Australia..........No Match!

Team USA went on to improve their undefeated record to 6-0 as they flattened Australia earlier this morning. Led by Kobe Bryant's 25 points on 10 of 16 shooting, the US never looked back beating Australia 116 to 85. As the game got under way, it was evident what the US wanted to establish. Throwing the ball to the inside presence of Dwight Howard provided early foul trouble for Australia and the former number 1 NBA draft pick Andrew Bogut. Bogut picked up two early fouls as he tried to defend Howard deep in the paint. Being physical with the US players was something that Australia had circled in their game plan. The Aussies wanted to let team USA know that this was going to be a physical game and that they were not going to back down.

The young, yet fearless Aussie point guard Patrick Mills entered late in the first quarter and provided a spark for Australia. Mills, who will be a sophomore next year at Saint Mary's University in California, showed his ability to run his ball club finishing the game with 20 points. Australia shot well from the three point arc in the first quarter. At the end of the first quarter the Aussies trailed only by a point 25 to 24.

As the second quarter opened, the unheralded Dwayne Wade opened with a knifing drive to the basket, converting a three point play. The US started to break away from Australia, who used a Princeton style offense to keep the US on their heels in the first quarter. This offense causes a lot of defensive attention because of the constant movements by the Australian players. The US adjusted by switching to a smaller line-up that was able to keep up with Australia. Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Deron Williams, and LeBron James all were able to disrupt Australia's offensive attack with aggressive defense. The line-up also provided fast break points that increased team USA' s lead. Deron Williams hit a buzzer beating three to send the US into halftime up 55 -43. The three that Williams hit was only the second three point field goal the US connected on in the first half. The US shot 2 of 12 from the three point arc and 10 of 20 from the free throw line in the first half.

Opening up the second half, the US knew about their shooting woes from three. Kobe Bryant fixed the shooting problems with a dead eye three point field goal and Carmelo Anthony followed with another three pointer the very next play. The back to back threes put the US up by 18 points and started a 14 to 0 run early in the second half. The better shooting made Australia come out and guard the US from the perimeter. Opening up the once packed in lane allowed penetration by US guards and set up thunderous crowded cheering dunks by Chris Bosh and other US players. Team USA kicked up their feet and relaxed as they outscored Australia 34 to 18 at the end of the third quarter. Much of the same continued as the fourth quarter got underway. The reserves for team USA played the majority of the 4th and didn't drop in energy on the offensive end. Michael Redd and sparingly used forward Carlos Boozer were able to get some playing time and make the most of it.

Australia saw a different team USA from the last time they played them in Shanghai, China. In that exhibition game on August 5th, team USA won by 11 points, but Australia never went away as they fought the US for every basket. Many felt that the Aussies could upset the US in this re-match, but they never came close. Next up for team USA is a semifinal match up between the winner of Argentina and Greece. The game will be played this Friday.

• LeBron James! Not only is he the vocal leader for team USA, he displays his defensive efforts every game for 40 minutes. Add that with a forceful aggression towards the rim on offense and you have a Gorilla of a player. James is the showing his leadership ability at the tender age of twenty-three.



• Keep in mind the US free throw shooting. As a team they are shooting 65% and that has to be improved immediately. Better concentration and efficiency will turn this negative into a positive for team USA.



• Kobe Bryant is starting to get more comfortable shooting the basketball in these Olympic games. Look for Bryant to assert himself more in the upcoming semifinal game on Friday.

Be Peaceful

Showing "Flashes" Of Elite Status

To say that Dwayne Wade has recovered from his frightening shoulder injury is an understatement. Wade has not only recovered, he is returning back to the player that dominated the 2006 NBA Finals.

The freakish shoulder injury occurred 2 seasons ago against the Houston Rockets late in the fourth quarter. Wade locked arms with Houston Rocket's Shane Battier and Wade's shoulder popped out of place. The pain was so gruesome, Wade left the court in a wheelchair and was taken to a nearby Houston hospital. This was just one of the many injuries that lowered Wade's superstar ability in the NBA. Many started to doubt that Wade could return to his elite status because of the wear and tear on his body.

