AP Photo/Laura Rauch
It is easy to assume that the United States men’s basketball team is going to win gold in the 2008 Olympics, but is that really the case? With all the NBA players that we are familiar with, we expect that the U.S. wouldn’t have any problems. But the U.S. last won gold in the 2000 Sydney Games, settling for the bronze four years ago in Athens.
The 2004 disappointment led to the whole American Olympic basketball process being analyzed, reorganized and reinvented. The 2008 U.S. team, led by Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, is built for international basketball with a well-rounded roster that focuses more on shooting and wing defense.
The biggest problem that the Americans faced in 2004 was the lack of team chemistry. While most international teams have played together for years, the Americans were not a cohesive unit in Athens. To gain team chemistry this time around, the U.S. players have been meeting together each summer in Las Vegas to build a cohesive unit. Players have been added and others subtracted depending on need.
The U.S. is planning on going into the Olympics with Jason Kidd at point guard, Kobe Bryant at shooting guard, LeBron James at small forward, Carmelo Anthony at power forward and Dwight Howard at center. The bench is filled with wing player Dwyane Wade, shooter Michael Redd, point guards Deron Williams and Chris Paul, small forward Tayshaun Prince and big men Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer. Tyson Chandler is an alternate for the team in case of injury.
The road to gold is not an easy path. There are 12 teams divided into two groups. The top four from each group will then be put into a single-elimination bracket.
The Americans are in Group B, which includes Spain, Greece, Germany, China and Angola. Out of that group, Spain and Germany pose the greatest threat to the U.S.
Spain is the defending world champion and brings a roster full of NBA players. Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol and his brother, Marc, roam the middle with Jorge Garbajosa while Rudy Fernandez, Jose Calderon, and Juan Carlos Navarro handle the perimeter. This team is big and isn’t afraid to bang under the basket. The strong wing players give the team a good drive-and-dish plan that has worked effectively in the past.
Germany, meanwhile, brings former NBA MVP Dirk Nowitzki and Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman. Germany’s biggest weakness is their lack of strong guard play, leaving Nowitzki often as the primary ball handler.
China comes in with center Yao Ming from the Houston Rockets. Yao is still recovering from a broken leg and it is unknown how effective he can be. China also has power forward Yi Jianlian, who spent 2007-08 as a rookie with the Milwaukee Bucks. China’s biggest strength is its size, but it’s also a weakness as they have a hard time keeping up with smaller and quicker teams.
Out of Group A, the strongest opponent has to be defending Olympic champion Argentina. The big question with Argentina is the health of San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Manu Ginobili, who is recovering from an ankle injury. Argentina is also stacked with other NBA players including Andres Nocioni, Luis Scola, Fabricio Oberto and Carlos Delfino. The only non-NBA player starting for Argentina is point guard Pablo Prigioni, who plays for Tau Ceramica in Spain.
Argentina’s biggest strength is their chemistry. They have all played together since youth, they know each other’s game and they know how to play as a team.
Team USA will have its hands full, and it will not be an easy road to gold. The preliminary rounds will be a time for the Americans to build their chemistry and see where their strengths lie within international play. The rules are slightly different than the NBA and that can lead to problems for some U.S. players.
But the United States has loads of talent, so look for the Americans to play their hardest to bring the gold back.
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