difference with easy baskets off of turnovers. But Spain, Greece, and Argentina will take care of the basketball. Spain, Greece, and Argentina will also pack the paint and force the United States to connect from outside. Kobe Bryant has to take better shots and shoot a better percentage from beyond the arc.
- Carmelo Anthony has failed to get on track. Anthony was 0-for-3 from the field against China. To be fair, Anthony was whistled for several bogus fouls. Carmelo was also yanked at one point in favor of Kobe Bryant after he appeared to give an official an earful after being assessed a foul. Dwyane Wade has done a fantastic job of picking up the slack by scoring in transition and creating turnovers. But the United States is going to need Anthony’s mid-range, half-court game before the Olympics have concluded.
- Offensive continuity. Team USA failed to run any semblance of an offense to begin the contest. The United States started the second half with two straight pick-and-roll possessions for Kidd and James that yielded a dunk for Bryant and a trip to the line for Anthony. Kidd and James are Team USA’s best playmakers. I’d like to see more pick-and-roll opportunities for both players.
- Deron Williams needs more minutes. Williams has been Team USA’s best point guard thus far. He’s done an excellent job of pushing the ball in transition and he’s been the best defender out of the United States’ point guard triumvirate. Paul had 6 assists against China, and Kidd was effective in pushing the pace, but Williams has the best skill set for international play. At some point, Coach K is going to have choose a backup point guard to make more minutes for Michael Redd, he should choose Williams over Chris Paul.
Much has been made of Carmelo Anthony being the “best player in international basketball.” But LeBron James was the star today and may end up the MVP of Team USA. At 6-9, 260 pounds, James can play all five positions in international play. NBA basketball is about isolation and specialization. The international game is about versatility. And with his combination of size, speed, and court awareness, LeBron is a perfect match.
James had the play of the game — on both ends. Offensively, James caught an alley-oop pass from Wade and slammed the ball home while drawing the foul. Defensively, he had an awe-inspiring block where he skied to grab a shot attempt with two hands before it hit the backboard.
LeBron has also established himself as the vocal leader of Team USA.
All in all, it was an impressive performance for the United States. But it’s important to consider the quality of their opponent. The competition will improve over the next two weeks. If the ‘Redeem Team’ is to win the gold medal, they will have to play much better than they did today.
(Photo by REUTERS/Danny Moloshok)
August 10th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I only saw the second half, but I gotta say I wasn’t all that impressed by the US. China is a gimme, there’s no way they were losing this one, but if they play this way against Spain they’re going to lose, and it probably wouldn’t be close. The team is, as we all know, killer in transition, but they aren’t going to get half as many transition opportunities against a team with better athletes and a quality backcourt that takes less ill-advised threes (i.e. Greece, Spain, Argentina to a degree). They really struggled quite a bit in the halfcourt, not getting very good looks at the basic most of the time.
Defensively, they’re very intense, but they’re overpersuing on almost every play, looking to aggressively deny or jump the passing lane to get out in transition. That’s all well and good, but if you don’t do that in a disciplined way (and often they weren’t today) a good passing team will eat you alive, and all the top international teams are good passing teams. There were a few times I saw the Chinese team capitalize on the US playing the passing lanes too aggressively, but not nearly as often as a team like Greece or Spain will.
As a side note, Yao looked really good for a guy coming back from a broken foot. I was surprised at how mobile he was on some of the plays he made.
August 10th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Nice analysis, Hoff. I like what you added too, xphoenix87.
58 percent of Team USA’s points came from transition. That’s my first worry. If opponents slow down the pace, care for the ball, and rebound, they are more than half way there to defeating Team USA.
Because people tend to give offense more attention, I’m sure there is a lot of buzz over Dwayne Wade’s “perfect” game, but as you guys have pointed out, he certainly had his share of defensive lapses. THIS is what Coach K keeps talking about: gambling on defense. Wade gets his glory from gambles; he needs to do his role.
Quick observations:
- I didn’t think Team USA’s chemistry was quite what it has been.
- Deron Williams is impressing me to no end, on both ends of the floor.
- Kobe Bryant is playing small forward more than shooting guard.
- I thought Coach K played Kobe longer than I would have. The game was well in hand, and they have what, 8 games in 9 days? Plus add the time zone change, and the fatigue of being mobbed everywhere they go… and Kobe played very late into the NBA season… I’d have rested him most of the 4th quarter.
- The best pass of the game belong to Jason Kidd. The old dog ain’t dead yet!
- When Yao opened the game hitting a 3 pointer, I got worried. Karl Malone was automatic from that range, as is David West. If a 7′6″ guy gets that shot, who’s to stop it? Bynum on Mihm’s shoulders?
- Team USA, especially Kobe Bryant, shoots 3’s like they are thinking, “I hope I don’t miss,” rather than thinking, “Gottcha!” This international line shouldn’t be a problem for Melo, Bryant, James, Williams or even Paul.