"Flash" forward to team U.S.A.'s exhibition game against Canada. There is a player in a white number 9 jersey that has a bald head, striking above the rim ability, and throat clinching defense. Could it be the basketball legend Michael Jordan? Well probably not, but as the camera zooms in, you see a familiar face..... It's Dwayne Wade! Flying up and down the court as if his pants were on fire. Wade was back and he wanted the whole basketball world to know. Driving to the basket and finishing strong , Wade seemed to be playing with a chip on his shoulder. Since that game against Canada, in which Wade finished with 20 points, nothing has changed. His drives and finishing abilities at the rim are the same as they were when he was drafted into the NBA.

With a team full of NBA superstars, you would assume that LeBron James or Kobe Bryant leads the team in scoring, but its neither one. Wade is the leading scorer averaging 17.8 points per Olympic contest. When Wade enters the game off the bench, he immediately makes an impact on both offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Whether its shooting the gaps for his team high 11 steals or shooting 73% from the field, Wade is leading by example.

An untamed defensive monster, Wade plays a huge part into why U.S.A. opponents average 23.8 turnovers per game. If you watch the previous Beijing games, you will see Wade create turnovers and turn them into break away dunks for himself and his teammates. Just head to the popular website YouTube and in the search box type, "Dwayne Wade Alley Oop". There you will view Wade forcing a steal from a Lithuanian player, passing the ball ahead to Chris Paul, and Paul rewarding Wade with a perfect alley oop, which Wade windmills while airborne . Wade is one of the twelve anchors that this "Redeem Team" possesses. Coming into training camp for team U.S.A., Wade was in tremendous shape and brought his aggressive game with him.

You cannot ask for much more from a player that had his share of disappointments in the past two NBA seasons. His Miami Heat team finished with the worst record in the NBA this past season. But with a rebuilt Dwayne Wade and talented Michael Beasley, Miami is very capable of making some heads turn in the Eastern Conference this season. But before that season starts Wade wants to bring a gold medal back to his neighborhood in Robbins, IL. Welcome back Dwayne Wade

• The U.S. blew Spain out of the gym this past Saturday with a 119 - 82 win. The U.S. now clinches the top spot in Group B in these Olympic games.
• Team U.S.A. will play Monday August 18th against Dirk Nowitzki his German team. The game starts at 7 am CT.

Be Peaceful

Cruise Control

When the Dream Team geared up to play against Angola back in 1992, Charles Barkley was asked what he knew about Angola. Sir Charles simply said "They are in trouble. They are in serious trouble".

Sixteen years later nothing much has really changed about Barkley's comment, as team U.S.A. defeated Angola 97 - 76 in a dominate, yet nonchalant game in Beijing. Led by Dwayne Wade's 19 point effort and stingy U.S. defense, the N.B.A. superstars imposed their will early and often in the game. Angola came into the contest completely undersized with their center Eduardo Mingas standing just a mere six foot five. The U.S. took advantage of Angola by going inside to Dwight Howard who finished the contest with 14 points on 6 of 6 shooting from the field. The team made it a point not only to run against Angola, but to throw the ball inside to Howard who tries to always finish his post moves with a ground shattering dunk. Howard's presence inside the paint will be key against powers Spain and Argentina.
What took the game by surprise was the second unit of team U.S.A. Active hands and player communication on the defensive end forced frustration by Angola. The chemistry of Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Chris Bosh, and Tayshaun Prince energized a tough U.S. defense. Tayshaun Prince made an immediate impact with the second unit by knocking down a three and shooting the passing lane for a steal and dunk. Prince finished with 7 points and quietly asserted himself in the game. Team U.S.A. shot a very comfortable 69% from the field and led 55 - 37 at halftime.

