The Olympics are Here

A 2-part preview of basketball in the Olympic games- the first half is mainly about the basketball side of things, and the second part focuses more on the politics of the game and the public opinion of Team USA.


Strategy for Success

Anyone who has watched Team USA knows that most of their scoring is generated from the fast break, which is fueled by forced turnovers, loose balls and sharp outlet passes after missed baskets (and sometimes even made baskets). As the US has superior athleticism across the board, running at every opportunity gives them the best chance to score, and in turn, to win. There are two major problems with this source of offense- frequent gambling on defense to create these opportunities, and the lack of a half-court offense when fast break opportunities don’t present themselves.

Against most teams, the US will dominate simply because the back-court pressure of Kobe, Williams, Paul and Kidd will be too much for inexperienced or incapable guards to handle- this prevents very good teams, like Lithuania and Germany, from seriously competing with the US. That said, the better teams have achieved top status in part because of their strong guard play. Spain, Greece and Argentina will not have the same struggles bringing the ball up. Spain in particular is loaded at point guard, led by Jose Calderon (who was among the NBA leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio last season) and young phenom Ricky Rubio, who will almost definitely be a top 5 pick in next year’s NBA draft and should get regular playing time.

Once the opposing teams get into their offense, Team USA loves to gamble, running out into passing lanes and prematurely leaking out on the break. The disciplined medal contenders will not only be able to withstand this, but exploit the aggressiveness of the Americans into easy half-court baskets, either with back-door cuts for open layups, or spot-up shooters getting uncontested looks from 3-point range. The thing that I’ve noticed about all of the international teams, even the lesser ones, is that if they have an open look, they will almost always make it. You can only expect to see the quality of shooters go up as the US faces tougher competition.

Team USA loves to push the tempo. Along with the strong trio of point guards, Kobe, Wade and LeBron are all capable of handling the ball in the open court, and every player on the team is more than capable of finishing on the break. But when teams take care of the ball and make a concerted effort to get all 5 guys back on defense (a strategy that Russia successfully employed), the opportunities to run will be less frequent. This is where the US needs to be able to walk the ball up and run plays in the half-court. This has always been a problem for the Americans, and unfortunately this team doesn’t seem to be much different. The issue isn’t the players, it’s just the nature of the international game that causes these problems. The NBA is fueled by individual offensive play- since zone defenses aren’t allowed and you can’t camp out in the paint, a superior offensive player who can beat his man one-on-one is given the advantage. With FIBA rules, there is no concept of individual play, and it shows. When the Americans try to run isolation plays, letting Kobe or Carmelo work against his man, it doesn’t look quite right, and generally doesn’t result in any advantage for Team USA- this isn’t the way the international game is supposed to be played, and there just isn’t going to be that much success with this strategy. International teams rarely, if ever, run isolation plays for a specific player. Instead, most offensive play in international basketball starts with a high pick-and-roll (and the pick man is given much more freedom to set a moving screen), and then goes into a series of perimeter passes with the intent of finding a mismatch somewhere on the court. In the event that an international player drives into the lane, he usually isn’t looking to get all the way to the rim and score- instead, his intent is to find a shooter that has been left open on the wing, or a cutter who the defense lost track of. Team USA is definitely capable of playing this way, but it is still a foreign (no pun intended) concept to actually AVOID one-on-one play for an entire game.

With all that said, the US should still be fine on offense, even in a slow game. Against Australia, the entire US team went ice cold, especially from 3-point range. The Americans continued to shoot 3’s because the Aussies were purposely sagging off of them, choosing to pack the lane and prevent drives at the expense of giving up uncontested jumpers. In a game where the US shoots 3-18 from distance, this strategy might work (don’t forget, however, that Team USA still won by 11 points). However, what happens if the US shoots 50% in that game- a completely reasonable number. 9-18 shooting from 3-point range gives the US 18 more points, and all the sudden you’re looking at a 29 point win. Watching the Australia game, I saw the Americans miss several open jumpers that they are more than capable of making, shots I’ve seen all of them make on a very regular basis. It’s rare for an entire team to have such a cold shooting night, but it happened to the US against Australia. The other thing that happens if the US shoots a percentage that they’re capable of making (we’ll still with the 50% estimate, which could actually be on the low side) is that the Australian team would be forced to change their defensive strategy. You can’t keep packing in the paint if the other team is making their open jumpers, and if the Australians opened up their defense, extending beyond the 3-point line, the US would have much more room for their athletes to get into the lane and get easier buckets.

While this scenario might seem complicated and optimistic, it really isn’t that farfetched. When you have a team with so much talent and athleticism, you have to expect your opponent to use the rules to level the playing field- in this case, using a zone defense or very soft man-to-man, exploiting the lack of the defensive 3 second rule. From there, it comes down to one simple opportunity. If you make your perimeter shots, the opposing team will be forced to play a more traditional defense that doesn’t give up easy outside shots, and the floor opens up again. If you miss your outside looks, then the opponent isn’t penalized for playing a “junk” defense, and they will continue to do so until you can make them pay.

