Team USA’s biggest challenge, Dirk’s title window is closing, and who is the “Babyface Destroyer”?
LeBron James, Dime #31No hyperbole is necessary: This morning’s matchup with Spain (10 a.m. EST) will be Team USA’s most important game since the ’04 Olympics. Winning a gold medal is still the ultimate goal, and while you don’t have to go undefeated in pool play to have a chance at the gold, a loss today to the defending world champions just keeps that door open for critics worldwide to say whatever they want bad about the U.S. squad and system. With Spain standing as one of the two “benchmark” teams in the field (along with Argentina), this is where LeBron and ‘Melo and the guys who have been in the USA Basketball program for the last three-plus years can put it all together and make a huge statement … Know that Pau Gasol and crew will play tougher D than Greece, they probably won’t make as many mistakes, and — in spite of how Pau looked against KG and P.J. Brown in the Finals — they’re not intimidated whatsoever by the Americans … This is also a big game for Ricky Rubio. The NBA scouts will be watching him go against Jason Kidd, Chris Paul and Deron Williams to get a better idea of how he might fare in the League, and if he’s worth a high Lottery pick in ’09 … We said in yesterday’s Smack that Carmelo seems overdue for one of his 25-30 point games, but the X-factors in this one should be LeBron and Dwight Howard. Spain doesn’t have anyone who can physically hang with ‘Bron, so if he’s on his game he could go off. And because Spain has quality big men, Dwight needs to be on the court (a.k.a. no foul trouble) for his defense and rebounding. And if Kobe taps into that “You’re not scoring on me” mode to lock up Rudy Fernandez, Team USA should roll … In the earlier Friday night/Saturday morning games, Lithuania ran its record to 4-0 by blasting Croatia; Australia beat Russia behind 22 points apiece from the inside-outside duo of Andrew Bogut and C.J. Bruton, while AK-47 went 1-for-10 from the field and had just six points for the reigning European champs who are 1-3 in these Games; and Greece routed Angola … We’re not among those who thinks Mike Finley is done, but he doesn’t have too much time left in the League. The 35-year-old re-upped with the Spurs yesterday, and although details weren’t released, we’d imagine it can’t be more than a one or two-year deal. Finley and Roger Mason Jr. will fight for the “starting” two-guard spot (until Manu comes in), and the loser of that battle will have a hard time finding minutes. Then again, Pop might be planning to use Finley as Robert Horry‘s replacement, meaning he won’t play much during the regular season anyway … Jannero Pargo, who San Antonio had eyes on for a minute, decided to take a one-year, $4 million offer from Dynamo Moscow (Russia). He’ll team up with Boki Nachbar and the immortal Hollis Price, who dropped BUCKETS at Oklahoma … Jason Terry on the Mavs’ title hopes: “I pretty much see this as almost like our window of opportunity is getting smaller and smaller. We realize the sense of urgency that it is for us to get it done this season.” He speaks the truth. The Mavs have a big hill to climb just within their own division, and it didn’t help that New Orleans, Houston and San Antonio all made moves to get better. The Mavs have traditionally owned the Rockets, but when you throw a wave of Ron Artest and Shane Battier at Dirk, things could change in that rivalry … If the Knicks buy out Stephon Marbury — who says he’s totally fine with the idea now — how many eight-figure buy-outs would that be on their ledger? … One of Ethiopia’s Olympic 10,000-meter runners is nicknamed “The Babyface Destroyer.” That’s a cool enough handle to jack and give to someone in the NBA. Chris Paul seems like the obvious pick, right? If only Tyronn Lue was a better player he’d be in the running, too … In between the Olympics coverage, we caught a couple of NBA TV replays yesterday. The first was a Knicks/Lakers game from ’03 when Allan Houston put up 53 points in Staples, giving Kobe and Devean George the hot plate … The second was an ’03 playoff game between the Magic and Pistons; the infamous series which T-Mac declared over when Orlando took a 3-1 lead and, well, you know the rest. This was before those famous last words, Game Two, when McGrady scored 46 at the Palace but Detroit got the W. Shawn Kemp was playing for the Magic that year, and one time during a huddle he was standing on the outside and you couldn’t see anyone else in the shot. After T-Mac, here’s the rest of Orlando’s starting five that year: Andrew DeClarq, Drew Gooden, Jacque Vaughn and Gordan Giricek. And you though LeBron had it bad? Wow … We’re out like Pargo …
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August 16th, 2008 at 6:03 am
j from la says:
first
August 16th, 2008 at 6:08 am
j from la says:
fuck the critics we will win gold im tired of espn brainwashing ppl. mavs window is closed like a max security jail cell. european teams r crazy for paying all this money when they dont make a whole lot of money to begin with. i hate the knicks but steph in d’antonis system equals resurrection in a carrer that is on shaky grounds. as a laker fan i will see pau get bitched tomorro by boozer bosh n dhoward like kg did. dime needs a westcoast version and an east coast version.
