When you’re not the ’92 Dream Team and penciled in to flog everybody by 30 or 50 points a night, you probably need some close games under your belt to test your clutch-ness and avoid complacency. For Team USA’s 2010 version, that game happened yesterday, as they barely hung on to beat Brazil in a tough contest that exposed a lot of U.S. weaknesses but also may have done them some good for later in the World Championship … Led by Leandro Barbosa, Tiago Splitter and J.J. Barea‘s long-lost cousin Marcelo Huertas, Brazil took the lead in the first quarter and didn’t give it up until late into the third, picking the U.S. apart with screen-and-rolls, timely threes, and Barbosa’s brand of South American Allen Iverson basketball, heavy on the jack … Read More »
In the first half, it looked like Leandro Barbosa was going to do whatever he wanted against Team USA and lead Brazil to a major upset. In the second Barbosa (14 pts, 5-18 FG) couldn’t buy a bucket, but he did get this layup to go after dropping Andre Iguodala on his backside.
Why Team USA won: Kevin Durant and Chauncey Billups. Every time it seemed things were about to get out of hand for the favored Americans, Durant would stick a jumper or score at the rim, or Billups would attack the basket and get himself free throws or a layup. In the first half the whole team got away from playing aggressive offensively, before KD and Chauncey set the pace in the second half and got the U.S. over the hump to avoid an upset. Read More »
While Austin just brought you the USA vs. Brazil live blog, that’s not the only FIBA action going down. Check out this ridiculous reverse alley-oop that Rudy Fernandez threw down off the pass from Ricky Rubio. Somewhere David Kahn is thinking of trading for Rudy.
After running through Croatia and Slovenia like it was frat-house initiation week in the first two pool-play games of the FIBA World Championship, Team USA faces its toughest test so far against Brazil today.
It’s not so much Leandro Barbosa that should worry fans of the red, white and blue; it’s that Brazil has a couple of NBA-certified big men in Anderson Varejao (Cavs) and Tiago Splitter (Spurs), who could give the reputedly thin group of U.S. big men — Kevin Love, Lamar Odom and Tyson Chandler — some problems in the paint. Brazil would be even tougher had Nene not pulled out of the WC with leg injuries, and it should be noted that Varejao is coming off an ankle sprain, but Brazil is still considered the second-best team in Group B next to the Americans. Let’s see how it plays out: Read More »
As we wrote earlier, Deuce Bello took the crown as the winner of the 2010 Under Armour Slam Dunk Contest at the Boost Mobile Elite 24 in Venice Beach, Calif. this weekend. Brandon Jennings thinks he’s bananas. Need we say more?
Nobody had to ask why the first issue of Dime to drop this summer had LeBron James on the cover. To basketball fans both hardcore and casual, LeBron was the biggest story of the offseason, as his free agency drama played out in front of an audience of millions and sparked emotional responses during and after his decision was made.
Two competing sides emerged: (1) Those who believe LeBron did the smart and humble thing by setting himself up to win a handful of NBA championships at the expense of future scoring titles and solo glory, and (2) Those who believe LeBron tarnished his chances of being considered one of the greatest players of all-time and showed his true colors by ditching Cleveland to take what might be a secondary role to Dwyane Wade in Miami. Read More »
Inspired by Andre Iguodala‘s performance with Team USA this summer, Smack reader Poolpal44 (pause?) put A.I.2 on his list of the angriest dunkers of all-time. Making my own list, Ricky Davis crossed my mind, but ultimately missed the cut. Although I’ll never forget this dunk:
Stephen Jackson has seen and done a lot in his 10 years in the NBA. He’s been with six teams, from Oakland to New Jersey. He’s won a championship (Spurs in ’03). He played an integral role in the brawl (Detroit in ’04) that in some ways changed the League. He’s played for the winningest coach of all-time (Don Nelson), and now plays for perhaps the greatest player of all-time (Michael Jordan). He’s been involved in historic playoff upsets (Warriors in ’07), and played on teams both amazing and awful. He’s enjoyed the fruits of success (approx. $40 million in career earnings) and experienced the pitfalls (his Charlotte home was targeted in a home invasion robbery this offseason). Read More »
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