To me, this closely resembles the individual battles that a superstar has with his primary defender every night in the NBA. For this example, I’m going to use Dwyane Wade. Since Wade has such an explosive first step, along with the speed and strength to score every time he gets close to the basket, his defender has to give him some space, thus negating his first step. Wade, given this extra space, now has the opportunity to shoot an uncontested jumper basically every time he touches the ball. If he chooses to take this shot, and starts making it, his man has no choice but to guard him more closely- this prevents Wade from shooting open jumpers (which, in this scenario, he has been making), but sacrifices the buffer zone that protects him from Wade’s deadly first step. Since his jumper is falling, Wade can once again get into the lane at will. And back and forth. For most NBA stars- Paul, Williams, Kobe, LeBron, and Carmelo are all included here- this is the case almost every night. If their jumper is falling, then they’re impossible to stop; if their shot isn’t falling, then the defense has more of an advantage. The international game takes this one-on-one scenario and expands it to the entire team- if USA is hitting from the outside, which they are very capable of doing, the floor will open up.

I’m not overly worried about one bad shooting night for Team USA. The odds that EVERY shooter on the team goes cold at the same time are very slim, and if even one player had a plus shooting night, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. That said, the nature of the Olympic tournament doesn’t allow for off nights. The medal round is a single elimination tournament, and one bad shooting night against a top team could very easily result in a loss. In the NBA, where the regular season is 82 games long and each round of the playoffs is best of 7 games, players are protected from having poor games. While I think the US will be fine, at least in terms of their shooting performance, the idea that one bad game could end their run is a scary thought.


America's Team?

I’ve noticed a fairly large number of people who seem to be rooting against Team USA, or laughing about their close calls in the exhibitions and the difficulty they will surely face to potentially win the Gold. Part of this stems from the fact that it’s easy, and fun, to root for an underdog. That rationale would be understandable, except for the fact that this is the Olympics, and this team is representing our country- there’s no way any Americans should be rooting against them. I think that this anti-Team USA sentiment stems from two deeper issues- the fact that they aren’t as good as the Dream Team, and the general public opinion of the NBA and its players (and most professional athletes, for that matter).

The original Dream Team, the team that represented the United States in the 1992 Olympics, simply dominated their competition. They famously went through the Olympics without calling a single timeout, without ever scouting an opponent, and probably without ever really holding serious practices or learning the international rules. However, it wasn’t just the sheer talent on the USA roster that made all that possible- it was the fact that the rest of the world didn’t really play competitive basketball yet. Without going into a full history of international basketball, I can definitely say that the roster of the ’92 team isn’t THAT much better (if at all, but once again that’s another story) than the current roster. Show me Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, and I’ll counter with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, currently the consensus best two players in the world. The list goes on, for both sides. But the Dream Team would play opponents who were just as interested in taking pictures and getting autographs from the NBA players as they were playing the actual games. The Dream Team was a spectacle, and relative to their competition, was easily the best basketball team ever assembled.

But the climate of international basketball has changed, and a large part of that comes from the dominance of that Dream Team. Other counties wanted to learn the game, and eventually be competitive. Some teams, like Spain, Argentina and Greece, have reached that goal; others, such as Canada, Australia and Germany, are still trying to reach it. Either way, the international teams that the current Team USA faces aren’t star-struck anymore. Instead, they have a sense of hostility and aggression that the Dream Team never had to face- these teams want to prove that they can beat the best, and want to show that they are just as good as these international superstars. Even when watching these exhibition games, it is clear that the other countries now treat FIBA basketball at “their game,” one which these NBA players are outsiders to. In any sport, the title of being “the best” comes with a large bullseye for all to see. In every game the US plays- regardless of the quality of the opponent or the circumstances of the game- they bring out the best in their opponents, because a victory over the United States would be a landmark win for that country. And for the US, a loss, in any situation, would be looked at as a monumental failure. Even if they win the gold in these Olympics, a single loss along the way would be looked at as a disaster.

Don’t think that our current team is weak, because they’re not. The fact that they are going through extensive practices and thoroughly scouting their opponents should prove that the world really has caught up. And while it might be hard for a casual fan to understand, this is a good thing for the NBA, and the game of basketball as a whole.

