SB Nation User Blog: Alex Boeder

Dreaming of Team USA's future

Alex Boeder — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:17:30 -0000

As linked to in Wednesday's Notes, Henry Abbott wrote a terrific piece about the future of Team USA. If you think it's too early to consider such things, well, it's quite simply not. The 2010 World Championships are just around the corner, and building a team, as we've learned, takes time.

The thought, competition, and scrutiny that goes into creating national soccer teams is incredible. Basketball is following that path.

There are plentiful questions, like whether the LeBron/Kobe/Wade troika will sign on again. James already said he'll only play if Kidd does, and Kidd should not and will not. Kobe, while not old, might want to save energy to win the NBA title without Shaq he wants so badly. Wade's all-out style also might not agree with four more years of intense summer ball.

Plus, they already accomplished the mission of restoring order in the basketball world with the gold in Beijing. There is a lot to lose in the next two tournaments, and only a little to gain.

That said, here are my roster thoughts going forward.

Return, pretty please

LeBron James: Some are holding off on anointing him the greatest player in the world. Not I. In 2010 and 2012, he'll absolutely be the most dominant basketball force, and the most important player to Team USA success.

Kobe Bryant: Recruited to save USA Basketball, and did just that against Spain in the fourth quarter of the gold medal match.

Chris Paul: Best point guard on the planet will be 25 and 27 years old in the next two major competitions.

Dwyane Wade: Leaped back into the forefront of stardom. Wade played pressure defense and ignited transition offense, the places where Team USA differentiated itself in Biejing.

Deron Williams: Formed a dynamite two-headed point guard attack off the bench with Paul, and showed nice chemistry on the court with CP3 as well. Only will improve in next four years.

Chris Bosh: A relative unknown among superstars, Bosh established himself as the team's best post player on both ends of the court in Beijing. His 77.4 % field goal percentage was absurd, but his 86.2 % free-throw percentage was perhaps even more comforting.

Dwight Howard: Mobility makes him a nice fit on team that plays at breakneck speed. Strength separates him from competition.

Come back, perhaps

Tayshaun Prince: After bringing Redd, Kobe, Carmelo, and Williams to shore up three-point shooting, it was Prince's 54.5 % mark that led Team USA from outside. And he's a strong defender and consummate team player, an ideal 10th man.

Carmelo Anthony: I've long been lukewarm on 'Melo playing for Team USA, even when he was widely praised as the team's top player. My thought was there are lots of Americans who would shine in international ball if given the chance. Anthony's outside touch and interest in rebounding are valuable.

Michael Redd: Redd never found his groove in Beijing, but he brought the desired offensive firepower and excellent three-point shooting when he played more in the FIBA Americas.

Thanks, though

Carlos Boozer: A very good player who didn't fuss about not playing, but there will be more useful alternatives in the future.

Jason Kidd: No matter James' wishes, Kidd is finished with a spotless 56-0 international record.

Best possible additions

Amare Stoudemire: As great as Howard is, Amare offers a different style offensively, one that would mesh a touch more beautifully on Team USA.

Kevin Martin: An absolutely wonderful offensive player.

Kevin Durant: Had some rough stretches as a rook, but who doesn't? Oozes diverse offensive ability, and should be hitting for almost 30 per night by 2012.

Monta Ellis: Another one of my preferred picks as an all-purpose backup guard, Ellis will be entering his prime the next few seasons.

Brandon Roy: A complete player who is cool under pressure.

Josh Smith: Will polish his game in the coming years, and already is a premier defensive force who can finish in transition with the best.

Andrew Bynum: After Howard, the next best true center. A major injury question, but that's no different for the next big guy that most are penciling in.

Rudy Gay: I'm visualizing Gay as the thunderous oop to many a Chris Paul alley. And I like that.

Names to consider

Lamarcus Aldridge: It's good to see him in the USA Basketball pipeline. Four years from today he'll be an elite big man playing deep into the playoffs.

