To get an idea of how dominant the 2008 USA Olympic basketball team was, let's look at the last eight Olympic semifinalists:
Record
2004 Argentina: 6-2
2004 Italy: 5-3
2004 USA: 5-3
2004 Lithuania: 6-2
2008 Lithuania: 5-3
2008 Argentina: 6-2
2008 Spain: 6-2
2008 USA: 8-0
10+ point wins, 20+ point wins, 30+ point wins
2004 Argentina: 2,1,0
2004 Italy: 2,1,1
2004 USA: 2,1,1
2004 Lithuania: 3,2,0
2008 Lithuania: 3,2,1
2008 Argentina: 5,1,0
2008 Spain: 5,1,1
2008 USA: 8,7,4
Scoring Margin:
2004 Argentina: +5.8
2004 Italy: +4.6
2004 USA: +4.6
2004 Lithuania: +7.1
2008 Lithuania: +4.3
2008 Argentina: +7.3
2008 Spain: +7
2008 USA: +27.9
In 2004, Argentina ended up on top of a heap that luckily didn't include the best team in the tournament, Spain. Argentina lost two games in group play, won another by one, and another by four. They won their quarterfinal game by five. In 2008 USA won their first seven games by at least 20 points, and were only challenged in the final in which they still put away Spain by double digits, 118-107.
After the failures of Team USA at the 2002 and 2006 World Championships and at the 2004 Olympics, it was obvious that there are problems with American basketball. To an extent, play is too selfish, too much emphasis is put on highlight dunks over fundamentals, there's too much one-on-one play, etc., and to an extent, non-American players are probably brought up in an environment where they're drilled in fundamentals and teamwork is glorified more than individual achievement. However, both the weaknesses of American players and the virtues of non-American ones were overstated.
Team USA's success started with defense (which surely NBA players can't excel at since it's not flashy, right?). Opponents shot 40.3% from the field, 29.9% from three, and averaged 10.6 assists and 19.3 turnovers. Only one team shot above 45% against Team USA, and that was the final, where Spain played out of their minds and shot 51.4% The 78.4 points per game average is inflated by the quick pace and abundance of possessions in USA games. Team USA on the other hand, shot 55% from the field, 37.7% from three (including 41.7% over the last five after a horrific start, and 13-28 in the final against the second best team in the tournament), and averaged 15.8 assists and 13.8 turnovers. The assists number is deceptively low because Team USA had a lot of one-on-zero fast breaks, and because opponents would force Team USA to go to the line instead of getting easy buckets. Team USA brushed off 2-3 zones for easy layups and wide open threes.
What about the other teams, who play collectively, unselfishly, and with full grasp of the fundamentals of basketball? Well, here's what I saw in my limited time watching non-USA teams: Greece setting multiple moving picks on pretty much every possession against Spain. Not just moving while there's contact with the defender, but leaning in the shoulders, hip checking, and giving the defender a little shove towards half court every single time. This is the fundamental basketball I keep hearing about? Lithuania being completely unable to solve the Spanish 2-3 zone that the USA obliterated twice. Greece forgetting how to run an offense in the fourth quarter of their quarterfinal game against Argentina, and instead, just standing around and passing the ball along the perimeter, begging the Argentines to step in and steal it, which they did a few times. Carlos Delfino chucking the ball like an LSU-era Pistol Pete against Team USA, shooting 7-19 (3-10 from 3), a lot of them the ugly kind of shots that barely hit the opposite side of the backboard. Spain shooting 31.5% from three for the tournament. Argentina shooting 6-23 from three against Team USA after shooting 4-21 in their last game against USA two years ago. That's 10-44 (22.7%) in their last two games. Can you imagine the blowhards' reactions if Team USA had clanked that many threes over two games, one a semifinal and the other for a bronze medal?
I'm not bringing these things up to insult foreign teams or to deny that weaknesses of Team USA and American basketball in general, but to say, hey, maybe the foreign teams aren't the paragons of fundamentals and teamwork they are sometimes made out to be, nor are NBA players the embodiment of everything wrong with basketball today.
