Order is restored in international basketball. The United States is back on top, but not by that much anymore.
Culminating a three-year mission to end years of embarrassment, the U.S. Olympic team survived a huge challenge from Spain, winning 118-107 Sunday in the gold-medal game.
After overwhelming everyone for seven games, the Americans led by only four points with under 2 1/2 minutes to play. Then the U.S. proved it could handle a close game that seemed would never come in Beijing.
Their prize: the first U.S. gold medal since the 2000 Olympics.
Argentina won the bronze with an 87-75 victory against Lithuania.
Dwyane Wade scored 27 points for the Americans, who found a much gamer Spanish team than the one it humiliated by 37 points earlier in the tournament. Kobe Bryant added 20 points.
In a game so void of defense that it felt more like an NBA All-Star game than one with a title at stake, the Americans had too much offense down the stretch. Bryant converted a clutch four-point play with 3:10 remaining, holding his finger to his lips to quiet the rowdy Spanish crowd behind the basket.
Wade added another 3-pointer that made it 111-104 with just over 2 minutes left, and only then could the Americans relax a little.
They began to celebrate during a break after some technical fouls on Spain with 26 seconds left, then celebrated at midcourt when it was over with "Born in the USA" blaring over the arena's speakers.
Nobody else had been close to the Americans in Beijing. This team's only Olympic competition had been history, in a Dream matchup with guys named Jordan, Magic, Bird and the rest of the U.S. team that dominated the Barcelona Games in 1992.
Forget comparisons to those guys. The Americans were lucky to be better than Spain on Sunday.
Rudy Fernandez scored 22 points and Pau Gasol had 21 for the Spanish, the reigning world champions who were hoping to win their first Olympic gold.
U.S. players appreciated the game Spain gave them. After the contest they hugged the Spanish players. Bryant had an especially long embrace for Gasol, patting his Los Angeles Lakers teammate on the back.
Seeming to appreciate the moment, after congratulating Spain, the team joined in a circle, jumping up and down at center court and waving triumphantly to the crowd as coach Mike Krzyzewski applauded on the sidelines.
The Americans had won their first seven games by 30.3 points, including a 119-82 rout of Spain. But they never had control of this game, giving up open looks from the perimeter and plenty of points in the paint.
But Bryant, who waited so long to finally wear the red, white and blue, hit two 3-pointers in a big fourth quarter to add the gold medal to the only piece of hoops hardware he didn't already own. The NBA MVP pounded his hands toward the floor in celebration at the end.
LeBron James scored 14 points, while Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul had 13 apiece for the Americans, who had won bronze medals in their last two international events, the 2004 Olympics and '06 world championships.
The U.S. started planning for this game after that first event, the low point in its hoops history, following a sixth-place flop two years earlier in the world championships. Jerry Colangelo was given control of USA Basketball and constructed a national team program in 2006, requiring those who wanted to play to commit to three years.
He got Bryant and James quickly on board and landed almost everyone else he asked for, finding a group of NBA stars eager to give up their summer to get back what they felt belonged to their country.
And he needed all of them against a Spain team that on this day would have likely beaten any other recent U.S. squad.
Jason Kidd ran his record to 56-0 in senior international play and collected another gold to place alongside the one he earned in 2000, becoming the 13th U.S. player with multiple golds.
That elite list, which includes Michael Jordan and seven other Dream Teamers, could grow in 2012. Paul and Dwight Howard said they would be in London if asked, and perhaps half this team could join them.
James ran out for pregame warmups with his finger in the air, already believing the U.S. was No. 1. But even though the Americans were shooting better than 70 percent for most of the first half, it would take a long time to prove it.
James and Bryant were both on the bench after picking up two fouls in the first 3 1/2 minutes, and though Wade came in and picked up their scoring load, the U.S. reserves couldn't open their usual cushion.
Spain hit seven of its first nine shots, leading for much of the first quarter. A quick burst of 10 points by James and Wade had the U.S. advantage up to 14 points with 4 minutes left in the half, but Spain chipped away and trailed only 69-61 at the break.
