I'm loving having cable TV in the dorm room. I've watched the Team USA vs. Canada game, part of the Argentina vs. Mexico game, and the Team USA vs. Brazil game. Sure, the games involving the US aren't exactly compelling basketball, but it's interesting to see players that I don't usually get a look at, and also to see how the US players fit into a system full of stars. Some things I saw...

- If I were George Karl, I'd be trying as hard as possible to duplicate the international style of play in Denver's offense, cause Melo is a monster in the international game. He plays well off the ball and has such a versatile game that he's almost impossible to stop. Just check out these lines from the 4 US games:

16 MIN - 17 PTs
17 MIN - 22 PTs
18 MIN - 25 PTs
17 MIN - 21 PTs

That's just obscene. Seriously, I realize the competition they're playing against, but that's nasty. With a full season to mesh together, I would be very scared of the Nuggets. They have 2 elite scorers and a great defensive center, they're absolutely a championship contender.

- Olu Famutimi was the only player on Team Canada who looked remotely like he belonged on the same floor as the US players. Sam Dalembert was a complete non-factor, but Famutimi (who is currently playing in the D-League) was a dynamic player

- I think Luis Scola is going to be a huge asset for the Rockets. He's a skilled player, but he's gritty and works hard on every play. From what I saw, he has a solid jumpshot and a good passing eye for a big man. He's also much more athletic than I thought, and rebounds very well.

- Nene looked terrible. Really, really terrible. He's gained weight since the end of the NBA season, and he missed easy opportunities on multiple occasions.

- I really like Tiago Splitter. After watching him against the US, I'm shocked that he wasn't picked sooner in the draft. He's very athletic and an excellent ball-handler for a guy his size. He took Carmelo Anthony to the hoop multiple times from the elbow area, and Melo isn't lacking in the quickness department. To think of him on the Spurs a year from now is scary.

- Kobe is stunningly good when he wants to be. We all know he's the best offensive player in the league, but when he wants to be, he's an incredible defender too. The fact of the matter is that if Kobe comes out and plays hard, the Lakers are a playoff team next year, if he sulks through the season, they'll be terrible.

- I love Jason Kidd.

Other thoughts on the NBA offseason:

- Other than practically giving away Luis Scola to a division rival, I really like the Spurs' offseason. The acquisition of Ime Udoka and the signing of 2005 first round pick Ian Mahinmi, in addition to resigning basically everyone makes them look like the favorites to repeat, as well as having very solid future prospects.

- Orlando signed Adonal Foyle to replace Darko, and he'll probably give them about the same contributions they got from Darko last year, but for way less money than they'd be paying Darko. They overpaid for Rashard, but they'll definitely be better this year.

- I still think that Phoenix should've gone for KG, but other than that they've had a very solid offseason. Grant Hill was a great pickup, and he'll even help give Nash some rest because he can run the point from the SF position. D.J. Strawberry was a steal as late as they got him, I guarantee he gets some burn next year.

- The Grizzlies are my sleepers for next year. They've got great young talent at every position, and I think they'll really work in Marc Iavaroni's Phoenix-style system. I love that they went out and got Gasol's Spanish team buddy Juan Carlos Navarro.

- I didn't like Houston's draft. I hated that they passed on a bunch of very talented power forwards to reach for an undersized point guard (Aaron Brooks). However, they've had a very good offseason  overall. They took a position that was a huge weakness (PG) and made it into a strength, with Steve Francis, Mike James, and Brooks. The starter from last year Rafer "Skip 2 My Lou" Alston, will be 3rd or 4th on the depth chart. They've also significantly improved their PF position by brining in Luis Scola, Jackie Butler, and Carl Landry to replace Juwan Howard. If Yao stays healthy and McGrady can play 60-65 games and be healthy in the playoffs, they're absolutely a legit contender.

- I don't like that Dallas did nothing to shake up their team. Coming off 2 consecutive postseason chokes (Yes, I know the Warriors were a bad matchup. No, I don't care. Losing to an 8 seed is a choke), they needed to make a move, and they didn't.

- James Posey was a great pickup for Boston. They desperately needed to pick up a backup small forward, and Posey is a solid defensive player who makes perimeter shots.
 

 
One last note. Hoff and I are going to be finishing up the NBA Legends Competition on Wednesday. I'm thinking arguments due at 5:00 PM EST, and voting will go for 2 days and end at 5:00 PM EST on Friday. Let me know if that's an issue for you Hoff. For the rest of you, tune in Wednesday and vote for whose team of all-time greats is superior.
 

I just caught a replay of the Team USA Red/White scrimmage from a month ago, and with the team's roster recently being narrowed down to 12, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at some of the team's players, and the finalized roster.

The scrimmage was a great opportunity to evaluate players because, unlike an all-star game, the players were actually trying. When you get the most talented players in the world together and make them try out to make the team, then you get a great chance to analyze players. That said, here's what I saw.

- Kobe Bryant is the best offensive player on the planet, anyone who says differently is selling something.

- That said, nobody scores in more ways than Carmelo Anthony. He's got range, he's got a midrange game, he can finish, and he's got a nasty first step. He's often the forgotten member of the Wade/James/Melo trio, but I expect big things from him this year.

- Speaking of that draft group, Chris Bosh is looking like Tim Duncan Lite. He's got superb touch around the rim, plays good defense, and just goes about his business quietly every day. Needless to say, I'm a big fan.

 - I haven't seen him play much, but Mike Miller really impressed me, and not just with his shooting. He's got incredible range, but he was also aggressive with the ball and made quick decisions against a zone. Impressive performance by him, even if he did disappear in the second half.

- Lets get this straight, there's NEVER been anyone who could affect a game without taking a shot like Jason Kidd can. Not even a question, I had forgotten just how good he was until I watched him outplay the best players in the NBA and completely control a game without taking a shot. If Jason Kidd had even a decent jumpshot, he'd be the greatest point guard in history.

- Chauncey Billups looked decidedly mediocre, very rarely looking like a dynamic player. Deron Williams looked better to me.

- J.J. Redick was completely out of his league. He's totally reliant on screens to get open, and there are too many athletes for him to get open consistently. I'm pretty secure in my belief that he'll be another Steve Kerr at best. 

- The sky's the limit for Dwight Howard. Among a group of athletic freaks, he stood out above everyone else. It's a tough label to put on anyone, but he could be Shaq-like in the way he just physically dominates defenders.

- Kevin Durant is the truth. He can score from anywhere on anyone, and he's got all the tools to be a great defender too. He hit a spinning half hook in transition against Shane Battier that was just nasty.

As for the official 12-man roster, here's what it looks like.

PG - Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups, Deron Williams
SG - Kobe Bryant, Michael Redd
SF - LeBron James, Tayshaun Prince, Mike Miller
PF - Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire
C - Dwight Howard, Tyson Chandler

If you're counting, that's 3 point guards, and a SF (LeBron) who basically plays point for his team. So, it'll be a small lineup for the US in the Americas Tournament. Really, there was no way around this with injuries to Elton Brand and Chris Bosh, so the team is probably the best that could have been picked. I like Nick Collison, he's a gritty guy who's willing to do the dirty work, but he's not a great defender and really not in the same league as the rest of these guys right now. I would've liked to see Durant on the team though, maybe instead of Williams or Billups, cause he's such a dynamic player who brings so much to the table, but that's about the only complaint I have. The team this year looks much better than in previous years, with better shooters (Billups, Bryant, Redd, Miller) and better perimeter defenders (Kidd, Billups, Bryant), two crucial elements in international play.