The U.S. didn't miss a beat as the second half got underway. The consistent ingredients of defensive pressure and pure athleticism anchored a commanding lead from team U.S.A. With the game already decided in the 3rd quarter, the second unit of team U.S.A. got some more polish on their games by frustrating Angola defensively. Some things are clear about the U.S. They want to run on any opportunity and they want to set the tone defensively. Angola shot 38% from the floor and 29 % from three, resulting in a frustrating evening in Beijing. Team U.S.A. went on to defeat Angola 97 to 76 in a lopsided game.

Next up for the U.S. is a match up against Greece. The last time the U.S. played Greece was in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. In that game, Greece defeated the U.S., leaving a very sour taste in the mouth of the U.S. players. Look for vengeful energy and aggressive play by team U.S.A. The game will be Thursday at 7 am CT.

• Is anyone else noticing how bad team U.S.A. is shooting from the three in international play? In today's game against Angola, the U.S. shot a horrible 23% from three. Look for teams to start zoning team U.S.A. and forcing them to shoot from the three point arc. The zone will stop the transition baskets from the U.S. and make them play a half court game.


• Speaking of horrible three point shooting. Kobe Bryant is 1 for 15 from three in these Beijing Olympics. It's great that he has stepped up defensively, but Bryant has to bring his brilliant offense with him.


• Every game another player on team U.S.A. jumps out at you. Today it was Chris Bosh. The Dallas native is equipped with strong post defense and quick rebounding skills. Bosh's play, along with Dwight Howard, will be even more important in upcoming games against Spain and Argentina .


• Players to watch out for in the next game: Chris Paul, Chris Paul...and how about ummm....Chris Paul. The "Point God", is displaying a great basketball IQ and leadership at his position.

Be Peaceful

One Step Closer To Gold

As team U.S.A. ran onto the court to warm up for their game against China, the crowd's energy was immense. It seemed that the overwhelming Chinese crowd was more excited to watch team U.S.A., than their own Chinese national team. When the game began Yao Ming knocked down a three pointer, at that point you could only think back three years ago when team U.S.A. opened against feisty Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico handed the US a 19 point embarrassing defeat in the opening game in Athens. But this is a totally different team, a different chemistry, and a different caliber of players. Like many teams that play against the US, China didn't show any signs of backing down in the first quarter of play. Their crowd provided them with a hometown energy to compete with the Americans. As the first quarter continued, the US stretched out their legs and began to run like gazelles as their defensive pressure forced turnover after turnover by China. That defense ignited team U.S.A. into fast break dunks that wowed the Chinese crowd.

It was as if team U.S.A. wanted to send a message to the rest of the world. Any dunk opportunity the US had, they attack it. The attack was with power, attitude, and sort of a built up frustration from the Athens Olympics. Even though the US came out strong, China never backed down and shot 8 of 11 from the three point arc. Open looks for China from three was a result of defensive breakdowns by team U.S.A. Going for that highlight steal sometimes resulted in a wide open three for China.

LeBron James was phenomenal in the first half of play. The King's strength is one of his best superhuman gifts that he possesses. James was on a fast break heading towards the rim when Yi Jianlian attempted to grab James's arms. Not only was Jianlian unable to slow down LeBron, James was fouled and finished the lay in resulting in a three point play. Late in the first half, you could see the US extended their defense to full court. Quick ball traps and doberman like aggressiveness left China sucking wind. The first half ended with team U.S.A. leading China 49 to 37.

When the second half opened the US exposed China's guards. The US started to separate even more from China because of defensive pressure and intensity. China knew that they could only play at a certain level and that level was nowhere near team U.S.A. Getting a huge and expected spark from Dwyane Wade, who finished the game with perfect shooting from the floor. Wade was 7 of 7 from the field and 5 of 5 from the free throw line, giving him 19 points for the game. Also LeBron James continued his beast like ability by overpowering opponents with thunderous dunks. The US led by 17 points and the second half was nowhere near over.