The other issue that people seem to take with this current team is the more troubling one for me. To most fans who don’t religiously follow the NBA, basketball players are brash, overgrown kids who have had everything given to them their whole lives. They either skipped college or got a free ride through school before leaving early because of their talent, and now they make more money in a single season than most of us will make our entire lives. They are covered in tattoos, and every run-in with the law is publicized as the hottest story of the day- they don’t exactly fit the description of someone that we want to represent our country on the world’s biggest stage. Once again, this could be a story in itself, but I’m going to move on. These stereotypes might make them difficult to root for, and the coverage provided of these games doesn’t really explain why the team might run into trouble in the Olympics. For the media personnel who don’t typically cover everything basketball, it’s hard to understand what makes the international game different, and why we can’t dominate like the old days. In fact, some casual fans might not even realize that basketball even HAS different rules in the Olympics. Instead, the struggles of supremely talented individuals in a team-oriented game gives the press even more reason to write these players off as egotistical, immature and self-centered players who care only about themselves. And to those people, my response is simple: we brought this on ourselves. This is OUR fault.

The NBA, just like the NFL, MLB and any other sports league, is a business. A business that, by nature, wants to succeed. For die-hard fans like myself, the game will always be appealing- the NBA doesn’t need to market to me. The NBA wants the business of the casual fan, and in order to do this, they need to make their product as appealing as possible to the masses. The game has evolved over the years so that more people will watch. The common fan who is flipping channels on TV doesn’t want to see a low-scoring game where they can’t recognize any of the players and they don’t see any highlights. Instead, they want to root for a player, maybe more than they want to root for a team. We want a superstar that we can identify with one name who has unbelievable talents, someone who can score 40 or 50 points in a single game, throw down jaw-dropping dunks and showcase his otherworldly speed. And of course, when we see this player endorsing a product, we want to wear what they wear or use what they use, because we want to be able to do what they do. While I love Shane Battier and think that he’s a great role player on a very good team, people aren’t going to wear a specific shoe because Shane Battier tells them to- but if we see Kobe Bryant jumping over a moving car in his new Nikes, that’s a different story. To cater to this phenomenon, the NBA has changed its rules to produce fast-paced, high-scoring games that give every advantage to their stars. People aren’t going to tune in because the Pistons have great role players, people watch because tonight might be the night that Kobe or LeBron, the one-named immortals, might score 50 points. Old-school basketball purists hate what the game has become, but it gets ratings and puts people in the stands.

But the rest of the world doesn’t play this style of basketball. The international rules create a game that levels the playing field, where superior individual talents can be neutralized by a team of inferior players, and slow-moving, low-scoring games are more likely to take place than the high-scoring shootouts that we want to see. By definition, putting together a team of NBA players to play the international game is the same as trying to fit a square peg in a round hole (or whatever the metaphor is). I applaud and congratulate the current USA team for their valiant efforts in putting this team together in their quest for the gold. I respect the fact that these players have played through three consecutive summers, a time when most players are relaxing on the beach after a grueling 82 game season, in order to be here. But mostly, I hope that the rest of the country can appreciate the fact that these players have sacrificed their egos in order to play in these Olympics, and have put in countless hours of work to become a team that we can be proud of, and can appreciate that while there will never be another Dream Team, that our current team is pretty good as well.

The Debut of Team USA

It's one thing to speculate and predict how Team USA will perform in the Olympics, and playing FIBA rules basketball in general. Watching the exhibition game against Canada the other day really opened my eyes to how different the games really are and how difficult this journey could be for Team USA. It's important to note that while Canada is an international team on the rise and have been playing together (in real, competitive games) for over a month while unsuccessfully trying to qualify for the Olympics, they are not a very good team, and are easily worse than any team that the US will see if Olympic play.

I was very interested to notice that the comfort level in the international game still isn't there for the whole team. When you watch Canada, their shooters naturally drift to the FIBA 3-point line, always getting the most efficient 3-point shot and usually making it. The Canadian players were also moving much more naturally, while I felt that USA players were thinking more than just reacting. Obviously, this is the reason they are playing these exhibition games and shouldn't be a problem by the time the Olympics come around. The FIBA game and the NBA game are similar rules-wise, but there are several things that are allowed in FIBA that NBA players have been coached AGAINST their whole careers.

One of these rules is playing a ball on the rim. In FIBA, there is no cylinder rule- you can play a ball off the rim, offensively or defensively. Chris Bosh had a nice play where he dunked home a Chris Paul layup that might have gone in anyway. If exploited correctly, this rule could be huge for the US because Paul and Deron Williams are so good at simply getting the ball to the rim on their drives.

Here's a (relatively) quick rundown of how I thought each player performed in their exhibition game against Canada:

Jason Kidd- I like the role that Jason Kidd fills on this team. He's the unquestioned starter at point guard, as well as one of the team leaders, but when everything is all said and done I think that Kidd will end up towards the bottom of the team in terms of minutes played. Kidd has aged very noticeably, and Chris Paul and Deron Williams are simply too good to keep off the court. That said, Kidd does a great job of setting the tempo that Team USA wants to play at, and I love the way he gets the ball up the court and out of his hands as fast as possible. Watch when he gets an outlet pass after a rebound (or grabs the rebound himself, as Kidd is always around the big bodies down low for rebound opportunities)- he rarely dribbles to advance the ball. As soon as he sees an opportunity up ahead, Kidd finds the fastest way to get him the ball and lets them do the work.

