Durant steals show for Team USA
Kevin Durant (photo. Jared McMillen)
If you were already nervous or unsure about Team USA’s gold-medal chances at the upcoming World Championship, then Saturday night’s intra-squad scrimmage didn’t make you feel any better. This much we did learn: Kevin Durant could get buckets in a dark room against the monster/mutant things from I Am Legend, Rudy Gay and Derrick Rose might be the two best athletes in the NBA, Eric Gordon and O.J. Mayo can shoot the sh*t out of the ball, Rajon Rondo is a magician with the rock, and Andre Iguodala would be so much better if he were the Pippen to somebody else’s Jordan … But we already knew that. So all we really learned last night was that this squad has a long ways to go in terms of getting to know each other and developing some kind of chemistry — a familiar problem that plagued Team USA in the dark years from 2002 until about 2007 … Amidst all the turnovers, miscommunications and sloppy play, Durant still shined, dropping 28 points (10-17 FG) in 29 minutes in the White team’s blowout win over the Blue. On his first touch KD swooped in from the wing and used a textbook Euro Step on his way to a dunk, and it was on from there. Durant was given the MVP — yes, somebody sponsored an MVP award for a scrimmage — and his trophy looked like a basic glass vase you’d find at somebody’s grandma’s house. Durant even gave it a look like, “What am I supposed to do with this?” That’s 100 percent getting left in his hotel room … It was KD’s night, but we wouldn’t have been mad at D-Rose getting the MVP. He put up 15 points, 8 assists and 5 steals … One old Team USA problem this squad shouldn’t have to worry about is outside shooting. Iguodala (17 pts), Gordon (16 pts), Gay (23 pts), Mayo (18 pts), Stephen Curry, Danny Granger and even Kevin Love were trading bombs all night. Gordon’s form is almost nothing like Ray Allen‘s, but it’s almost as pretty. With Blake Griffin and Chris Kaman commanding attention on the block in L.A., Gordon could have a monster season ahead of him … We know it wasn’t a “real” game, but would it have killed ESPN to — if not send some announcers to Vegas instead of having them call it from a studio — at least get some announcers who watch the NBA? Kevin Connors and Fran Fraschilla were kind of terrible. Connors couldn’t tell Tyreke Evans (DNP-ankle) from Iguodala, or Rondo from Crash Wallace. And one time Fraschilla said Al Jefferson had been traded to the Nuggets (nobody corrected him). Where’s Mark Jackson when you need him? Mike Breen? Doris Burke? Anybody? … One unintentionally funny announcer moment: Connors said Iguodala signed an $82 million contract a couple years ago, which Fraschilla followed up by calling Iguodala a “quietly effective” player. That’s what you wanna hear as a Philly fan … If any Team USA opponent was watching, we’d imagine “Foul Tyson Chandler” was near the top of their scouting report … Spotted in the crowd: Deron Williams, Clyde Drexler, Chris Mullin and some legit TALENT all over the place. That’s why the NBA needs a team in Vegas … You can say this much about JaVale McGee: He looked like he belonged. As soon as he checked in McGee got a dunk and a layup, then went back-to-the-basket and threw in an ugly scoop/hook-looking thing off the glass. He started the second half for the Blue team and by then was trying turnaround fadeaways. He might not make the World Championship roster, but everything is pointing to McGee having a breakout season for the Wizards … Brook Lopez just cannot catch a break. Being stuck on that crappy Nets squad all season was bad enough, but then the two times Brook gets to play with other stars, he still can’t get a W. He was part of the Sophomores team that was upset in the Rookie Challenge during All-Star Weekend, and last night was on the losing Blue team. Just for Brook’s sanity, if he makes the roster we really hope Team USA can cop the gold in Turkey … In other news, Tim Thomas is reportedly close to re-signing with the Mavericks. As Chris Griffin would say, “How does he keep getting work?” … We still haven’t heard anything about the Heat reaching out to Allen Iverson, but apparently they were willing to take a chance on Stephon Marbury. Steph said Miami was interested in him, but he wasn’t interested in them. “They wanted a point guard,” he told a Chinese newspaper, “but I don’t think a point guard would do much in the team as they already have the three guys.” Um, OK. Steph has already gone on Twitter and said the story isn’t true, though. Not sure if he meant the part about him turning Miami down, or the part about Miami contacting him … We’re out like Lopez’s luck …
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July 25th, 2010 at 3:10 am
Stunnaboy09 says:
The announcers turned me off. They had no IDEA what they were saying, kinda ridiculous actually. ESPn couldn’t fly some to VEGAS. FUCKING VEGAS?
KD was killing it. The shorter line helped but this guy is copping the MVP for sure. Rondo and Rose need to make this team, just for the entertainment values. When both these guys run the floor its a thing of beauty. Rondo’s handles are a thing of beauty and he was setting guys up BEAUTIFULLY. He even hit a 3, and Rose was AMAZING he’s like a smaller version of Wade.
The smaller 3 point line is gonna be USA’s best friend. Curry, Durant and Granger (locks) will NOT MISS anything remotely open. The net was snapping all night. Even Iggy was drilling them.
