Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 at 10:30 am  |  16 responses

Reason to Worry for Team USA After Win Over Brazil?

Kevin Durant and co. escaped with a win against Brazil, but nobody felt too good about their chances going forward in the World Championships. NBA.com takes a closer look: “At the Abdi Ipekci Arena on Monday, Brazil confirmed the thought that it would be the U.S. National Team’s toughest competition in pool play at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. The U.S. confirmed as well that the road to gold would not be an easy one, despite their exhibition play success. Flaws were exposed. Lessons were learned. Character was tested. And when Leandro Barbosa’s spinning attempt under the basket bounced off the rim at the buzzer, the U.S. had escaped with a 70-68 victory. With pool play games against Iran and Tunisia left, the Americans have essentially wrapped up the top spot in Group B and a top seed in the 16-team, single-elimination tournament that begins Saturday. But, they’ve got some work to do before they face a win-or-go-home situation against a strong team.”

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  • ConeyIslander

    Frst. We sent our JV squad over, of course we need to worry. Those more battle hardened squads CAN BEAT US don’t sleep!

  • http://slamonline.com Kap

    If they stop trying to be on Sportcenter’s Top Ten and quit trying to the hero then they could of won by a bigger margin. So I don’t think there should be too much concern. This is a team full of Third tier players and lower with the exception of Durant.

  • http://thekobebeef.wordpress.com LDR4

    Stop calling this the B-team people. These players are the future of the game. Of course they’ll be tested…parity is much greater in international basketball than it was 15-20 years ago. Spain took the Redeem Team to the limit in the Olympics.

  • http://www.slamonline.com/ niQ

    It’s ok. Durant’s new name should be the Carrier. for his knack for carrying teams. Lol

  • http://twitter.com/HarryByrdMan44 LA Huey

    Kap’s right. Stop tossing alley-oops and gambling on steals and Brazil can’t stay within 10 points of us. Time Splitter was doing the kind of work that should excite Spurs fans though.

  • T-Money

    this team is not the future of anything besides durant and rose. bron, melo, bosh, dwight are barely 25. nobody on this squad will be in London besides the aforementioned 2.

  • http://staticseth.blogspot.com Seth

    Leandro Barbosa flopped from the basket all the way to the three point line. Nice try.

  • slamfan4life

    Rose is due for a breakout game soon…..

  • Nick The Quick

    Recipe for beating USA teams has always been the same: Great(lucky?) three point shooting, great point guard play = few turnovers, packed in defense/zone mixes = USA jumpshots + lots of one-on-one play, pick and roll to the death. That’s how all Greece, Spain, Brazil have all come close or even beaten us.

  • Purple Reign

    I watched this game last night and what made this game come down to the last shot was horrible pick & roll defense by team USA. Also lack of size at the center position is hurting the team. Team USA also needs to stop relying on Kevin Durant to carry them most of the game with his scoring and then have Mr. Big Shot Chauncey Billups take all the big shots to close out games which he has not been doing lately.

  • total scrotal implosion

    Billups and rose commit turnovers like its their job description. That is worrisome

  • http://shinefluidpt2@aol.com CHICAGO SAID IT YUP

    YET NO ONE MENTIONS THE OBVIOUS. IT WAS THEIR 3RD GAME IN 3 DAYS.

  • Nick The Quick

    It might be their 3rd game in three days but everyone plays a similar schedule so it’s not like they are more disadvantaged than any other team. In addition, these are all young cats — it’s not like making last years Boston Celtics play three games in 3 days.

  • Dyce

    Rose shouldn’t start, Should be Chauncy and Westbrook. Rose was getting killed by that brazillian point gaurd.

  • Origin

    True it is 3 games in 3 days. Plus unlike Brazil we played our 3 toughest competition in the first 3 days.

    Where as brazil played scrubs like Tunisia and Iran in their first 2 matches.

    Also lets not forget that Barbosa does all the heavy lifting for Brazil. He was the main reason we couldn’t press Brazil. I would argue he is the only player in the whole tournament that puts incredible pressure on our wing players. He is a super athlete and his speed is very similar to the USA’s team speed. He is the play maker for Brazil. If you shut Barbosa down Brazil is done.

    Thats why Kobe was put on Barbosa when we played Brazil in 2008.

  • tavoris

    Billups looks really old out there. and he needs to stop waving Derrick Rose off. Give the young man the ball and go set a fackin’ screen

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