It wasn’t pretty, but the United States hung on to defeat a short handed Argentinian team that had defeated them twice since 2002. Carmelo Anthony struggled from the field, but connected on all thirteen of his free throw attempts to lead Team USA to a 101-81 victory. LeBron James scored 15 points on 6-of-11 from the field, 3-of-6 from the three-point line, grabbed 5 rebounds, and had two assists in a balanced effort. Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Paul added 12 points apiece.
Despite losing star guard Manu Ginobili to a re-aggravated left ankle injury midway through the first quarter, Argentina switched from man-to-man to a 2-3 zone defensively to spark a 16-3 run to cut what was once a 21-point lead to 6 with 0:49 left in the second quarter. Team USA struggled to shoot from long-distance early, but continued to fire away from outside as twenty of their first thirty-three shot attempts were from beyond the arc.
Offensively, Argentina spread the United States defensively and worked the ball inside. Forward Luis Scola responded with a game-high 28 points on 13-of-21 from the field. Scola also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds. (The San Antonio Spurs have to be kicking themselves that they traded Scola for nothing).
The United States entered the contest forcing an average of twenty-one turnovers a game and looked to be well on their way to that mark after forcing seven turnovers in the first quarter. But Argentina settled down after a rocky start and committed only 16 turnovers as a team. Consequently, the United States was never able to get out in transition for easy baskets.
Ultimately, the game was decided on the glass and at the free throw line. Team USA used their depth and athleticism to outrebound Argentina by eleven. The United States also shot twenty more free throws, connecting on 27 of their 36 attempts as a team.
Team USA got their revenge on a team that denied them a shot at the gold medal four years ago and came out of nowhere to shock them in the World Championships two years prior to Athens. But it was bittersweet. Manu Ginobili is the heart and soul of the Argentinian team. The United States appeared to lose focus the moment Ginobili left the game. And although Argentina might have lost with him, it’s safe to say he would have made the game more competitive.
Looking ahead to the gold medal game against Spain, the United States can expect to see more of the 2-3 zone that thwarted them for three quarters against Argentina. It’s imperative that the United States attack the 2-3 zone by getting the ball to middle of floor rather than firing up uncontested three-pointers. Just because an open three looks good, doesn’t mean it’s a high percentage shot. LeBron James has been Team USA’s best weapon against the 2-3 zone thus far when he catches the ball at the free throw line, squares himself with the basket, and creates for himself and his teammates.
Seven down, one to go. I guess this is the part where I warn that anything can happen in the championship game. But truth be told, the United States will find a way to win. Argentina played as well as they can be expected to play without Manu Ginobili, and they still lost by twenty — Team USA’s closest margin of victory in the Olympic tournament. Spain is a talented team, but the United States will ‘x’ Pau Gasol out of the equation early and walk away with the gold. It’s just a matter of how. Will the US defeat Spain with a long-ball barrage, inside scoring, defensive pressure, balanced scoring, or will one player lead the way? In these Olympics, the how has become far more intriguing than the final score.
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Once again, I apologize for the delay. But I reside on the Western half of the United States. And NBC hates us.
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:23 pm
I anxiously await these recaps of yours – they are seriously the best on the net. Chris Sheridan’s work is crap and the AP reports do nothing for me.
I was upset with Coach K when he took out LeBron and put in Michael Redd because it is obvious that team USA’s best weapon against that zone is to feed the ball into Lebron at the foul line as you pointed out. From there, he draws attention and finds the open man. He has been a very willing passer and the team has benefitted. Coach K must have thought he was going to beat the zone by just connecting from deep – but Redd came in and was held the ball and was utterly ineffective. As I said before, there are a lot of shoot first players on this team – Wade, Kobe, Redd, Melo – they don’t look to move the ball as much as free themselves for a shot – so you have to have someone moving the ball around to beat the zone.
Team USA played a pretty poor game and still won by 20 – and I’m not sure Ginobili would have made much of a difference anyway against the Team USA defense – it has been very tough against perimeter players, although somewhat porous against point guards.
I expect them to crush spain.
Once again, great job Hoff.
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:59 pm
sweet! that first half was TOUGH!!
I am ready for this gold medal game…WOOO!!!
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I just saw online that Saturday is Kobe Bryant’s birthday!!!
Maybe some extra motivation for him to help USA dominate!!!!
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:21 pm
— Hoff
I just posted my analysis on basketballogy.com and the fox sports blogs, but I focused more on what this game MAY mean to the gold medal game, rather than break this one down much. Consequently, I was glad to read your insights; it was another great job.
— Tsu
I was VERY baffled by Coach K that game. Doug Collins had it figured out; he knew what was going wrong, but Coach K didn’t seem to.