Kidd's impact on the rest of the team is easy to see. Because of his abilities to hit the open man, everyone runs the court knowing that they most likely will get the ball (Carmelo enjoys this the most). But more importantly, the vision and unselfish play of Kidd has really spread to the rest of the team. Kidd has had mixed results trying to instill this unselfishness to his teammates in the NBA, but when surrounded with a group of elite players that all look up to him, it's easy to see them buying into his style of play.

Kobe Bryant- I really enjoy watching Kobe act as a part of this team, and it's clear that he enjoys the role that he's playing. Kobe is completely content acting as the defensive stopper, and as he gets more comfortable with the absence of hand-check rules on the perimeter, Kobe will absolutely shut down whoever he's guarding. There was one play against Canada where Kobe smothered Carl English (one of the better Canadian players), pinning him at halfcourt before wrestling the ball away for an easy breakaway dunk. In FIBA rules, the defender can get very physical with the ball-handler on the perimeter (something that Kobe tries to get away with anyway), and the rules almost give him an unfair advantage here. Obviously Kobe is in phenomenal shape, and he doesn't have to save any energy for offense (like he does for the Lakers), so his relentless defensive efforts never ease up.

On the other side of the ball, Kobe does a good job letting the action come to him. With Kidd and the other great point guards on the team, Kobe doesn't need to dominate the ball (and LeBron wasn't even playing in this last game), so he becomes a spot-up shooter and a bail-out option late in the clock. Kobe still has the ability to quickly score on anyone in a variety of ways, but he knows that he doesn't need to look for his own offense all the time. Kobe also spaces the floor very well- the range on his shot is just ridiculous, and I doubt that FIBA players are used to guys camping out that deep behind the line. I'm sure that Kobe will flip the switch and take over a game offensively at some point, but for now I've really liked his attitude and general demeanor on the court.

Dwyane Wade- Starting in place of LeBron James (who could have played if it wasn't an exhibition game), Wade made the most of his first televised game since his latest injury. It's safe to say that Wade is healthy again. The most surprising thing for me was how well Wade fit in at the small forward spot. My biggest questions about Wade before this game were his health, and what position he would/could play (I had speculated that he might be playing a lot of point guard). Wade has that great midrange jumper which he's extended to the FIBA 3-point line, and like Kobe, he did a good job of letting the action come to him instead of forcing the issue.

At this point, don't expect Wade to play any point guard in the Olympics. He is actually very well suited to be a 2/3 in this style of ball, and his size at the small forward position isn't a disadvantage, given his strength and athleticism.

It's great to see Wade healthy again. Given his recent run of injuries and generally poor play (most likely due to playing hurt), it's easy to forget how dominant of a player Wade can be- this is the same guy who averaged over 30 points per game in the NBA Finals. It sounds like Coach K and the entire team were surprised with his level of play, and I think that they're going to be able to use Wade much more than initially predicted.

Carmelo Anthony- Carmelo continues to amaze me every time I watch him play. At this point, it's no secret that Carmelo loves the international game, but he still comes out and exceeds expectations. To me, the most underrated aspect of Carmelo's game is his use of the triple threat position- his jumper is so accurate that everyone has to respect it, but his deceivingly fast first step allows him to get by anyone playing him too close. This is why his ability to simply face the basket and make one jab step can buy him so much room. It looks like he's settling when he does this, but the reality is that he is able to free up so much space that he's basically shooting an uncontested jumper. 

Carmelo always gets a good chunk of his points from easy dunks, and it's because of 2 unique skills that he utilizes. In the halfcourt, Carmelo is very good at making subtle cuts along the baseline to get right under the basket, and also at just shuffling and planting himself in an open space, almost like a tight end settling into a soft spot in the defense and waiting for the quarterback to find him. With so many great players on the team, Carmelo just has to find that spot and wait for the ball to find him. Carmelo is also an expert of leaking out on the break- again, some call it being lazy, but he really does have a knack of reading the play and knowing that his team will come up with the rebound, loose ball, or steal, and getting to the other end for an easy dunk.

Dwight Howard- The international game really is all about perimeter players- what really surprised me is how most of the game is played between the 3-point lines, as opposed to around the baskets. Howard, as I predicted, really isn't a good fit for international play. Against Canada, he really didn't seem to make too much of an impact, and I thought that Chris Bosh played much better than Howard. He's still the starter, and a lot of what he does for Team USA won't show up on the stat sheet, but it was interesting to see how few chances he had to make plays offensively.