Reserves played much of the second half for team U.S.A. Michael Redd and Deron Williams carried the rest of the load for the team, as they proved their worth. Redd was once again on fire from three finishing with 9 points. Williams conducted a fast break, pick you apart style of play that he possesses. Any chance that Williams got, he was pushing the tempo and running up China's back with the basketball. Williams finished with 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. The final score was a overwhelming 101 to 70 victory for the US. Team U.S.A. will play again Tuesday against Angola at 7 a.m. CT.

• On Tuesday's game watch out for the fierce combination of backup point guards Deron Williams and Chris Paul. In the second half against China, these two gifted guards played off each others energy and allowed team U.S.A.'s offense to flow smooth like your favorite summer breeze. Williams brings an offensive game that is very suitable for international play, while Paul brings a competitive attitude on defensive, harassing opposing guards.


• Also look out for team US.A.'s three point shooting. This can be a problem in the later rounds against powers like Argentina and Spain. The US shot just 29 % from three against China. Michael Redd cannot be the only three point threat that the US has. The team as a whole needs to shoot better from three in order to reach the gold medal.

Be Peaceful

Time To Put Up Or Shut Up

With one "warm up" game left against Australia, team U.S.A.'s quest for that elusive gold medal will begin. Team U.S.A. will play one last game on Tuesday against Andrew Bogut and his Australian national team. The Australians shouldn't pose any threat to the Americans, allowing team U.S.A. to work out any last minute kinks before play begins in Beijing. That game will be shown Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. CT on ESPN 2 and it will re-air later on that night at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN.

The past two games against Lithuania and Russia were no match for team U.S.A. In the game against Lithuania, Kobe Bryant took the challenge of shutting down Lithuania's cocky scorer Sarunas Jasikevicious, who four years ago torched the Americans for 28 points in Athens. Bryant displayed a fiery attitude on the defensive end by forcing Jasikevicious to shoot poorly from the floor. "He had a great game against us a few years ago, and he was real brash about it, trash talking and things of that nature. So it's my responsibility to bring it to him," Bryant said. "He reminded me of it, so we sicked The Doberman on him."
That "Doberman" Bryant has inside of him is unlike any species known to mankind. In Olympic play and during the NBA season Bryant guards the opposing teams best player, no matter who it is. This is unheard of during this era of basketball. Arguably the best player in the world wants to go out and play hard nose defense against the best. Team U.S.A. beat Lithuania 120-84, displaying more of a defensive presence throughout the whole game.

Russia put up more of a fight against team U.S.A., but it wasn't enough as the US won 89-68. In the game there was a decision made by head coach Mike Krzyzewski to start the second half with back up point guard Chris Paul. Many people wondered why team leader Jason Kidd didn't play at all during the second half against Russia. Chris Paul still provided stability to the point guard position in Kidd's absence, Paul also maintained the flow of the team and showed some improvement of his strength as a point guard. Paul displayed his upper body strength by penetrating to the basket and absorbing contact as he went up for his shot.

By resting veteran Jason Kidd, Coach K allowed Paul to be more comfortable with running the team. Kidd doesn't need to be playing whole games, especially when the US is dismantling opponents like Russia. Coach K is studying what chemistry Paul has with the team when he is in the driver seat on the floor. Coaches know and understand strategy, sometimes you need different plans for your team if injury, foul trouble, or poor play occurs. I expect to see more line-up changes with team U.S.A. when they go up against Australia this Tuesday.

Keep these players in mind when you watch Tuesday's game. Dwayne Wade, Michael Redd, and LeBron James. Wade aka "Flash" has re-emerged like Thomas Shepard from the movie "Above The Rim". Carmelo Anthony put it best when he said that Dwayne Wade is back. Michael Redd displayed his lights out shooting in the game against Russia. Redd will be team U.S.A.'s secret shooting assassin because of his quick and accurate shooting touch. Lebron James is showing no ill effects from the ankle injury he suffered last week in practice. The King is soaring even higher to the rim, displaying an agility never seen before from a 6'8 , 260 pound force. James is emerging as a third leader, along with Jason Kidd and Kobe Bryant.

Be Peaceful