Two rising young players were expected to make an impression at the Olympics and they both did just that.
Rudy Fernandez, 23, of Spain, will play for the Portland Trailblazers next year after having a breakout year at DKV Joventut in the Spanish ACB. He averaged 13.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for Spain, and shot 47.3/.400/.792. He shot 7/13, 5/9, 3/3 in the final against USA for 22 points. He was actually drafted by the Suns in 2007 but was traded to the Blazers in exchange for cash. And no, "cash" isn't another player's name. The Suns gave up the guy who just lit up the Redeem Team, and who is already NBA-ready, for a tiny bit of money. His salary will be about a paltry $4.2 over four years. I guess management had to make room for Shaq's $40 million over two years. I will now blow my brains out.
Ricky Rubio, 17, also of Spain and of DKV Joventut, will play at least one more year in the ACB and the Euroleague since they qualified for this upcoming season. He averaged 4.8 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2.1 steals for Spain in only 18.3 minutes. Unfortunately, he shot 28% from the field and 2-12 from three for the tournament. But he has plenty of time to work on that. He was great court vision, and super quick hands and defensive anticipation. Two years ago (at age 16), he led the Euroleague in steals with 3.45 per game in only 18.3 minutes per game. I thought he played very well for a 17 year old, and is, barring injury, a surefire future NBA All-Star and Hall-of-Famer. His play in the tournament was underwhelming for me, though. While his long arms, quickness, and anticipation allowed him to disrupt offenses by getting in the passing lanes, he had difficulty staying between opposing point guards and the basket. In a half-court offense, his contributions consisted of standing five feet behind the key and making passes to players coming off of screens. He did what the offense called for, but he didn't show that he can create, finish around the rim, or shoot. Of course, he's only 17, so all these things will improve.
Record
2004 Argentina: 6-2
2004 Italy: 5-3
2004 USA: 5-3
2004 Lithuania: 6-2
2008 Lithuania: 5-3
2008 Argentina: 6-2
2008 Spain: 6-2
2008 USA: 8-0
10+ point wins, 20+ point wins, 30+ point wins
2004 Argentina: 2,1,0
2004 Italy: 2,1,1
2004 USA: 2,1,1
2004 Lithuania: 3,2,0
2008 Lithuania: 3,2,1
2008 Argentina: 5,1,0
2008 Spain: 5,1,1
2008 USA: 8,7,4
Scoring Margin:
2004 Argentina: +5.8
2004 Italy: +4.6
2004 USA: +4.6
2004 Lithuania: +7.1
2008 Lithuania: +4.3
2008 Argentina: +7.3
2008 Spain: +7
2008 USA: +27.9
In 2004, Argentina ended up on top of a heap that luckily didn't include the best team in the tournament, Spain. Argentina lost two games in group play, won another by one, and another by four. They won their quarterfinal game by five. In 2008 USA won their first seven games by at least 20 points, and were only challenged in the final in which they still put away Spain by double digits, 118-107.
After the failures of Team USA at the 2002 and 2006 World Championships and at the 2004 Olympics, it was obvious that there are problems with American basketball. To an extent, play is too selfish, too much emphasis is put on highlight dunks over fundamentals, there's too much one-on-one play, etc., and to an extent, non-American players are probably brought up in an environment where they're drilled in fundamentals and teamwork is glorified more than individual achievement. However, both the weaknesses of American players and the virtues of non-American ones were overstated.
