Team USA gears up for Australia, why Jason Kidd got benched, and the Euroleague gets another one
Dwight Howard, Dime #37Tomorrow morning Team USA wraps up its pre-Olympic exhibition schedule against Australia (8 a.m. EST on ESPN2), the third straight tune-up against a team that’s going to be in the Beijing field. The Boomers are led by Andrew Bogut, who lit up Angola for something like 32 points and 15 boards last week, but then got hurt in Australia’s most recent exhibition, so his status is up in the air. Even if Bogut doesn’t go tomorrow, his squad still has some notable guys: i.e. St. Mary’s College guard Patty Mills and Vanderbilt big man A.J. Ogilvy, two of the best freshman in the NCAA last year after that O.J. Mayo/Derrick Rose/Kevin Love/Michael Beasley/Eric Gordon group, and C.J. Bruton, a longtime Australian league star who was drafted by the Grizzlies way back when they were in Vancouver but never played in the NBA. But even the biggest Aussie fans we know don’t see to think much of their squad; their women’s team (led by Lauren Jackson) has a much better shot at getting a medal in Beijing … The U.S. should win this one, and probably easier than the game against Russia over the weekend, but they still have some legit kinks that need to be worked out before the Olympics. The half-court execution and outside shooting, first and foremost, needs to be tightened up. And Dwight Howard and the other bigs should look to establish themselves as a more of a presence in this game; especially Dwight. There’s no better time to practice than against a bona fide NBA guy and an NBA-caliber kid in Ogilvy … A lot of people are making a big deal about Jason Kidd getting benched in the second half against Russia, but we don’t think it’s major. Coach K said it was just a matter of resting the 35-year-old’s legs. While it’s true that Chris Paul and Deron Williams were more effective against Russia’s zone, and that Kidd’s biggest strengths were somewhat neutralized with Russia turning it into a grind-it-out game, Kidd is still gonna be the starter unless he gets hurt or struggles mightily during the Olympic tournament … It does get us thinking about USA Basketball’s future at the point, though. Barring injury, CP and Deron’s spots are pretty much guaranteed if they want them for the 2012 Olympics in London. So who would get that third PG spot? Derrick Rose? Gilbert Arenas? Rajon Rondo? Monta Ellis? Baron Davis? Will Chauncey Billups still be around and kicking then? Will somebody like Randy Foye or Devin Harris step up their game over the next few years and steal that spot? Give us your predictions for the 2012 Olympic squad … D-Wade to the Boston Globe on his 2004 bronze medal: “I have no idea where that thing is. I don’t know. You could probably find it as quick as I could if you came to my house. I remember packing it in my bag, and I don’t remember what happened.” We’re not picking on D-Wade specifically, but isn’t it funny how we’re so bent on winning sometimes that we’ll do stuff like stash away bronze medals and not accept silver medals (1972 Olympic basketball team) when other Olympic athletes would cherish them for a lifetime? … Yao Ming to the Houston Chronicle: “If we win that first game (against Team USA), I would quit right away. I would say, ‘I’m getting out of here.’ I’m not playing basketball anymore if we beat USA in Game 1. That would be the top. I can do no more.” He’s joking, of course. But a China/USA upset would be crazy, like a 16-vs-1 Big Dance upset times 10 in terms of crowd reaction … With a lot of the big-name squads in Europe and overseas throwing their name into the NBA free agency mix, you knew Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) would be heard from eventually. Late last week we’d heard Maccabi was close to a deal with White Chocolate, but yesterday they went in another direction — although not by much — and signed Carlos Arroyo to a deal that’s reportedly the second-largest Euroleague deal for a non-European behind Josh Childress‘ deal. (And before any of you start, we know Israel is not in Europe, but they compete in the Euroleague.) Some people were saying J-Will wouldn’t work within a European system, but is Arroyo much better? Dude is quick, has a handle, can get buckets and even pass the ball when he’s in that mindset, but he’s got some me-first tendencies and has been wildly inconsistent in the NBA. And Arroyo’s biggest problem in the past has been when he plays looking over his shoulder, like he’s afraid to make a mistake because he’ll end up back on the bench. But with the money Maccabi is paying him, he should have no worries and play more like he does with the Puerto Rican national team, when he’s given some of the best guards in the world problems … The next NBA-to-Europe prospect to look out for? Earl Boykins. His name’s been connected to teams in Italy, Spain and Israel for the past couple of weeks. Since it looks like Boykins’ appeal to NBA teams ran out last year, his best chance at getting paid lies overseas … We’re out like Arroyo …
August 4th, 2008 at 7:35 am
M says:
I find it strange that Boykins can’t find a team. He was a decent scorer not too long ago, at least good enough for a backup spot.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:35 am
solomon says:
1st…
August 4th, 2008 at 7:36 am
M says:
Would you guys think that Okafor (making the same kind of money as Bogut)would have been able to put up 30 and 15 as well btw? I kinda doubt it.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:36 am
solomon says:
dammit, shouldn’t have read it 1st…
we’re out like 5′5″ shooting guards
August 4th, 2008 at 7:39 am
snoop_robb says:
wow, umm.. 1st?