For the first time in these Olympics, USA, a VERY deep team, played to players for more than 30 minutes, and these 2 players (Bryant and Anthony) were not playing well at all.
LeBron should have had more minutes, and I would have even tried twin towers: Bosh AND Howard. LeBron can break down the zone and get inside it, and with two targets for interior passes, or two bigs to put back a miss, USA would have taken more shots inside and less of the brainless launches from down town.
And I have NO doubts Ginobli would have made a big difference had he been able to continue playing.
First, USA was up by 19 after the first quarter and won the game by 20, meaning Argentina played even with USA for the final 3 quarters! Manu would have made that not even, but better.
Also USA defense was not that good this game. USA had been allowing teams to score just 70.8 points per game, but USA’s last 2 opponents have scored 83 points per game average. Also, Argentina’s shooting percetage was easily the highest USA has allowed yet.
Brandon and Doug Collins have mentioned that USA started slumping when Manu left the game, but I don’t think that is the case.
USA started slumping when Argentina changed to a zone defense.
That just happen to coincide with Manu’s departure.
Had Manu stuck around, Argentina could have leveraged their defense to get more offfense.
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:24 pm
— Kaun
Right, today is Kobe’s birthday, but it is his THIRTIETH birthday.
That 30th birthday messes with some people’s minds, so we’ll have to see if Kobe decides he has to prove something now he is 30, or if he is focused on team first.
August 23rd, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Tsunami,
Thanks. I appreciate the compliment.
LeBron has been very effective from the foul line extended. But everyone on that team should know that the way to beat a 2-3 zone or a full-court press is to get the ball to the middle. This is something I learned in middle school. And like you, I was surprised to see Coach K go to his shooters.
August 23rd, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Basketballogy,
Thanks Tom. I just read your blog at Foxsports. A very good read.
The 2-3 zone was effective, but I felt the energy left the building when Manu went out. There was no urgency from Team USA, and maybe that contributed to their decisions to fire away from outside.
August 23rd, 2008 at 8:38 pm
King_Kaun,
The big 3-0.
I think we can count on Bryant coming out tonight with an itchy trigger finger.
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:28 pm
I am ready for this game!! 2 more hours!!
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Is anyone going to be watching? 2:30 am eastern?
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Tsunami,
Yeah, I’m going to watch it tonight. I probably won’t comment on it until after it’s concluded though.
If you’d rather watch the warmups/introductions instead of ping pong, you can do so here:
http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/share.html?videoid=BK1H-BJ-SD02-082408-115004
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:21 pm
10 minutes!!!!
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:38 pm
okay…these stupid fouls need to STOP!!
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:44 pm
YEAH CHRIS PAUL!!!! Keep it up!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Ricky Rubio…meet LeBron James!! REJECTION!!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 12:12 am
First quarter – i felt like I was watching Wade + Refs vs The Mavs. Second quarter, refs have swallowed their whistles.
Spain is playing out of their MINDS and it’s been D Wade and Tayshaun Prince that keep on making the right plays at the right time. Very impressed with both of those guys right now.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Wow!! Wade is on FIRE!!!!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 12:13 am
good call, Tsunami
August 24th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Yeah but he is gambling way too much on defense.
Coach K needs to get Bron back out there directing traffic on D. Spain is scoring at will.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Deron Williams, unless he does SOMETHING POSITIVE in the second half, will win my award for “Team USA player that played the worst” in these Olympics. Nothing but silly turnovers and missing wide-open threes…
August 24th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Wow, I don’t even know what to say about that half. We shot the lights out, go to the line over and over again, and we’re only up 8. Doug Collins thought Spain was hurting themselves by trying to play uptempo but I have to be honest – Team USA is not playing in the Team Concept right now.
With the exception of a few drive and kicks by Kobe and a few touch passes by LeBron – there has been very little passing. Team USA is LEAKING out on every possesion. Kobe and Wade were seriously Cherry Picking while they were out there. It’s lead to a whole bunch of easy baskets, but our defense is suffering. They need to settle down, make the extra pass, and get some stops – put Spain away early in the 3rd like they did Argentina with stifling D.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:24 am
My awards:
MVP: LeBron
Scorer: Wade
6th Man: Tayshaun
Clutch Shooter: Melo
Big Man: Bosh
LVP: Boozer
August 24th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Spain went 19 of 31 in that half. I didn’t see LeBron’s first foul and I didn’t actually see Kobe run into that guy on the 3 – but they’ve been playing timid with the foul trouble – and coach K has hardly played them anyway. In the 2nd half they won’t have to worry about fouling out – they can leave it on the floor and get some much needed stops.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:39 am
wow…we have started this half FLAT! ouch.
well yes, I agree Tsunami that Boozer is the LVP, but really he is the odd man out. He never gets playing time due to Bosh’s amazing resurgence, Dwight Howard, and the effectiveness of small ball.