Michael Redd- It's really interesting to see just how deep the NBA 3-point line is compared to the FIBA lines. For Redd, shooting FIBA 3-pointers looks as effortless as a free throw. There were several reports that he was absolutely on fire in practices, and he didn't disappoint in the Canada game. Redd made it look easy as he dropped in 20 points against Canada, and it really looks like any time he gets a shot off it's going in. It should be interesting to watch Redd when teams try to go zone against the US, because Redd is definitely best zone-breaker the team has had in the past 8 years, and I think that his shooting ability will really discourage teams from playing as much zone as they otherwise would.

Chris Bosh- I thought that Bosh looked great in the exhibition game. He really is an international-style center, and he seemed much more comfortable in this setting than Howard or Carlos Boozer. Bosh swoops around the floor, and can also hit the jumper with some range (I haven't seem him attempt an international 3, but I wouldn't be surprised if he takes/makes a few). Because of his speed and long arms, Bosh actually plays much bigger than I realized- against most teams in the Olympics, Bosh should be fine at the center position.

Deron Williams- So much for the alleged point guard battle- Deron Williams appears to be a 2-guard on this team. Williams is definitely big and strong enough to play the shooting guard position (in both the NBA and FIBA play), and with his quickness and point guard abilities, makes Team USA much harder to defend. Since he's on the second unit, I don't forsee too many situations where Williams wouldn't be able to play the 2-guard, and I really like the decision by Coach K.

Chris Paul- Forget anything I said about Chris Paul not being a good fit on the team, because Paul is clearly ready for the Olympics. Paul has gotten MUCH stronger since I last saw him in international play, and he is more than capable of holding his own against opposing point guards. Coach K looks like he solved his point guard issue by playing Williams at the 2, next to Paul at the point, and it looks to be a good fit. Paul, as predicted, is going to be a great weapon defensively with his ball pressure. Like Kobe, Paul is only going to get better at using his body defensively, and his feet are already so quick that he has no problem playing pressure defense the entire length of the court. Since Team USA uses defensive pressure and deflections to fuel their fast break, Paul's pressure on opposing point guards will be crucial.

Offensively, Paul is best described as "efficient." Even though he throws as many alley-oop passes as anyone, it isn't to be flashy- it's because the lob pass is often the best way to get the ball to the bigs. His ability to take his man off the dribble is just scary, and he has really embraced the physicality of the international game more than I expected, and seems to be using this move where he intentionally runs himself into opposing players when he has the ball, almost setting a screen on someone else's man while keeping his dribble alive. Paul has always been feisty and an intense competitor, and is a great weapon on both ends to bring off the bench.

Tayshaun Prince- I really don't get why Prince is on this team. From a physical standpoint, Prince really doesn't look like he belongs on the court. Even with LeBron sitting the game out, Prince didn't make his presence felt at either end, and I'm really not sure what kind of element he brings to the team. With Tyson Chandler injured and most likely not able to play, Prince probably would have ended up on the team anyway, but I still don't like it.

Carlos Boozer- The exhibition game really showed how little Boozer is going to play unless there is foul or injury trouble. The international game is played with only one (at most) true big, meaning that Boozer can only play when Howard and Bosh aren't in the game. Team USA generally uses Carmelo at the 4, and it sounds like LeBron will spend some time there as well. That said, I like the way Boozer fills the center spot and trust his ability to fill in when needed.

Coach K- It isn't necessarily easy to coach a team with this much talent. Obviously, all of these stars have done a great job removing their egos and embracing their roles, but it still isn't easy to find the right combinations, and balance playing time, over the course of a 40 minute game. First off, it looks like Prince and Boozer won't get too many minutes unless there is an injury or serious foul trouble. I'm sure that both players understand that and, being late additions, shouldn't have any problems with that. Aside from those 2, it gives Team USA a very talented and versatile 10 man rotation. It seems that Coach K is going to take an all-star game approach to managing the lineups, subbing in waves of 2, 3 or even 4 players at a time, forming clearly defined units on the floor. Given that there's only been one game so far, it's hard to say if he was experimenting or if this will be his real approach, so I'll be looking for that as the team plays more exhibition games.

Overall, I loved the attitude and effort of Team USA. They were completely focused defensively, which is going to be a big key for them, and their fast-break game will be very hard to stop. That said, their half-court offense leaves a little to be desired. Their team shooting is actually quite good- almost everyone on the team can hit the FIBA 3-pointer (Paul and Wade really surprised me here)- but the ball movement and penetration still doesn't come naturally. I think the addition of LeBron will help to solve this problem. LeBron is a facilitator, and I think you'll see much more cutting and movement without the ball when LeBron has the ball- his size allows him to easily read the defense, and his attacking style really puts pressure on the opposing team, as opposed to letting them dictate our offense.

It's really important for Team USA to play in as many of these games as possible before the Olympics begin- starting tomorrow morning, they are playing 4 exhibition games against other countries. The more familiar they get with the international style of play, the better off they will be.