Spain was within four on a number of occasions in the third, and Fernandez's 3-pointer cut it down to 91-89 with 8:13 remaining. Bryant answered with a bucket, later added a 3, and things seemed safe when James scored to make it 103-92.
Spain made one last push to close within 108-104 on Carlos Jimenez's 3-pointer, but Wade hit one on the other end, and the final score became lopsided when the Americans hit a bunch of free throws after the Spanish became frustrated and were called for the technicals.
Team USA, with Kobe Bryant at top right, celebrates following their win over Spain in their men's gold medal basketball game at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Eric ####)
Consider Team USA redeemed. The United States fought a tough Spain squad Sunday to win 118-107 and earn its first gold since 2000.
Chris Paul and Dwight Howard have already said that if asked they would return for the London Games to help defend the Olympic gold.
Redeem Team
Team USA not only atoned for its bronze-medal performance in Athens, it earned favorable comparisons to the original Dream Team in the process. Now, that's what we call redemption.FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP - Getty Images
Tonight, you'll have some fun, Because my Idol, Kobe Bryant, He has just turned thirty before my eyes.
He has always been his mother’s baby, Got his name kobe,
From the restaurant menu,
In the island of Japan.
His parents have watched him grow, And even though theye're now apart, Kobe always has been,
At the centre of thier heart.
Through those early years, Were many things that gave them pleasure, Trips to the seaside and the park, Are memories that they will treasure.
They say that genes are passed down, So there could be a small chance, That he got some from his father, Because this boy knows how to play basketball by not chance !!
And when I watch him play the game, Something gets me deep inside, My eyes sometimes get quite cloudy, And my heart swells up with pride.
My Idol's so full of love, His compassion never ends, You can ask Kidd, Wade, Melo, or James, They're his four two-legged friends right now.
There is Vanessa, his wife,
There are two little girls, his children, And of course his sisters.
One more lady I should mention, Well, I don't think I have a choice, Kobe is her little prince, Yes, of course, that's his Mom
kobe is a product of NBA, His fashion's always 'in the zone' But I'm sure that he'd be lost Without his precious basketball.
Maybe someday in the future, He will make his deslikers smile, And who knows, if I get lucky, Depending what the future brings, Maybe someday I will get to meet him, Before I push my own grandchildren on the swings.
He hit the side of the rim on another slam attempt but tossed in back-to-back 3s
The U.S. Olympic team put away Dirk Nowitzki and Germany in a hurry. Next up: the only team so far these Americans couldn't blow out. After destroying Germany 106-57 on Monday, the Americans (5-0) move on to a quarterfinal matchup Wednesday against Australia, the team that's provided them with their toughest test in China.
The U.S. led by only seven points midway through the fourth quarter of an 87-76 exhibition victory in Shanghai two weeks ago over an Australian team that didn't have starting center Andrew Bogut of the Milwaukee Bucks. He was resting a sore right ankle.
It's hard to imagine a repeat of that semi-Shanghai surprise with the way the U.S. has played in Beijing.
Dwight Howard scored 22 points and LeBron James had 18, 16 in the first half, Monday as the United States completed an undefeated march through pool play.
Not since the Dream Team rumbled through Las Ramblas 16 years ago in Barcelona has a team been this dominant. The Americans won their pool games by 32.2 points and averaged 103 points.
The only thing they might have to work on is Kobe Bryant's dunking. He blew two Monday, but hit three 3-pointers after going only 5-of-24 in the first four games.
Bryant finished with 13 points as the Americans shot 55 percent from the floor and tossed in 11 more 3-pointers after making 12 in their last game.
With the top seed in their group already clinched, the Americans could have come out flat like Lithuania, which entered Monday as the other unbeaten and was trounced 106-75 by Australia.
Instead, they came out and flattened Germany.
The Americans scored 3 seconds into the game when Howard batted the tip to James, who threw it ahead to Carmelo Anthony for a layup. That was the start of eight straight U.S. points, and the end of any suspense.
Germany missed nine of its first 10 shots, including a blown dunk and a botched putback by Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman. Bryant missed a dunk, too, during that stretch, but Howard and James had consecutive slams to make it 18-3.