Team USA's success started with defense (which surely NBA players can't excel at since it's not flashy, right?). Opponents shot 40.3% from the field, 29.9% from three, and averaged 10.6 assists and 19.3 turnovers. Only one team shot above 45% against Team USA, and that was the final, where Spain played out of their minds and shot 51.4% The 78.4 points per game average is inflated by the quick pace and abundance of possessions in USA games. Team USA on the other hand, shot 55% from the field, 37.7% from three (including 41.7% over the last five after a horrific start, and 13-28 in the final against the second best team in the tournament), and averaged 15.8 assists and 13.8 turnovers. The assists number is deceptively low because Team USA had a lot of one-on-zero fast breaks, and because opponents would force Team USA to go to the line instead of getting easy buckets. Team USA brushed off 2-3 zones for easy layups and wide open threes.
What about the other teams, who play collectively, unselfishly, and with full grasp of the fundamentals of basketball? Well, here's what I saw in my limited time watching non-USA teams: Greece setting multiple moving picks on pretty much every possession against Spain. Not just moving while there's contact with the defender, but leaning in the shoulders, hip checking, and giving the defender a little shove towards half court every single time. This is the fundamental basketball I keep hearing about? Lithuania being completely unable to solve the Spanish 2-3 zone that the USA obliterated twice. Greece forgetting how to run an offense in the fourth quarter of their quarterfinal game against Argentina, and instead, just standing around and passing the ball along the perimeter, begging the Argentines to step in and steal it, which they did a few times. Carlos Delfino chucking the ball like an LSU-era Pistol Pete against Team USA, shooting 7-19 (3-10 from 3), a lot of them the ugly kind of shots that barely hit the opposite side of the backboard. Spain shooting 31.5% from three for the tournament. Argentina shooting 6-23 from three against Team USA after shooting 4-21 in their last game against USA two years ago. That's 10-44 (22.7%) in their last two games. Can you imagine the blowhards' reactions if Team USA had clanked that many threes over two games, one a semifinal and the other for a bronze medal?
I'm not bringing these things up to insult foreign teams or to deny that weaknesses of Team USA and American basketball in general, but to say, hey, maybe the foreign teams aren't the paragons of fundamentals and teamwork they are sometimes made out to be, nor are NBA players the embodiment of everything wrong with basketball today.
Two rising young players were expected to make an impression at the Olympics and they both did just that.
Rudy Fernandez, 23, of Spain, will play for the Portland Trailblazers next year after having a breakout year at DKV Joventut in the Spanish ACB. He averaged 13.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for Spain, and shot 47.3/.400/.792. He shot 7/13, 5/9, 3/3 in the final against USA for 22 points. He was actually drafted by the Suns in 2007 but was traded to the Blazers in exchange for cash. And no, "cash" isn't another player's name. The Suns gave up the guy who just lit up the Redeem Team, and who is already NBA-ready, for a tiny bit of money. His salary will be about a paltry $4.2 over four years. I guess management had to make room for Shaq's $40 million over two years. I will now blow my brains out.
Ricky Rubio, 17, also of Spain and of DKV Joventut, will play at least one more year in the ACB and the Euroleague since they qualified for this upcoming season. He averaged 4.8 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2.1 steals for Spain in only 18.3 minutes. Unfortunately, he shot 28% from the field and 2-12 from three for the tournament. But he has plenty of time to work on that. He was great court vision, and super quick hands and defensive anticipation. Two years ago (at age 16), he led the Euroleague in steals with 3.45 per game in only 18.3 minutes per game. I thought he played very well for a 17 year old, and is, barring injury, a surefire future NBA All-Star and Hall-of-Famer. His play in the tournament was underwhelming for me, though. While his long arms, quickness, and anticipation allowed him to disrupt offenses by getting in the passing lanes, he had difficulty staying between opposing point guards and the basket. In a half-court offense, his contributions consisted of standing five feet behind the key and making passes to players coming off of screens. He did what the offense called for, but he didn't show that he can create, finish around the rim, or shoot. Of course, he's only 17, so all these things will improve.
Some things I agree with: http://thepaintedarea.blogspot.com/2008/08/usa-basketball-all-stars-and-role.html
http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/entry/view/11077/shoals_unlimited_olympics_proving_that_nbas_style_of_play_still_rules_the_hardwood#page_break
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