Team USA

The 2008 version of Team USA is, in my opinion, the best team that the US has fielded in the Olympics since the original Dream Team. The current roster is loaded with NBA mega-stars, young talent, and a trio of tri-captains who have experienced defeat in the previous Olympics. In Beijing, Team USA will make a commitment to defense, preventing easy baskets while forcing turnovers that will lead to quick buckets on the other end. Since USA has the best collection of athletes in the world, they will look to exploit this advantage by running the fast break as much as possible. This Olympic team also represents the culmination of a three-year program designed to re-establish the United States as an international powerhouse, and they will be looking not just to beat the other teams, but to run them off the court like they did in the 90s.

The international game is very different from the NBA game, which is a big reason that Team USA has struggled for the past few years. International basketball stresses team play and can neutralize selfish, individual talents with zone defenses and much more physical play than is allowed in the NBA. While this Team USA has a collection of superstars, they have been taught to put their egos aside in order to thrive in this style of basketball. Following is the 12-man Olympic roster, and my take on the role that each player will fill.

Jason Kidd- Easily the oldest player on Team USA, some would argue (myself included) that Kidd is probably the worst of the 3 point guards on the 12-man roster. So why is he starting? Because not only is Kidd the only player on the team who has already won Olympic gold, but he also boasts an undefeated record in international play. He is the master of running the break, something that Team USA plans to do as much as possible, and he has the best understanding of how to play the international game. Kidd is a great defensive rebounder, a skill which should allow the wing athletes of USA to release on the break quicker as Kidd corrals the rebounds and ignites the break.

Kobe Bryant- The next oldest player, Kobe prides himself on being the defensive specialist for Team USA, making it his task to completely shut down the best perimeter player on the other team (he proved his ability to do this against Brazil's Leandro Barbosa last summer). Of course, it's not like Kobe won't be contributing on offense as well. He is more than capable of bringing the ball up against pressure, and his outside shooting will be critical when opponents go to a zone defense (which will be often). Against man-to-man defense, Kobe can penetrate and make plays as well as anyone in the world. Playing for his country clearly means a lot to Kobe, and he took the team to the next level with his commitment to defense and all-around work ethic after his addition last summer.

LeBron James- LeBron is one of the physical marvels on Team USA has that no other country can match. His combination of size, speed and power is unmatched by the rest of the world (LeBron will be bigger than the starting center for some teams), and he will exploit this by getting out and running as much as possible, knowing that Kidd, Kobe and the rest of the guards will be able to find him. LeBron is probably the best finisher on the break in the world, which he doesn't get to showcase very much in Cleveland, so he really makes the most of his time with point guards like Kidd and Paul. Like Kobe, he will be taking his defense very seriously, and will have to be committed on the boards as well. Offensively, LeBron has to be careful not to fall in love with his jumper- even with the shorter three point line, LeBron is a very streaky shooter. While he has the size and jumping ability to get a clean look off at any time, he is more effective going hard to the basket and making things happen. LeBron is one of Team USA's tri-captains who only won the bronze in the 2004 Olympics.

Carmelo Anthony- He might not be the biggest name on the team, but Carmelo is the best player on Team USA in the international game (he has even admitted that he prefers playing the international style to NBA rules). Starting at power forward, Carmelo will more than likely be the leading scorer for Team USA. His game translates so well into international competition because the deep jumper that he loves to shoot, which is usually a long 2 in the NBA game, is a 3-pointer in the international game. He is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams- against bigger power forwards, Carmelo will use his quickness to blow by them and get to the rim, and against smaller defenders, he will either shoot his patented corner jumper over them, or use his size and take them in the post. He will also be leaking out on the break at every opportunity, where he is a terrific finisher. Anthony is another tri-captain of the team.

Dwight Howard- Like LeBron, Dwight Howard is simply on a different level physically than the rest of the world. In the brutal international game, Howard will have to control his emotions and swallow his pride, as his role will be limited to rebounding, shot-blocking and picking up garbage baskets (alley-oops, put-backs). USA big men have always had a hard time in the international game (ask Tim Duncan), where the refs won't protect them from the overly physical play down low, and the zone defenses that most teams will employ clog up the middle and limit their touches offensively. Also, Howard's free throw shooting problems make him a target for hard and frequent fouls. How Howard, who is still only 22, handles all of this will be a big factor in how well Team USA does. Despite all of the things going against him, Howard is one of the most dominant big men in the NBA and a vital cog for Team USA. His combination of strength and athleticism inside is enough for most teams to immediately go into a zone defense, which opens up the perimeter for USA's shooters, and his presence on defense will prevent teams from even attempting to finish at the rim.

Chris Bosh- Bosh is more of an international-style big man, who can step out and hit a jumper and also take his man to the basket off the dribble. Physically he's not even close to being on Howard's level, and he will have trouble banging down low, but Bosh is a great offensive weapon who will make Team USA much harder to defend. He's also a great runner who should be able to beat his man down the floor for easy scores. When Bosh is in at center without Howard or Boozer in to protect him, USA might have to turn down their running game and make a more concerted effort on defensive rebounding, as Bosh probably can't control the boards by himself like Howard can.