The Americans were scoring so easily, they practically got in each other's way. Chris Paul led a 3-on-1 break and threw an alley-oop that could have gone to either James or Dwyane Wade. James jumped higher and got it to lay it in, then stepped outside to hit his second 3 for a 23-5 bulge.
Up 19 after one, the U.S. scored the first eight points of the second to make it 39-12. The lead was 28 after James drilled 3-pointers on consecutive U.S. possessions, and ballooned to 30 for the first time when Howard scored four straight to make it 49-19 with 3 minutes left in the half.
Bryant hit the side of the rim on another slam attempt early in the third quarter, so he backed up 20 feet and tossed in back-to-back 3s for a 62-29 cushion. Howard slammed down an alley-oop from Wade right after Nowitzki checked out, turning into an 80-39 bulge with 2:41 remaining in the period.
Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks All-Star, scored 14 points for Germany (1-4), which completed a disappointing Olympics. The Germans looked like contenders in a 95-66 rout of Angola in their opener, but then dropped four straight.
Kaman, who joined the Germans this summer after getting German citizenship, managed just six points.
USA's LeBron Jams dunks as Germany's Chris Kaman (12) defends during a men's basketball game at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Monday, Aug. 18 2008. (AP Photo/Eric ####, Pool)
08/20/2008 KOBE BRYANT TIME!!!!!!!!!
Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images
What a difference four years make: Team USA was on the winning side of this semifinal vs. Argentina.
Don't doubt this U.S. men's basketball team - and sure don't challenge them, either. Especially if it's going to make Kobe Bryant flash his NBA MVP form.
Bryant scored 25 points in his best game in Beijing, and the men's U.S. Olympic team advanced to the semifinals by beating Australia 116-85 on Wednesday night.
The United States will play defending champion Argentina on Friday night for a spot in Sunday's gold medal game. The Argentines beat Greece 80-78 in a quarterfinal victory watched from behind the baseline by Bryant and members of the U.S. coaching staff.
Argentina beat the U.S. in the semifinals of the 2004 Olympics.
Locked in what looked like another tough game with Australia, the Americans sent the Aussies' upset hopes down under with a 14-0 burst to open the second half, featuring nine points from Bryant.
"Early in the game, they made a lot of tough shots," U.S. point guard Chris Paul said. "We were doing what we were supposed to be doing and they made tough shots, but sooner or later we'll impose our will. I don't know if you can keep up with us for 40 minutes."
LeBron James added 16 points for the Americans, who are guaranteed a chance to play for a medal. They need two more wins for their first gold medal in a major international competition since the 2000 Sydney Games.
"I think they're going to be very, very, very tough to beat," Australia coach Brian Goorjian said.
As the US expected, with the gold medal getting closer, the games are getting tougher.
Australia stayed with the United States for the first 15 minutes of the game, duplicating the strong performance it had against the Americans in an 87-76 exhibition loss in Shanghai on Aug. 5 - a contest the Americans led by only seven points midway through the fourth quarter.
U.S. players picked from a list of excuses, including fatigue from too many games and looking past the game while thinking ahead to Beijing, but it was clear early on that the Australians gained confidence from that effort.
"They've been the most difficult team for us to defend," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "They're a force to be reckoned with. They caused us a lot of problems."
Showing no fear of the Americans, the Australians delivered hard fouls and attacked the basket instead of settling for jump shots. They trailed by just a point after a quarter and five more than halfway through the second - and would have been closer if not for missing four easy shots in the half.
A hard foul on Carmelo Anthony by Mark Worthington late in the second quarter fired up James, and maybe triggered Bryant's burst.
Bryant had two buckets in a late run that turned a five-point lead into a 12-point halftime advantage, then helped the Americans make it a rout to start the third.
He made two 3-pointers and had three more points in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the period as the U.S. lead grew to 69-43. Australia was shut out for nearly half the period, finally scoring on Patrick Mills' 3-pointer with 6:02 remaining.
"Australia played extremely well for the first 20 minutes," James said. "In the third quarter, we said the first three or four minutes we need to pick it up a little bit defensively and make the extra pass offensively."