nice work Dime, but Ogilvy got cut from the team. We got Andersen tho, who’s a beast in Europe, and Anstey, king of the NBL. So Our frontline will do well against USA i think.
And watch out for Barlow, he’ll do his thing against the USA!
August 4th, 2008 at 7:41 am
snoop_robb says:
haha not 1st.. not trying that again, stupid thing to be proud of i think..
I don’t think Okafor could do 32 and 15 like Bogut either.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:43 am
92021SpurMD says:
Guess dime’s not out yet.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Logan Light says:
Ugly game against the mother land… But really, our outside shots weren’t falling like they were the first several games, so I’m not too concerned. What was really funny, as Dime mentioned yesterday, was AK47 catching a case while apparently being THE MAN on the Russia squad. He was hootin’ and hollerin’… but no one was really taking him seriously. It was hilarious.
LL
August 4th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Darko Milicic (aka Coop) says:
Boykins is such a volume scorer that it’s not even funny. 39% i think. I’m kind of surprised he’s not a 12th man somewhere though
August 4th, 2008 at 8:37 am
miamiVIS3 says:
I remember Patty Mills from when they played UM in the tourney and he shouldn’t reallly give anyone on team USA trouble. Also I don’t understand why everyone is going crazy over Kidd getting benched in the second half because haven’t they done that every game?
August 4th, 2008 at 8:43 am
schoops says:
Watching Denver a ton back when Boykins was there and I know why people don’t want him on their team. Dude is skilled (ridiculous for his height), but is a shoot first, shoot second, turnover third kinda guy. It was frustrating to watch him run the break on a 3 on 1 cuz you knew the dude was gunning no matter what. His height means he “should” be a PG, but he’s a SG for sure.
August 4th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Leapin' Leroy Loggins says:
The only thing fundamentally that the Australian team is missing is another 3pt shooter. If there was a John Rillie (Gonzaga) or Andrew Gaze (Seton Hall/Spurs) type to fill it up from deep this could be an engrossing contest (albeit an exhibition). Assuming Bogut plays I see the Boomers hanging tough for 2 and a half quarters and then folding, but not being disgraced. They are a chance for a top 5 or 6 spot.
August 4th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
I think Boykins has the Webster disease…
Anyway, Bogut has a more polished offense than Okafor so I don’t see Okafor scoring 30+ ever unless he already has. I don’t care enough about him to look it up.
Arroyo should do good in Europe. He never really found his niche in the L. Now he’ll actually be playing in games where he might be the best guard on the floor. At the very least he’ll be the highest paid guard on the floor.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Bron42 had springs before slamball says:
if okafor was the man on a team like bogut is to his team, he could get 15+ boards and alot more blocks. Scoring has never been his strong point. Hes like the anti bogut
August 4th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Coop says:
Do WELL.
And he did find a niche- ‘career malcontent back-up’. AKA ‘right where he should be’ lolz!
