Cavs Board

I have to admit.  The beginning of this game had me worried.  Team USA seemed far to anxious to blow this game open.  A couple quick fouls on Lebron and then one by Kobe on a three point attempt saw both players sent to the bench only 4 minutes into the game.   

But the second unit deserve a ton of credit for coming in and calming the team down on offense while keeping up the defensive intensity. Chris Paul immediately made two huge plays on “and ones”, Bosh fought tirelessly for boards and offensive position, and Dwayne Wade made some timely steals and forced the Spaniards to foul.  By the end of the first quarter, the unit of Paul, Bosh, Deron Williams, Dwayne Wade, and Tayshaun Prince took control putting the Americans back up 38-31. Wade had 13 first quarter points.

The second quarter saw the first unit return much more keyed in.  Their shooting continued to be hot from outside, and despite the fact that Carmelo Anthony’s face has been a landing pad for elbows throughout the medal rounds, he kept his composure, and the Americans slowly but surely stopped turning the ball over, fouled less frequently and starting getting some transition buckets off of steals themselves (with Wade, Lebron, and Kobe all getting in on the act).  With four minutes left in the second quarter, Team USA was firmly in control up by 14.

Rudy Fernandez, the Blazers rookie, looked great in the first half going 4 for 5 from the floor, including a perfect 3-3 showing from downtown. Largely due to his play, Spain was able to cut the lead to 8 by halftime trailing 69-61.  As for Dwayne Wade’s statline at half…yeah, nothing spectacular…just 21 points on 7-9 shooting (one of which was a last second heave at the buzzer).  Did I mention 4 steals?

Coming out of the locker room at halftime, I’m always worried.  It has nothing to do with America.  I’ve been trained watching basketball to dread the third.  The Cavs are notorious for choking away leads in the third quarter forcing Lebron to put the team on his back in the fourth.  James made a couple of uncharacteristic turnovers right away, Kobe got tagged with a travel, and next thing you know the Spanish team is down by 4 with Dwight Howard on the foul line.  Not exactly a sure thing.  Those of us watching on the internet feed got to enjoy a string of profanities from Coach K about shitty team defense.

From their we saw a lot of back and forth baskets.  There were some Americans lapses on the defensive end as Juan Carlos Navarro hit some runners, but Carmelo kept Team USA in front forcing a turnover which he converted as well as following up the inevitable Howard missed free throws I referenced above with a putback.  Lebron made two straight big baskets at one point and Wade continues to slash to the rim.  With two minutes left in the third, the Americans led by 10 (86-76).  Carmelo may not dominate the box score tonight, but his baskets came at crucial times.  He hit another three late in the shot clock to get the Americans an 11 point lead.  As the third quarter ended, Navarro hit a runner to cut the margin to 9 and that brought him to 15 points on the night at the end of the third.  The score was 91-82.

The fourth quarter did not start well.  Rudy Fernandez has come out absolutely destroying the USA defense.  He continues to hit his outside shots, and that set up some slashing pick and rolls, one of which ended in a Pau Gasol crush.  With 9 minutes remaining, the lead was 91-89 for Team USA.  Lebron picked up a fourth foul, and the Americans found themselves desperately trying to hold off the Spanish rally.  

Big bucket by Kobe.  Big three by Deron Williams.  Big dunk by Dwight Howard! Don’t look now.  The Americans are back up by nine with 6:30 left.  As Kobe dropped in yet another three pointer (making it 11-22 for Team USA at that point), you could feel it coming.  USA needed to drive a nail into the coffin.  Lebron missed, got his own board and puts it back in.  Was that it?  Nope.  Rudy Fernandez threw a dunk down on Dwight Howard and got the foul.

But the dagger would come, courtesy of Kobe Bryant.  And it came with a pose.  Rudy Fernandez fouled out as Kobe Bryant got him in the air, nailed a three and tagged Fernandez for his fifth foul.  Bryant put a sole finger to his lips as if to hush the crowd.  With three minutes left, Team USA led 108-99 looking like a gold medal is moments away.  Two straight baskets by Spain cut the lead to 4, but Lebron drives the lane  and kicks it to Wade, who hits a three with a scowl on his face.  Points 25…26… and 27.

USA! USA!  The chants started.  The obligatory David Beckham cutaways began.  Gasol was forced to foul Chris Paul in the backcourt.  And then it was just a matter of moments.  Rudy Fernandez was spectacular.  Juan Carlos Navarro had something to prove.  Pau didn’t play soft.  Marc Gasol is a brute who I can’t wait to see in NBA action.   But the best team in the world is once again the United States of America.

As for the statlines, it almost seems wrong to even spend time on this, but Lebron finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.  Kobe scored 20 with 6 assists.  Chris Paul added 13 points and 5 assists, and Melo scored 13.  The three-point shooting that past incarnations of Team USA had lived and died by?  Well USA shot 46% from 3 (13-28), while Spain shot 47% (8-17).  This was a great game, and with FIBA making changes that will bring international ball more in line with American basketball, don’t be surprised to see USA repeat in 2012.

Update:  This picture is great.  If I didn’t know better, I’d think Lebron James had a lazy eye.