ESPN: Spain tried everything. Pretty much none of it worked.
The zone? Team USA shot over it, drove the baseline against it and picked it apart.
The pick-and-roll? Spain tried it a lot early, and you know how many points its best player, Pau Gasol, had in the first 12 ½ minutes against it? Zero.
The press? Let’s put it this way: If another team tries to use the full-court press against Team USA, it might as well just walk off the court and forfeit. Open up the court for the Americans, like the Greeks did two nights earlier and like the Spanish foolishly tried to in this one, and they’ll crush you.
What made Saturday’s 119-82 throttling of Spain so impressive was the way the Americans did everything so extraordinarily well. They’re getting better each game, they’re improving their few weak areas and the only thing that’s scary about this 37-point beatdown is the notion that they might have peaked.
It’s up to them to prove that they haven’t, because the plane ride home is still more than a week away. But if they’re going to keep bringing it like they brought it against the reigning world champions, there’s no way they’re going to lose.
“Twenty-eight turnovers is just a staggering number,” said Gasol, whose team’s field goal total matched its turnover total.
Kaman: “People hate Kobe Bryant, and he’s the best player in the world.”
Is this Kobe’s best team?
Bryant becomes ‘pacesetter’ for Team USA
Bryant hasn’t spoken to Mitch?
Hollinger’s Team Forecast: Los Angeles Lakers
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We destroyed em. Very proud of this US team, I’m sure everyone thought it would be a lot closer than it was.
Sorry Pau, but Kobe is gonna be bragging about this alll year long (jk don’t wanna speak too soon, we still need the Gold first)
Loved every minute of it! Total domination.
Destroyed’em IS RIGHT..sorta like…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsBvksTSTOQ!!!
i love how lebron said im the leader of the team and i’ll make sure there no slippage LOL umm then where were u in 06 or 04 huh LEADER???? u aint leader of the team..j.kidd is captain damn bron cant take the truth but watever we killed them just killed..
i agreed w/ lakerschamps09, it’s easier saying your the leader when you got kobe on your team.
i love how kobe flattened pau on a back screen then just looked down at him… pau only has his protection when hes wearing purple and gold
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That was embarrassing, Fred.