August 4th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Ballaholic says:
It’s funny because other Olympic athletes (meaning from other countries) are so happy to just be in the games, whereas in America, it seems like anything other than gold is failure. That mindset is great for a athlete, but I think if you lose you should show some grace in defeat. I was born in India but have lived in America all my life and my mom’s cousin medaled a while ago in field hockey (apparently it’s huge over there). It was a bronze and it was one of the defining moments of his life, according to him. Olympic medals, whether gold or not, still have some value…
August 4th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Amar says:
good luck to carlos. he’s at his best when he’s absolutely the best player on the floor. you’d think that with his apparent talent level that he’s be able to stick with an NBA team . . . but money talks.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:57 am
that's whats up says:
@ DIME/Austin
“CP and Deron’s spots are pretty much guaranteed if they want them for the 2012 Olympics in London. So who would get that third PG spot?”
4 years ago, if DIME had discussed the same thing about 2008, who were your “locks”? J-Kidd? who else??? (You got anything in the DIME archives to reference this?)
CP3 came out of nowhere to get a spot. Maybe someone even in next year’s draft can do the same).
August 4th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Austin Burton says:
In 2004 I would have assumed Iverson would be on the 2008 team, then again you can always say he’s not a PG.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Bruce says:
I was debating this with my friend. Below are the names of players representing their countries. Can Team USA 2008 beat this team, in a best out of 7 series? What about the 1996, 2000, and 2004 squads? I am not going to make a fool out of myself and mention the 92 squad. No team can hang with the 92 team, video games squad included/
What do you think?
My analysis.
1. The weakest link is: SG —- Kobe position……….
2. None of the players are known for their defense
3. All of their guards can be posted up.
Guards:
Steve Nash (Canada)
Tony Parker (France)
Beno Udrih (Slovenia)
Leandro Barbosa (Brazil)
Forwards:
Luol Deng (UK)
Hedo Turkoglu (Turkey)
Manu Ginobili (Argentina)
Peja Stojakovic (Serbia)
Pau Gasol (Spain)
Dirk Nowitzki (Germany)
Centers:
Yao Ming (China)
Andrew Bogut (Austrailia)
August 4th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Celts Fan says:
I think the US wins 120-110 in one of the most entertaining games ever seen. Their lack of defense will be the problem, though their fire-power still makes things very interesting.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
doc says:
I think the US knocks that team off.We are just better.And the US still won by 20.Why are yall worried.Didnt Russia beat Spain in whatever tourney they was in last year.They slowed the game to a crawl and we couldnt hit shots and still won by 20.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
the mamba says:
they need to do this USA vs. THE WORLD game… C’mon stern, we’d pay for pay-per-view for this one. Make it happen commish!
August 4th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
frankiebuglisi says:
Hahahahaahaha Bron said that Bogut’s the man on his team ahhahahahaha. Wow. Hahaha
August 4th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
the mamba says:
@ bruce
wouldn’t calderon take udrih’s spot on that squad??
August 4th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
MOVEZ GALORE says:
“GET THAT MONEY, FLIP IT, AND THROW IT IN THE AIR”
-YOUNG FACE, OF THE BROOKZ HOPE MIX ALBUM ON MYSPACE.COM/FACEWHO
August 4th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
daquest?on says:
arroyo signed a one year deal only, hell get paid about 12 million dollars for one year and then play in the league again. He had other offers from other teams in the nba such as the nuggets, golden state, miami, suns but he chose the one who paid him the most and that was maccabi tel aviv
August 4th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
GEE...1 word says:
WADE!
August 4th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Skeeter McGee says:
Get that money Carlos! If he’s getting that kind of money I shudder to think what kind of dough dudes like Kidd would get when their way too old to hang with NBA cats but could still do damage overseas. It’s gonna be like Beckham-to-the-Galaxy kinda money, believe dat!
August 4th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
daquest?on says:
hes getting 3 million bucks for 4 years but he could opt out any year if he feels like going back to the nba, so he is basically playing as each year goes . if he decides to opt out after his first year he will still get paid
August 4th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
that's whats up says:
yo DIME/whoever…
this is off-topic.
But I know we all watch SportsCenter, so can someone tell me how baseball analyst John Kruk gains and loses 55 pounds every other night???
I mean, tonight he looks thicker than Larry Holmes and last week he looked like he was pushin’ that Dan Marino slimfast shit.
it don’t make sense