Team now after scrimmage:
PG Billups/Rose/Rondo
SG Curry/Iggy
SF Durant/Gay/Granger
Bigs G.Wallace/Love/Lopez (Locks)
Only spot left is 4th big. Odom got the experience but McGee ad Chandler balled hard. I see Odom making it for his skill set and experience but you never know Coach K might like McGee or Chandler better
July 25th, 2010 at 3:37 am
Jah says:
Nothing about Lorenzen Wright?
July 25th, 2010 at 3:46 am
sh!tfaced says:
Even Lorenzen is missing in SMACK.
Brook maybe better but Robin is luckier.
July 25th, 2010 at 3:54 am
808 says:
D. Rose keeps getting filthier every time I see him. He guarantee wins at least two titles.
Marbury is insane. He cracks me up.
July 25th, 2010 at 4:00 am
flegman says:
they can be any good, this is just a squad B.
it will be very tough for them to win the world champship.
in today’s world bball it is not enough to send out a squad B and expect winning. remember Indiana 2002, Athens 2004. Remember how USA needed its top talent (Kobe, Wade, Bron) to win the 2008 Beijing final game.
this team USA will not win the world champship.
July 25th, 2010 at 4:07 am
Badger says:
They had the Wright story in Smack yesterday: http://dimemag.com/2010/07/you-gots-to-chill/
Team USA is short on bigs, but it seems like everyone else is too. Pau Gasol, Yao, Bogut, Dirk, Kaman, all out for the Worlds. I also haven’t heard anything about Scola playing for Argentina. Brazil could give us problems though with Nene, Varajao and Tiago Splitter.
Does anybody know is Haddadi is playing for Iran? That’d be funny to see Rudy Gay dunk on his teammate.
July 25th, 2010 at 4:15 am
flegman says:
and without real inside presence team USA will suffer like in hell. Even with the “top USA big man” Dwight it was clear the international veteran bigs ate the middle for breakfast. (I’m telling you, Beijing 2008 proved (again) you need some skills and fundamentals, too, to be a good center. Bosh looked to be a better center than Howard).
That is a shame Tim Duncan went to one Olympics with such a bad team, and he turned UASB down after that, and now he is kind of old…
July 25th, 2010 at 5:00 am
S-SiN says:
Wrote this a while ago already, but I’m just gonna keep posting this until I look like annoying know it all jerk and say I told you so after it goes down..
Bronze medal game at the very best fellas.
July 25th, 2010 at 5:21 am
K Dizzle says:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2lsvi_usa-basketball-blue-105-white-104-f_sport
Don’t even gotta say but……see you in the Finals, Bron
July 25th, 2010 at 8:59 am
KL says:
if any part of the story with Marbury is true, i really can’t blame him. Obviously, getting a chip is not high on his list. Playing ball they way he enjoys playing it is. Joining miami would make him a complete puppet, like he was in Boston.
July 25th, 2010 at 9:29 am
sh!tfaced says:
@Badger oops… thanks, man.
As funny as Gay dunking on Hadadi, nothing more hilarious than seeing the Gay-Love tandem on the Blue Team USA, at long last… hehehe
July 25th, 2010 at 9:59 am
jackie moon says:
dime, durant didn’t steal the show…he’s the show for this USA team. these results were expected. if mcgee put up a monster game, then that’s stealing the spotlight.
i still find this as a well-deserved break from all the lebacle hype. let the young guns get some shine….bronze silver gold or whatever
July 25th, 2010 at 10:35 am
Stunnaboy09 says:
@ K Dizzle
3 points
a) We all know Bron aint money in the clutch, that just re-enforced it.
b) Looked like Durant was killing it not Kobe
c) There is a reason we call him the Kloser…
July 25th, 2010 at 11:14 am
Dagger says:
At Stunnaboy: 82games.com is your friend. Especially: http://www.82games.com/0910/CSORT11.HTM
I love Durant’s game; he’s one of my favourite players. But are his passing and defence where they should be for a true franchise player? Not saying they won’t be eventually, but his polished ability to score sometimes hides how he’s still quite a raw young player. He’s got that chance to go down as one of the best ever, though.
As for the team: I’m not sold on their chances. Their lack of size and familiarity with one another will probably cost them. We’ll see if Durant can bail them out.
July 25th, 2010 at 11:42 am
LKatz says:
Yo have yall lost faith in USA basketball? Sounds like it. I Thought the announcers were horrible !!!!!!!!! In the first five minutes one of the announcers had IGGY confused with Rudy Gay so to a blind man listening Iggy should have had 15 points by the second commercial break. I mean for real……???? The announcers is like Iggy is on fire and I think dude had 5 points…No hatred on Iggy though I saw him a ball off the top of a backboard and finish a reverse windmill tip dunk when cuzin was a junior in highschool. The man had league written all over him then. He does need to be someones second option.If I am okc i hollar at Philadelphia asap…..Team USA will still get gold………….GOLD!!!!!!!!