Al Horford: A very promising post player at the right age to contribute.

Andre Iguodala: Another ultra-athletic wing who would fly on the fast break. I imagine him devoting a lot of energy wreaking havoc defensively and creating bushels of turnovers.

Derrick Rose: Remember, Chris Paul and Deron Williams only played three NBA seasons before winning Olympic gold this summer. If Rose is good enough, he'll be ready for third string point guard duties by 2012. Whether he's good enough remains to be seen, but the outlook is promising.

Shawn Marion: The Matrix is still waiting for redemption after 2004's debacle.

Greg Oden: Even with more major injuries than NBA games to his name, he's on a short list of possible centers.

Michael Beasley: Just the type of skilled, undersized power forward who can work magic in the international game.

Tyson Chandler: Team USA led the Olympics in blocks, but not by a large enough margin for my liking. Offers nice chemistry with Paul too.

Thaddeus Young: People love Rodney Stuckey, but Young was a far better rookie, and is two years younger. The sheer number of excellent young small forwards will likely prevent him from grabbing a spot until after 2012.

Joe Johnson: Struggled in the '06 World Championships, but ballhandling and shooting ability make him an intriguing player.

Shane Battier: Defense? Check. Team play? Check. Spot-up shooting? Check. Better than Tayshaun? Ehh, squiggle line.

More options

Caron Butler: Every other national team on the planet would die to have him. Yet he never even enters Team USA discussion. How luxurious.

David West: Ever-improving power forward has soft touch around basket. If they want a Boozer replacement, this could be the guy.

Jerryd Bayless: Already on USA Basketball's radar, and Arizona guards do seem to have a fairly high success rate.

David Lee: Strong, athletic, young, plays well within team concept, and shoots high percentage from field and line.

Ramon Sessions: If Luke Ridnour is part of USA Basketball, then shouldn't the Bucks real point guard of the future also? If he can rack up 24 assists with two turnovers for the Bucks in a single game, just think what he'd do if you surrounded him with LeBron, Kobe, and Howard?

Rajon Rondo: Defense and rebounding are useful attributes.

I'll pass

Baron Davis: He wants in, and we all know he's a fantastic talent. But Paul and Williams aren't declining in the next four years, Boom Dizzle however, is.

Gilbert Arenas: If on a hot streak, this is a lot of fun. If not, this is a lot of umm.

2010

C: Dwight Howard / Amare Stoudemire

PF: Chris Bosh / Josh Smith

SF: LeBron James / Kevin Durant / Tayshaun Prince

SG: Kobe Bryant / Dwyane Wade / Kevin Martin

PG: Chris Paul / Deron Williams

2012

C: Dwight Howard / Amare Stoudemire

PF: Chris Bosh / Josh Smith

SF: LeBron James / Kevin Durant

SG: Kobe Bryant / Dwyane Wade / Kevin Martin

PG: Chris Paul / Deron Williams / Monta Ellis

If no LeBron/Kobe/Wade

C: Dwight Howard / Amare Stoudemire

PF: Chris Bosh / Josh Smith

SF: Rudy Gay / Kevin Durant / Andre Iguodala

SG: Kevin Martin / Monta Ellis / Brandon Roy

PG: Chris Paul / Deron Williams

A very different look

C: Andrew Bynum / Greg Oden

PF: Josh Smith / Lamarcus Aldridge / Al Horford

SF: Rudy Gay / Andre Iguodala / Michael Beasley

SG: Brandon Roy / Michael Redd

PG: Derrick Rose / Rajon Rondo

Friday Notes: Preseason schedule released, power ranking season commences

Alex Boeder — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:34:44 -0000

Bucks.com releases the team's preseason schedule, highlighted by a trip to China, where Milwaukee will play the Golden St. Warriors twice. They tip off at the Bradley Center against Timberwolves on October 6.
An ESPN.com panel of 25 collectively ranks the Bucks 11th in the East, with a projected 35 wins.
SI.com's Chris Mannix gives the Central Division teams a summer report card. The Bucks are top of the class with an A-.