August 16th, 2008 at 6:25 am
solomon says:
wow… that t-mac supporting cast is, uhm, weak? no wonder he cried his way out of orlando…
we’re out like andrew declerq…
August 16th, 2008 at 6:39 am
AB_40 says:
yeah T-mac and KG their teams back in the day were WEAK and not exactly build around they strenghts I hope T-mac get’s his this or next year so he won’t have to be associated with andrew declerq like KG before with tyler hansbrough senior mark madsen
August 16th, 2008 at 7:55 am
miamiVIS3 says:
Funny how both Bron and T-Mac both had Drew Gooden
August 16th, 2008 at 8:21 am
sans says:
Drew Gooden, Goro look alike aside, plays well unless Andersen Varejao’s around to steal his minutes. He’ll probably keep Ty Thomas down for a second too. It is hard to imagine Giricek starting in the NBA, let alone Jacque Vaughn and DeCleque. But back in the day, my Cavs threw-up a lineup involving Cedric Henderson at the 3 all year long. And they made the playoffs. With Terrel Brandon as their best player. It’s amazing what you can do with motivated scrubs.
August 16th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Jimbo says:
Funniest Dime line of the year – “Spain doesn’t have anyone who can physically hang with ‘Bron”… Umm, which other international team has someone who can hang with ‘Bron? There are few players even in the NBA who can hang with ‘Bron – Artest, immediately comes to mind.
Dime – Lebron ALWAYS has an enormous advantage against whoever is guarding him in international play and is liable to go-off at any time.
August 16th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Bron42 had springs before slamball says:
and yet tmac still got them to the playoffs and had them 3-1 against a young pistons team (havn’t said that about them in a while)…and people say he cant carry a team. They make lebrons cast look like the spurs.
August 16th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Logan Light says:
GO USA. I’ll finally get to watch this one live… I really don’t think that Spain will win this game. USA is too focused. I know people have been giving Kobe serious heat for the way he’s been contributing to the Beijing architecture with all those bricks, but he’s too prideful to let a game like this mean anything to anyone else but USA.
Speaking of Kobe, did anyone catch that interview Chris Collinsworth had with him last night? Quality. No joke, while I’m watching it my wife says, “He’s going a long way to redeem himself in my book.” Good to know that even Kobe can win over a non NBA fan because of the Olympics… now if I could only get her to believe that everyone in the NBA were that patriotic…
LL
August 16th, 2008 at 9:41 am
schoops says:
The ultimate baby face is Marcus Camby. Until about a year or two ago when he started growing a scruffy beard he looked 15. If you saw him from the shoulders up you’d think he’s the best player on his middle school basketball team.
@ J from LA.. I don’t think Steph will be resurrected by d’antoni. Besides the fact that (I think) he’s washed up, he’s not a passing PG (even though he had good assist numbers) and doesn’t have the range to be an effective 2 guard in his system. Ship his crazy ass outta MSG so he can hang with d-bag isiah and all the other fu*k up ghosts of Knick’s past.
@Dime… just a suggestion, but if you put together an “all star” team of former US college legends playing in Europe right now, well that’d be dope. I love hearing how guys like Hollis Price who just weren’t made for the NBA game are doing.
August 16th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Ashlov says:
Nah dude, Jermaine O’Neal looks like he’s 15 years old, and has a giant head to boot.
August 16th, 2008 at 11:27 am
K Dizzle says:
USA startin to crack hard on Spain. Shootin like 840% from the 3 will do that. Shoot, even JKidd got a bucket
August 16th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
bsteezy3 says:
Yeah, those TMAC Orlando teams were horrible…true ONE MAN teams. If only Grant Hill were healthy back then…oh well.
August 16th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
AB_40 says:
119-82
what what. After the photo and this game I am officialy a supporter of team usa. DAMN what a drubbing haha
August 16th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
HUH!!!! says:
Ricky Rubio is going to be fa real!!!!!!
August 16th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
E$ says:
http://www.ihiphop.com/crackTv.hhc?videoId=7881
D.Wade is back to his championship form, Spain was no match for the USA
August 16th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Camp Lo says:
USA’s team defense is on point, they didn’t let Spain get into any type of rhythum all game.
@Jim
True, I can’t think of any one who can stick Bron now-a-days. Maybe Artest, maybe….
@HUH!!!
Rubio is gonna be illmatic in the L, Rudy is gonna be nice in Portland too (although he didn’t do shit today).
@E$
Flash has returned!!!! If Miami makes a couple of small adjustments, watch out for the Heat next year.
August 16th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
weezy f says:
spain has their first names on the jerseys?
August 16th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
j from la says:
@ schoops steph is not 1 of my favorites but hes gonna b runnin a organized offense that is very uptempo and he has gunners around him to get good numbers hell get 18 n 9 a game but knicks still win 32 games
August 16th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
jamesinva says:
the REAL Ultimate baby face was is and always will be BJ ARMSTRONG. i read camby is the ultimate baby face above…ummmmm are u kidding me?
August 16th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Amar says:
That’s two games in a row that Andrei’s lost because of poor shooting. funny that’s all you guys talk about as he’s top 10 (or at least was) in 4 of the 5 major stats.
August 16th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Thrillah says:
I have Bosh is going to have another big game and hopefully Dwight shows up this time.
August 17th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
d1n says:
tmac had mike miller but they traded him midseason for drew, gordan and ryan humphrey(?) and back then darrell armstrong was killin’ it (he was only 34)