July 25th, 2010 at 11:43 am
K Dizzle says:
@ Stunnaboy – all true
@ Dagger – just a reminder…..Kevin Durant is 21
July 25th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
BV says:
In 2 years, KD will be the best player in the NBA.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
D Roc says:
Remember guys they’re not playing a seven game series against these other countries. Team U.S.A ‘s speed and athleticism will be difficult to match up against when they press the entire game and plus I like the fact that their two best players (Rose and Durant) are not knuckleheads and are hard workers so that will bode well in the teams approach to every game. Its time for some new blood, so let the team develop a little chemistry and they’ll be alright.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Darius says:
Yea i tweeted as soon as Fran said that. & da how n da world do u reach out 2 Marbury but not Iverson? I dont even care where anymore but my guy A.I needs 2 get a chance from somebody. He can help almost any team
July 25th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
"Tha Boddy" Arenas and Wall For Best Backcourt says:
Love the family guy reference
July 25th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Octopus Jonny says:
I think that this topic has been lost in all the Miami Heat knobslobbery the past couple weeks.
How good will a FINALLY HEALTHY Kobe Bryant be this year? The past 2 seasons he’s gone out wounded and still put up his typical numbers. Is the rest of the league ready to deal with a healthy Kobe? LeBron is nice and all that, but remember when D-Wade came back from his injuries and put the whole league on notice? Should we expect Kobe to come out with the Grim Reaper’s cloak just murdering the league? I know Kobe isn’t required to do as much as Wade had to that season, but at the same time you have to think that without so many nagging injuries he’s going to be playing without that constant part of the thought process that bugs a person when injured.
I don’t care who you are, if you’re injured, no matter your level of focus and preparation, you notice every little bump, tweak, twist to the injured part and it is a distraction.
I don’t think Kobe’s focus changes in the least, and I think that without so many body parts throwing that red flag in the back of his mind, he’ll be more unstoppable than ever. I know it’s not even the start of the season, and ANYTHING can and will happen throughout 82 games and the postseason. I just can’t see anyone else as too serious a threat to stop Kobe from leading his minions to slaughter on the rest of the league.
July 25th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
jimmyjack says:
@K Dizzle — What was one clip of an old scrimmage supposed to prove?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egOHhSRWuOo
July 25th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
jdizzle says:
“Not sure if he meant the part about him turning Miami down, or the part about Miami contacting him …”
ALL THAT SHIT WAS FALSE!
Remember last summer when people were saying Kevin Durant could be better than LeBron James? At the time it sounded kinda crazy, but it wasnt exactly far-fetched either. Now we are all seeing what they were talking about. Kevin Durant aka Durantula aka The Problem Child!
July 25th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
RapTOr says:
nobody cares about the world championships….it’s like soccer in the olympics…it’s the tournament nobod pays attention to
July 25th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
KL says:
@rapTOr
You may be right about it not being relevant, but they still want to win it so they don’t need to qualify for the 2012 olympics. I’m pretty sure Colangelo would rather avoid that whole qualification step.
July 25th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Stunnaboy09 says:
The World Championships are basically so USA don’t have to qualify for the Olympics. If they win it the world isn’t really going to be set on fire…
July 26th, 2010 at 4:16 am
OneZero says:
someone mentioned that Rose has 0 turnovers, nice!
poor Brook Lopez,dude deserves better
Control where are you? did you watch this game?
“Rajon Rondo is a magician with the rock” yeah right! he doesnt do a darn thing, Rose was tons better.
July 26th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
JAY says:
@LKatz: “No hatred on Iggy though I saw him a ball off the top of a backboard and finish a reverse windmill tip dunk when cuzin was a junior in highschool.”
You saw him grab a ball off the top of the backboard?? BS. I don’t believe that for one sec. If you really did see him do that, then he should easily dunk 2-handed from the free-throw line. James White gets close but even he can’t touch the top of the backboard and he’s doing between the legs from the free-throw line.
Stop your rumours.
July 27th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
MSL says:
I totally disagree One Zero, on your Rose/Rondo Comment. I think you’re over exaggerating here. Rondo is a magician!
Everyone from Kevin Durant, Chauncey Billips, Jerry Colangelo, coach K and Rose himself, have all highly praised the virtues of Rondo before and during the scrimmages. Please don’t let Saturday’s scrimmage/box score as the ultimate arbiter (if you didn’t see the box score; seriously, would of even noticed that Rose did anything in that game)? Honestly?
Rose never scored a point on Rondo the entire night, by the way. I repeat, not one! Secondly, Rondo blew by Rose(in the 4th quarter particularly, with his quickness and that magician-ship) virtually at will. Rose couldn’t stop him once. He plays no defense at all. Also Rondo had 7 assist, not 6; and his team misfired on about 10 assist from easy Rondo passes/scoring attempts that they either mis-fired or couldn’t handle. I also couldn’t count the 8 assist that Rose supposedly totaled; not at all. I didn’t see them.
Most importantly; Rondo was trying to concentrate on being a true point guard (something he does better than Rose) and not a scorer in a all star game, like Rose. I repeat. Rose never scored on Rondo the entire scrimmage and couldn’t stop Rondo’s penetration/magician-ship.
Take a look at the game/tape again.
I’m sure the coaching staff noticed as well.
Don’t worry; Rondo will not only advance, but he will be the starter of this team as the excellent floor general/magician he is.