Hammond still has some things to do (figuring out if Michael Redd is in the team's long-term plans, for one) and his decision to draft Joe Alexander after trading for Jefferson was a little puzzling. But Hammond has Milwaukee back on the right track.
Chris Colston at USA Today tabs the Bucks 18th in a first version of preseason power rankings. That places them ninth in the East.
Michael Redd is the NBA's 46th best player according to Tom Ziller at FanHouse. The always keen Ziller is in the process of counting down the league's top 50 players.

What the Hades in wrong with being one-dimensional if you're among the best in the world at that one dimension? Redd is an elite scorer: he's unstoppable 80% of the time, he's efficient. He never turns over the ball in score mode, a real special quality given how much offense he creates on his own. Scoring is a pretty important part of basketball -- we act like Redd did the equivalent of tiddlywinks in 2006-07, just because the Bucks were awful.
Brett at The Bratwurst is a little underwhelmed looking at the offseason moves.
JS Online's Don Walker reports Charlie Villanueva is working with SolesUnited, a shoe donation program. Great stuff, CV.
Brian Hood, writing for Fox Sports, devises an All-NBA Football team and slots Richard Jefferson at tight end.
The Bob Boozers Jinx's J.D. Mo again questions Michael Redd's Olympic performance, as well as local media coverage. Redd certainly was underwhelming on the court. He only played 73 minutes, and for good reason. The glut of guards in front of him (Kobe, Paul, Williams etc.) played better in Beijing, which isn't surprising because they are, well, better players. Redd isn't a good defender, and was cold shooting the ball (32.3 FG% and 27.8 3PT%), rendering him not terribly useful on a team of the most polished players on the planet. Of course, he didn't really have a chance to work his way into a groove, and he's not suddenly a bad shooter. He was simply off for what amounted to about two NBA games worth of minutes. That happens. Recall the heroic Kobe Bryant's first 45 minutes for Team USA in the Olympics? Went like this: 37.0 FG% and 6.7 3PT% with four assist and four turnovers. When you look at the big picture though, Kobe fulfilled his role. Redd? He obviously didn't contribute anywhere near the level of Kobe or most others, but I can't say "he was not a factor in winning the gold." Remember the FIBA's last summer? The tournament that qualified Team USA for the Olympics? Redd hit 53.0 FG% and 45.3 3PT%. That came against lesser competition, and for smaller stakes, but it was a necessary step toward gold. Glen Davis shot 58.3 FG% and played an important role in the first round against the Hawks, but notched 15 minutes total in the Finals. Sure, Atlanta isn't Los Angeles, just as the FIBA's aren't the Olympics. No one is crowning Redd or Davis as the vital player on a champion. But don't tell Davis he didn't earn a ring. And don't say Michael didn't factor in winning gold.

Wednesday Notes: Celebrating the 1971 champs, Team USA's past and future, Spain complains

Alex Boeder — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:33:31 -0000

Milwaukee's best. (NBA.com)

Hoops Analyst's Harlan Schreiber picks the 1970-71 Bucks as the best team in franchise history, as part of an ongoing examination of each franchise's all-time top team. I tend to agree.
Michael Hunt of JS Online reports the Bucks are flying under the radar this summer, with the Brewers delighting and the Brett Favre dramatics.
Dennis Krause, writing for SportsBubbler.com, profiles the roles of a pair of local athletes who played for Team USA in 1952, Frank McCabe and Ron Bontemps.