Deron has been given countless minutes and done nothing with them…so I am the least impressed with him.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Starting to like what i see – intensity is picking up. Bron, Wade, Kobe, Bosh going to bring us home the gold.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:57 am
I can’t believe how BAD the help side defense is the minute LeBron goes out. And I also can’t believe that Chris Paul is this bad on defense. He has gotten beat almost regularly by Navarro. They need a lineup of Bosh, James, Melo, Wade, and Kobe in this 4th. Let Bron hand the ball, Bosh post up high, Kobe hang on the wing, and Melo and Wade on the baselines. That’s their best defensive team right now.
August 24th, 2008 at 1:00 am
I want to barf after that sequence. Deron misses a wide open layup, Bron gets called for a loose ball foul, Kobe blocks Navarro and then STREAKS downcourt looking for a pass instead of keeping Navarro from recovering the block, and Melo is left out of position so Gasol lays it in. They need to stop FREAKING reaching and cherry picking and missing open layups!
August 24th, 2008 at 1:00 am
SSHHHIIIITTT!!!!! 2 point game…
wtf???
August 24th, 2008 at 1:01 am
(note: Deron missed the wide open layup to start the 4th RIGHT AFTER the 3rd ended with him getting burned for a layup at the buzzer….so much for him improving in the 2nd half…seriously…get Deron OUT of the game…)
August 24th, 2008 at 1:03 am
THANK YOU DERON!! NICE 3!! PROVE ME WRONG!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 1:04 am
DWIGHT HOWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 1:05 am
KOBE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 1:06 am
holy shit!!! Rudy Fernandez just posterized Dwight Howard….WOW!!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 1:10 am
7 point game. 4 minutes left.
August 24th, 2008 at 1:11 am
KOBE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Drains the 3 and the foul!!!!!!!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 1:13 am
DAMMIT!! WE NEED TO PLAY D!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 1:16 am
God I just want to grab Kobe and shake him. He the BIGGEST shot and got fouled and he just keeps doing the DUMBEST SHIT on defense!
They need to CALM THE HELL DOWN and execute and stop trying to make hero shots and play some FREAKING D!
August 24th, 2008 at 1:16 am
clutch rebound for LeBron
August 24th, 2008 at 1:17 am
yes…they keep trying to make “hero shots” and its pissing me off
August 24th, 2008 at 1:18 am
Wow – this is not how I wanted to win gold – but DAMN this had to be the most entertaining gold medal game of all time for those fans.
UGLY UGLY UGLY on D. But you just can’t outscore guys like D Wade and Kobe.
August 24th, 2008 at 1:21 am
(start the chant…)
USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!
August 24th, 2008 at 1:23 am
GOLD
August 24th, 2008 at 1:24 am
UNDEFEATED
August 24th, 2008 at 1:26 am
GOLD BABY!
August 24th, 2008 at 1:27 am
(sends a high-five to Tsunami)
hahaha. They are blasting Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” right now! Hahahaha.
August 24th, 2008 at 1:28 am
MAN – those guys are so excited and I am very excited for them!
They came here with something to prove – and they exhibited the highest level of play. They left it all out on the court all the time – played under one banner and showed the world why America rules the basketball world.
Congrats to all the players, coaches, and staff, and to Doug Collins – he did a magnificent job calling these games alongside Mike Breen.
August 24th, 2008 at 1:30 am
(OUCH MY HAND!)
Man I tell you what. I am EXCITED about the NBA season. The Lakers with Kobe, the Cavs with LeBron, the Hornets with CP3, the Raptors with Bosh and half of the Spanish team. The Heat with a juiced up DWade. These guys know how to play the game.
What a well constructed team. Tayshaun Prince was such a good selection for this team, as was Bosh.
I’m glad they got Kobe and Kidd too – nice to see those vets putting in the committment to USA basketball to help out Bron, Wade, and Melo.
August 24th, 2008 at 1:31 am
Alright, I’m hittin it Sir King. You have a good one! USA USA USA USA!!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 2:08 am
Some special moments during the medal ceremony. Lebron James whipped out some crazy dance move and then Chris Paul tried it and everyone was laughing. Melo accidently left the guy that gave him the medal hanging – and these international guys shake with 2 hands so it was REALLY obvious, he couldn’t slick back his hair or anything. Tayshaun Prince SMELLED the flowers – like took a huge whiff to see if they were real. Mega Props to Kobe and Dwight Howard for singing the National Anthem.
USA!!!!!!!!!!!
August 24th, 2008 at 9:40 am
U–S–A!!!