Mills, who plays at Saint Mary's College in California, led Australia with 20 points. Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut, who sat out the exhibition game while resting a sore ankle, was in early foul trouble and finished with only four points.
Now the Americans move on to the round where their recent dreams have died. They lost in the semis four years ago in Athens and then in the 2006 world championship.
Everywhere the Americans go, they are reminded of those recent failures. A back page ad in the China Daily on Wednesday had pictures of Bryant and James below a caption reading, "Nothing is more motivating than bronze."
The loaded U.S. team hasn't needed Bryant to be a scorer since he joined the team last year, so he's been content to be its top defender. He averaged 12.6 points in the preliminary round, but Wednesday was 10-for-16 from the floor, hitting four 3-pointers.
Anthony had 15 points for the Americans, who blew by the 103 points they averaged in group play and shot 57 percent.
The U.S. Olympic team stopped the pick-and-rolls — and just about everything else Greece tried.
These Americans, who looked so lost two years ago in the World Championship, appear to have found their Olympic defensive way.
Batting away balls or swatting shots on seemingly every possession late in the second quarter, the Americans broke open a close game and went on to a 92-69 victory Thursday to clinch a spot in the medal round.
The Americans were also able to find the range on jump shots when the Greeks went to a zone defense to slow them down. Kobe Bryant, who entered the game shooting just 37 percent in the first two games, was 7-for-14 from the field and finished with 18 points.
Chris Bosh also had 18 points, Dwayne Wade added 17 and LeBron James had 13 for the United States (3-0), which moves on to a matchup of Group B unbeatens Saturday night against world champion Spain. The winner will earn the group's top seed for the quarterfinals.
Greece stunned the Americans two years ago in the semifinals of the 2006 world championships, shredding the U.S. defense for 63 percent shooting with clinical execution of its pick-and-roll offense in a 101-95 victory.
This time, the Greeks hit just 41.3 percent (26-for-63) from the field and just 4-for-18, 22 percent, from 3-point range as the Americans used a suffocating defense to extend a seven-point lead to a 19-point cushion in the final 5 1/2 minutes of the first half.
Theo Papaloukas led Greece with 15 points.
Like China and Angola before them, the Greeks stayed close for about 1 1/2 quarters before the Americans' depth and athleticism blew open the game.
After the previously slumping Bryant finally knocked down a 3-pointer, James blocked a shot that led to Bosh's three-point play for a 44-30 lead with 2:31 remaining in the second quarter. James came up with a steal less than 30 seconds later and threw down a reverse dunk.
Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times
Bosh swiped at a ball that led to another Greece turnover, and James found him on the next possession for another three-point play and a 49-30 bulge. The Greeks then turned it over again, with James keeping his balance while nearly falling down to take an outlet pass and convert a layup, and Bosh blocked the final Greek shot of the half to make it 51-32 at the break.
The United States had 12-point lead in the game in Japan two years ago before handing it over with its sloppy defensive effort. The Americans came out much sharper this time, with Jason Kidd picking up three fouls in the first 1:25 while aggressively defending, and Bryant picking up Vasileios Spanoulis, the top Greek scorer.
And after stubbornly sticking to what wasn't working in the game two years ago, the Americans showed the Greeks different looks this time. They picked up full court on one early possession, then fell back into a zone defense on another.
Unlike their easy victory against Angola two nights earlier, the Americans kept up the defensive intensity after halftime. Dwight Howard smacked away a shot right into Kidd's head, leading to a shot clock violation, and James and Bosh had rejections on the same third-quarter possession a few minutes later.
The Americans still struggled from the free throw line and 3-point arc. They were 7-of-20 on 3s and just 13 of 23 at the line.
Accordimg to mark.heisler@latimes.com about the USA men basketball team, "Who cares if they're not the Dream Team? They have a little dream team of their own".
Watch the U.S. basketball team’s preparation to win the Tournament of Americas in 2007. Road to Redemption by Nike, Ep. 1, Pt. 4 and Watch as USA Basketball announces the members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic basketball team. Road to Redemption by Nike, Ep. 1, Pt. 5 @ NBA.com
Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak took time to answer question.
