The 2008 Beijing Olympics are around the corner and every American wants to see if the USA men's basketball team can bring back the gold medal. Let me rewind you back to a time in 1992 where the greatest collection of basketball players were assembled to represent the United States of America. Everyone knows this team as the Dream Team and they displayed an art form of basketball that will never be duplicated ever again. A few players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Charles Barkley accomplished their goal by putting their egos to the side for the betterment of the team. The Dream Team didn't want to just win, they wanted to embarrass anyone that stepped on the court with them. It didn't matter if you were from Mars, this team was going to beat you by fifty maybe sixty points, and after the game was over they would smile and take pictures with you.
The Dream Team is just a distant memory of when the United States dominated Olympic basketball. Now the world has caught up with the game of basketball and they are not only competing with America. This summer its up to Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony to help bring the gold back to it's rightful owner the U.S.A. If last Friday is any indication to how the U.S. team will play in Beijing, then you might as well crown them now. The team displayed a mirror image of the Dream Team as they whopped on Canada for a ridiculous margin of victory. The team gave America a look into what they have been working on in their practice sessions and what their chemistry is like as a team. Unselfishness, determination, and heart are three of the many things the team needs to bring with them over to Beijing.
The biggest thing that stood out to me as the game went on was the defense pressure the U.S.A. team put on Canada. The guards dominated the flow of the entire game defensively which lead to easier opportunities on the offensive end of the court. Defense will be a huge key if the U.S. wants to return home with the gold medal. The makeup of this team is heavy placed on the guard position. Leading the guards is future hall of fame point guard Jason Kidd, whose presence along with Kobe Bryant, has changed the mentality and work ethic of team U.S.A. Jason Kidd will provide a certain skill that only he can give at the point guard position. His under studies Chris Paul and Deron Williams will back him up with a youthful energy that pumps the heart of the team U.S.A.
Key players like Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwayne Wade all have a responsibility to make sure that the perimeter is owned by team U.S.A. This team will have all the tools that they need to win the gold medal, but it's up to them to determine what level they will play at. My vote is for team U.S.A. to bring back the gold from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and once again set the bar to how the game of basketball shall be played. Next up for team U.S.A. is a match up on Thursday July 31st. One player that everyone should keep a watchful eye on is CARMELO ANTHONY!
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