Dwyane Wade- The third tri-captain of the team, Wade has been committed to this process since the bronze-medal showing 4 years ago, and redeeming that effort clearly means a lot to him. He will usually be the first man off the bench and can step in at either backcourt position. He's another superior athlete who will look to get out and run on the break, and his penetration skills offensively will force the other teams into the zone defense. However, Wade isn't a true point guard (meaning that he will be competing with Kobe for playing time), and I'm really not sure how well he fits into the overall scheme of the team, given that he isn't a great outside shooter, a big part of the problem on the 2004 team. Defensively he can lock down both guard spots, and this might be his greatest value for the team. That said, despite his captain status, I wouldn't be surprised if Wade isn't happy with his minutes.

Michael Redd- Redd is on the team for only one reason- shooting. A premier 3 point shooter in the NBA, the shorter international 3-point line is like a free throw for him, and he will be put in as the designated "zone breaker." With most teams going zone against the bigger and stronger Team USA, Redd will simply float around the perimeter and knock down the open shots that the zone defense allows. He's also a good defender when he wants to be (usually not the case in Milwaukee), and will help out on the defensive boards before trailing the break and looking for open 3's.

Carlos Boozer- Boozer is the most surprising addition to the team, as he hasn't participated in the summer programs for the past 2 years (even though both were for injury and personal reasons). That said, Boozer has the powerful, stocky build that most international big men have, and he will be counted on to do all the dirty work at center. He probably won't ever be paired with Howard, but he will see some time in the same lineup as Bosh, as they compliment each other very well. Boozer is basically playing in place of Amare Stoudamire, and while he isn't as explosive of an athlete, has a very similar game to Stoudamire. He is equally comfortable in the post as he is shooting a mid-range jumper, and he can knock bodies around down low with the best of them. The biggest downside to Boozer filling the back-up center spot is that he doesn't provide the shot-blocking defensive presence that Howard, Stoudamire or Tyson Chandler would to anchor the defense.

Deron Williams- The next in line as the starting point guard for Team USA, Williams has the size to handle the stronger, more aggressive point guards that most international teams use. He will split time with Wade and Paul as a backup point guard, although I think he will end up getting more minutes than originally expected. He is a better ball-handler and smarter passer than Wade, and a better shooter than Paul. Williams uses his quickness and devastating cross-over to get into the lane almost at will, and he is fearless at the rim. Defensively, his end to end speed and man-to-man defense are his biggest issues, so he won't be able to pressure the ball full-court like Paul or Wade can, although he will be able to body the opposing point guards in the half-court.

Chris Paul- Paul is another point guard that will split time with Wade and Williams. After Kidd, he is the best at running the break, which is a crucial part of Team USA's game, and he can apply full-court pressure on opposing point guards. The problem is that Paul isn't a great outside shooter and is relatively small for international competition. Smaller guards have notoriously struggled in international competition (Allen Iverson), and even as strong as Paul is, he might have more trouble than anyone is anticipating. It's hard for me to doubt Chris Paul, but it's definitely a cause for concern. Offensively, Paul can easily penetrate against man-to-man defenses, but the zone defenses that opposing teams will employ could really give Paul trouble.

Tayshaun Prince- The USA decision-makers like Prince as a versatile defender who can guard four positions. He's also the selfless, team-oriented type of player that Team USA is looking for. That said, I don't like the decision to have Prince on the team. He is the true 12th man, so in the end it might not make a difference (look at the 12th men on the past Gold medal teams), but I think they should have taken Tyson Chandler instead.

Each team can carry 6 reserves who can be added to the team due to injury until August 6.

Tyson Chandler- Chandler, like Howard, is the type of athlete that almost every other country simply won't be able to match up with. He is a selfless player who never looks for his own points, and would have understood his rebounding/shot-blocking role as well as anyone. Team USA currently only has 3 true "bigs" (although Carmelo and LeBron will both see a lot of time at power forward), and they could have used Chandler as insurance in case Howard gets hurt or in foul trouble (which is very likely). As it stands, Chandler is the first reserve for Team USA, and would be the first added to the team in the event of injury. I feel bad for Chandler, who is one of my favorite players in the league anyway, because he is a better fit for this current team than Prince.

The other 5 reserves are Mike Miller (who was competing with Redd for the "designated shooter" spot), Shawn Marion, Kevin Durant, Joe Johnson and Chauncey Billups. After Chandler, Miller and Johnson would be the most likely additions to the team in the event of injury.