Andrew Bynum for 15 years in the lakers ? according to Mitch Kupchak, "He is a true center"
Kobe Bryant playing in the Olympics? according to Mitch Kupchak, "how to stop a player that is going to be 30 and he will be 34 when the next Olympics "
Countdown to Beijing
Kobe is still dealing with a torn ligament in his right pinkie, but in his own words,
"It's always an issue," he said. "Handling the ball sometimes, shooting the ball sometimes. I've been playing with it for so long now, you just get used to it. You bobble the ball sometimes and kind of brush it off because it's just what happens sometimes."
and bringing back a gold medal will reduce some of that pain, As well as the pain of losing in the Finals.
Wow!!!!!! What a player!!!!!
That's why he's the NBA's best!!!!
Do you think USA team will be the Olympic champion?
I would think so. :)
GO TEAM USA!!!
What are the NBA owners, GMs and coaches concern as their stars embark on a month-long Olympic journey?
Reason for the Return of the Feud between O'Neal and Bryant is Shaq's childlike selfishness and jealousy and now fans began feuding once more.
Shaq has never shown to be fully supportive of his relationships with young, talented guards( like Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade ). Eventually, all his relationships with Hardaway , Wade, and Bryant soured, despites of his acts of embraced to his relationship with Wade.
My speculation of O'Neal's :
He is wanting the media 's attention, and how to go about it ?
Thrown a freestyling jabs at former Laker teammate Kobe Bryant.
Some of you might say, “it’s wishful thinking in my part" and I hope that the team will bring back the DREAM TEAM and win the OLYMPIC GOLD.
Before Bryant, USABasketball Men's World Championship Team were: Anthony; Battier; Bosh; Brand; Hinrich; Howard; James; Jamison; Johnson; Brad Miller; Paul; and Wade.
Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE / USABasketball
Following a disappointing 5-3 finish and bronze medal showing at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, USA Basketball in 2005 setoff in a totally new direction with its men’s senior national team.
USA FIBA Americas Championship Team were: Anthony; Billups; Bryant; Chandler; Howard; James; Kidd; Mike Miller; Prince; Redd; Stoudemire; and Williams.
Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein / NBAE / USABasketball
In winning its 10 games in just 12 days, the USA defeated its 10 opponents by an average of 39.5 ppg., the largest margin by a senior squad since the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team defeated its opponents by 43.8 ppg and finished 10-0 to win gold .
USA Basketball’s Men’s Senior National Team currently consists of 33 players:
Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets)
Gilbert Arenas (Washington Wizards)
Shane Battier (Houston Rockets)
Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons)
Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors)
Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz)
Bruce Bowen (San Antonio Spurs)
Elton Brand (Los Angeles Clippers)
Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
Tyson Chandler (New Orleans Hornets)
Nick Collison (Seattle SuperSonics)
Kevin Durant (Seattle SuperSonics)
Kirk Hinrich (Chicago Bulls)
Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)
Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)
Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks)
LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Antawn Jamison (Washington Wizards)
Shawn Marion (Miami Heat)
Brad Miller (Sacramento Kings)
Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies)
Adam Morrison (Charlotte Bobcats)
Greg Oden (Portland Trail Blazers)
Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers)
Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets)
Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics)
Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons)
Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks)
J.J. Redick (Orlando Magic)
Luke Ridnour (Seattle SuperSonics)
Amaré Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns)
Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat) And
Deron Williams (Utah Jazz).
Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE
Four members of the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team name All-NBA First Team
USA To Face Russia August 3 and Australia August 5
In USA Basketball International Challenge
USA Men’s Senior National Team To Open 2008 USA Basketball International Challenge With Pair Of Games In Macao, China
Which one or whom will be the most to get criticism or praises & WHY?
![[iCopyright]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif)
© 2008 Associated Press. Displayed by permission.
Kidd,
Bryant, 
James, 
Anthony, 
Howard
Wade, 
Boozer, 
Bosh, 
Paul, 
Williams, 
Redd & 
Chandler 
Road to Redemption by Nike, Ep. 1, Pt. 5 @ NBA.com 