McCabe remembers "the strain of such a change of pace and the closeness of the score for three quarters. It was only 17-15 at the half. One of their players actually sat on the floor during the early part of the game. That kind of stressed the idea of a real slow down. But their coach got him back on his feet in a hurry. The best memory was stepping up to receive the box holding the Gold medal along with the small bunch of flowers."
TrueHoop's Henry Abbott writes the article I've been meaning to write since Sunday: the future of Team USA. Abbott does an excellent job of explaining the overall picture of Team USA going forward, noting the vast importance of the 2010 World Championships. He makes roster picks too, and Al Horford and Shane Battier are the only questionable ones to me. Kevin Martin? Yes, please.
David Friedman of 20 Second Timeout delivers an Olympic report card to each Team USA player. Redd scores an "I" for incomplete. A sample of Friedman's notes on Redd:
Last year, I did a post titled Team USA Needs Bruce Bowen More Than it Needs Michael Redd and I have consistently and repeatedly stated that Redd--who is a very good NBA player--would be nothing more than a spare part on this squad for the following reasons: Team USA's primary focus has to be defense, Team USA has several players who are better perimeter defenders than Redd who can also make the shorter FIBA three point shot and it is much more important for Team USA to defend opposing three point shooters than it is for Team USA to make three pointers.
Matt Watson at Fan House comments on Felipe Reyes saying Spain deserved gold. Next time you want to blame officials, Felipe, please, please try not losing to the team you claim superiority over by 48 points in 80 minutes beforehand. By... 48 points... in 80... minutes. Promise it'll benefit your case.
A Stern Warning adds that Jose Calderon says Spain would have won under FIBA rules. Umm, again. Maybe we should just make the gold medal a series rather than a single game, to make sure the better team wins, and to avoid flukes. Might not be as fun to take away all hope of anyone ever beating Team USA though.
Ryan Schwan of Hornets247 unveils Team USA as ancient Chinese historical figures. Michael Redd, apparently, is Peng Yue:

Peng Yue was a General of the Chu-Han Conflict who eventually became a King. He was a quiet general who would only sporadically involve himself in battle. When he was on the field, he was good in certain situations, but when the battles began in earnest, he was usually forced off the field and his position taken by a tougher, more aggressive General. Still, his loyalty earned him a Kingship under Liu Bang, the First Emperor of the Han Empire. Redd was used sparingly, couldn't really stay on the floor when the pressure was raised. Still, he was a good teammate, and got himself the gold.
Kelly Dwyer breaks down Larry Brown's messy maneuvers as Team USA's coach in Athens in 2004. This article follows Brown quotes that can be easily construed as excuse-making for the team's three-loss, bronze medal showing in the Olympics that year.
Dwyer also writes in memoriam of Kevin Duckworth, who passed away on Monday at the far too young age of 44. Duckworth played in eight games for the Bucks in 1995-96 and 684 games in his NBA career.
J.D. Mo at the Bob Boozer Jinx reflects on a disappointing run for individual Bucks players in the Olympics. True, Redd didn't factor heavily in Team USA's success, but the team badly needed highly capable players willing to play a reduced role and Redd fulfilled that need.
Dime debates, bracket-style, the best three-point shooters of the past 20 years. No Michael Redd mention, but Ray Allen nabs a top seed.
From Bucks.com, pick five Energee finalists for a chance to win four tickets to the home opener against the Raptors, and more.

Monday Notes: Team USA golden, role of small market teams, October trip to China

Alex Boeder — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:43:56 -0000

Kelly Dwyer reflects on Team USA's gold medal triumph and win over Spain.