There are three players who I have problems with being on the team- Boozer, Paul and Prince. From the beginning of this new era for USA basketball, all of the players that were going to be on the 2008 Olympic team were expected to make a 3 year commitment, being a part of the team every summer. Carlos Boozer has not been a part of any of these summer programs. As I said earlier, there were reasons for Boozer missing these sessions, including injury and personal matters, which I have no right to question. But last summer, when Wade couldn't play because of an injured shoulder, he was still in Las Vegas attending all of the team's practices, traveling with the team, and sitting on the bench during the games. He couldn't play, but he was still very much a part of the team. A big factor in Boozer being on the team is the injury to Amare Stoudamire- Boozer fills an obvious need on the team (in a different way than Chandler would), so at the end of the day I don't really have that big of an issue with the decision, but it was interesting to me as he was such an unexpected addition.

Criticizing Chris Paul is almost blasphemous, but it is worth noting to me that Team USA seems to be carrying too many point guards. Jason Kidd had to be on the team- he's the leader, the coach on the floor, and a veteran of the international game. For the young and inexperienced Team USA, Kidd is invaluable. Dwyane Wade, one of the captains, will most likely be playing a good amount of point guard off the bench (put it this way- he's not taking minutes from Kobe, LeBron or Carmelo), and as a captain, he is almost guaranteed a certain amount of minutes. That's already 2 point guards. From there, the issue for Team USA was making the decision between Deron Williams and Chris Paul, which is already looking to be an all-time argument as to who is better (remember, Williams was taken one pick before Paul in the 2005 Draft). It would have been extremely difficult, simply from a PR perspective, for USA to take one and not the other, but it would have been even harder to take Williams over Paul, who was the MVP runner-up this past season, as well as one of the most media-friendly players in the league. As dominant as Williams is, he doesn't get nearly as much national attention as Paul does. All that said, Williams is a better fit for the international game, for reasons I listed above. On talent, Paul and Williams are better players, regardless of position, than anyone else that would have made the team, so their selections are both justified, but at the same time USA probably needs more size and they might be sacrificing a bigger player to include both point guards.

Boozer and Paul, even though I might not like their choices, both fill specific roles on the team (Boozer replacing the offensive game of Stoudamire, Paul as a defensive/change of pace point guard). The selection of Prince, however, is what I really have a problem with. As the last player selected, Tayshaun Prince was brought in specifically to be a versatile defensive specialist. But Prince simply doesn't fit in well with the international game- he is a streaky shooter from outside, and his light frame will result in him getting knocked around too much (especially if he is playing the 4). Also, the role of defensive specialist really isn't that important for this team- they already have Kobe and LeBron to guard virtually any scoring threat that other teams might have. When those two are focused primarily on defense, they are two of the most dominant defenders in the league. I guarantee that there isn't anyone that Team USA will face who would have more success being guarded by Kobe or LeBron than they would being guarded by Prince.

This all brings me back to the snubbing of Tyson Chandler. Even in the NBA game, Chandler is a role player. He guards the best post player on the other team, controls the boards on both ends (his specialty is slapping an offensive rebound back to his team), and is a dominant shot-blocker. He doesn't care about getting his own points, but still tries to beat his man down the floor for easy dunks, and is one of the best alley-oop finishers in the league. Most importantly for this team, he is 7'1 with long arms, and is an explosive athlete. Going back to the points I made earlier about LeBron and Howard, Team USA should be flexing its muscles with the best athletes in the world- physical specimens like Chandler that simply can't be matched by other countries. If you're going to carry a 12th man who will only be used in specific situations, why not carry someone like Chandler, who is a true defensive specialist that doesn't duplicate the talents of anyone else on the team? He brings a specific skill-set and attitude, and would really only see time if Howard was in foul trouble. All that said, Chandler is not yet a house-hold name (while Prince has slowly become one) and is not an NBA champion (a distinction Prince has held since his rookie season). He is still extremely young and has been a part of this process from Day 1, so he'll definitely be on several future teams, but I really disagree with the selection of Prince over Chandler.

Even with this collection of talent, Team USA doesn't intimidate teams like they used to. They will always have a huge bulls-eye on their back, because simply beating Team USA is such an accomplishment for the other countries. Also, the talent level of the rest of the world has slowly started to catch up to the United States, and the teams from the rest of the world have been playing together for much longer than the US team has. That said, this Team USA is much more committed to winning than the past few Olympic teams have been, and (as usual) it would be a huge shock if they don't win the gold, or even lose a single game. My prediction is that the easily win most of their games, with one close call in the earlier round and a hard-fought medal round. 

On a side note, ESPN and Nike are running a 5-part documentary series on Team USA called "Road to Redemption," which premiered last Wednesday. It gave lots of behind the scenes footage of the team and lots of player interviews, and I thought it was extremely well done. The first installment focused mainly on the 3 years since the last Olympics and the rebuilding of the program, and ended with the announcement of the official 12-man roster. I really recommend it to anyone interested on the team and the upcoming Olympic games.