- It was great to see Bosh earning his minutes. I hope Boozer was taking notes.
- I couldn’t believe the moving screens; it was criminal. I thought I was watching the Spurs!
August 10th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
“- Team USA, especially Kobe Bryant, shoots 3’s like they are thinking, “I hope I don’t miss,” rather than thinking, “Gottcha!” This international line shouldn’t be a problem for Melo, Bryant, James, Williams or even Paul.”
I think they’ll need Michael Redd more against tough opponents who will make them score in the halfcourt. He’s such a great shooter, and he always shoots with confidence, like he knows it’s going in. You sacrifice a bit on the defensive end, but somebody has to hit that shot.
On another note, did you guys see that swimming relay tonight? I usually find swimming all kinds of boring, but that was an absolutely fantastic finish.
August 11th, 2008 at 6:45 am
gr8 job hoffman!!
tom, did KOBE!! play in the fourth at all?
August 11th, 2008 at 8:18 am
xphoenix87 - Check out the NBC link I placed in today’s fundamentals. You can watch a replay of Team USA vs. China online. If Coach K gives Redd more minutes, which player should he sit?
Basketballogy - I think Team USA’s struggles from beyond the arc are because Kobe and company are treating it like an NBA 3-pointer by squaring up. As crazy as it sounds, I think they would hit the shot with more accuracy if they shot it off the dribble like a mid-range jumpshot. I thought Kidd played well too.
dusty - Thanks.
August 11th, 2008 at 9:00 am
— Dusty - I remember Kobe playing in the 4th quarter because I was wishing he wasn’t, but I can check my recording to be sure if you want.
— Brandon - Interesting point, I think you are right about them shooting international 3’s in a more natural flow like off the dribble, but the problem with that is that style of play tends to slow down ball movement and make Team USA easier to guard.
As you know, international basketball doesn’t isolate as much as NBA does, and has much more ball movement. That means the majority of 3s are catch and shoot, and not set up with the dribble.
They just need to quit psyching themselves out about it.
The best way to do that is with film, I think.
Have staff put together a highlight reel of catch and shoot 3s over the course of the exhibition, and show it to the guys before practice, after practice, in the restroom, etc. Let them see how easy it is for them to be successful and they’ll calm down about it.
August 11th, 2008 at 9:04 am
— xphoenix87 - Yes, I did see it. In fact, I was so enthralled by it that I rewound it and made my wife and kids watch as well.
If Redd plays more, probably Jason Kidd should play less. They’ve been playing Kobe at the 3 a lot, and there is no sense sitting someone that plays very effectively at a forward spot, seeing as Team USA is undermanned on bigs.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I didn’t see the whole game, but I’ve seen lots of clips.
I liked the 1 handed alley-oop dunk by Bron off the Wade feed.
This one play in the first half I saw LeBron block the ball with two hands near the backboard, come down with it, throw a 3/4 court chest pass that hit Wade in the gut on the run adn Wade didn’t even have to slow down or dribble before jammin it home with 2.
I do agree that they will have to adjust in the half-court if a team makes the USA slow down. That will happen if USA loses the battle of the boards.
Team USA overplays on defense too much. Wade and Kobe just reach reach reach and it’s not going to hurt them against China (much) but it will against Lithuania Spain and Argentina.
Deron Williams and Chris Paul are great half-court players, Jason Kidd is not. Those guys should get more minutes as the competition increases.
August 11th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
— Dusty, you are right and I am wrong. I just rewatched the 4th quarter and Kobe did sit it out. Sorry ’bout that.
— Tsunami, great observation about Williams, Paul and Kidd and the half court. The thing is, Kidd is Mr. Point Guard Triple Double, and if the opposition slows the game down, Team USA will need every rebound it can get to stay alive.
And Coach K (and all assistants) keep talking about how Team USA needs to quit gambling on defense, but it just doesn’t seem to sink in deep enough to last the whole game. At times, especially when they have a sizable lead, Team USA starts to treat the game like an All Star exhibition and they start going for highlights rather than sound play.
— To all, Spain is looking awfully scary to me. Greece should have given them more of a fight, but Spain dispatched Greece without sweating almost. And Argentina gave Lithuania a very respectable run for their money.
Team USA seems to have plugged the holes it discovered in previous FIBA competition: chemistry, pick and role defense, outside shooting, etc. Hopefully they didn’t over correct and make new problems, particularly with rebounding.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Tsunami - If have time, you can view the game in it’s entirety at NBCOlympics.com. I posted a link to the streaming video in today’s fundamentals.
Basketballogy - I’m impressed by Spain too. They play smart and they play together. I think Argentina is the wild card. I agree with your All-Star comment. Hopefully we’ll respect opponents like Greece, Spain, and Argentina and defend them straight up rather than gamble at every opportunity.
August 12th, 2008 at 6:04 am
hello,
are you watching the angola game?
KOBE!! is still having trouble finding his rhythm.
why?
break it on down.