Nobody whined about minutes. Nobody was caught on the bench, barely hiding their frustrations at not being able to crack double-figure minutes in a 37-point win. Nobody whined about who started (except this guy), and nobody was caught moping in the face of the lineup that finished the lone close game against Spain.
SI.com breaks down the inevitable debate: Dream Team or Redeem Team?
WhaIfSports simulates a seven-game series pitting the 1992 and 2008 Team USA's.
Jim Paschke thoughtfully considers the "redemption" aspect of Team USA.
Charley Rosen of FoxSports.com hands out individual grades to American players.
J.E. Skeets at Ball Don't Lie captures more internet reaction following Team USA's win in Part I and Part II.
My five thoughts after Michael Redd and Team USA won gold.
Frank serves on the panel for Hardwood Paroxysm's highly pertinent NBA Blogger Roundtable: The Role Of Small Markets In The League, Part I.
Posted last Thursday, JS Online's Charles Gardner reports encouraging news on Bogut's ankle.
Gardner also previews the Bucks' upcoming trip to China, where they will play two games, including one against the Warriors the week of October 12.
Truman Reed of Bucks.com takes a closer look Luke Ridnour's point guard pedigree.

Luke grew up tagging along to practices and games with his father, Rob, then played for him from 1996 through 2000. Together, they led Blaine High’s Borderites to a four-year record of 97-11, highlighted by Washington class AA state championships in 1999 and 2000.

The coach’s son averaged 23 points and seven assists over the course of his prep career. He was a three-time AA state player of the year as well as a 2000 McDonald’s and Parade All-American, and he still holds Washington AA tournament records for career points and assists.
Who should start at point guard? Vote for Ramon Sessions or Luke Ridnour (or Tyronn Lue) if you haven't already. Here's the tally at the time of posting: Sessions 171, Ridnour 139, Lue 3.
The Bratwurst notes Scott Williams joined the Phoenix Suns as a color analyst. Always was enjoyable on the Bucks broadcasts. Good luck, congrats on the new gig, and enjoy the dessert warmth, Scott.
The 540 ESPN audio library has archived interviews with John Hammond and Luke Ridnour.
Dime reminisces about Michael Redd's 57-point burst against the Jazz on Nov. 11, 2006.
SI.com's Steve Aschburner writes about Desmond Mason's latest moving experience.
Bethlehem Shoals' exit interviews installment of Portraits in Patriotism is up at SLAM Online.

Team USA is Golden

Alex Boeder — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:19:10 -0000

Redd, with a golden tint. (FIBA.com)

Team USA is golden again after toppling Spain 118-107 (recap/quotes) in the early hours this morning.

Five thoughts after the win:

Despite the up-and-down performance, Team USA won each quarter, if ever so narrowly. It went 38-31, 31-30, 22-21, and 27-25 for the Americans, who never could create a commanding lead against the same team they knocked around by 37 points the week prior. Spain played wonderfully in the gold medal match, but let's not suddenly delude ourselves and pretend Team USA didn't thoroughly dominate this tournament. They finished 8-0, and won every game by double-digits. Against the top contenders? A 23-point win over Greece, 20-point victory over Argentina, and two wins against Spain by an average of 24 points. Not at all bad showings against the last team to beat Team USA, the defending Olympic champs, and the defending World champs.
Kobe's four-point play and ensuing "shhh" easily overtook Wade's falling-out-of-bounds lob to Bryant as the signature play of the tournament. The entire game was classic Bryant, who just wrote another thick chapter in his legacy, and went a long way to redeeming (redeeming!) himself following the NBA Finals disaster.
Speaking of memorable moments, Rudy Fernandez, oh my. The dunk on Howard, the showy step-back three-pointers, everything he touched turned into shiny gold silver. Dude was on, he just couldn't stay on the court. He fouled out (on Kobe's four-pointer) in 18 minutes, but packed 22 points and a lot of highlights in his brief time on court.
If Dwyane Wade was the perfect sixth man (and he most certainly was) then Tayshaun Prince was also the ideal tenth man, something missing from previous versions of Team USA. You just felt at ease whenever Prince was on the court throughout the tournament. And his 3-3 effort in eight minutes against Spain sure didn't hurt in the 11-point win, right? Let's just say I wouldn't mind seeing him, at 32, in London in 2012.
Michael Redd didn't play in the final game, marking his first DNP of the Olympics. only got the final minute on the floor against Spain, his briefest appearance in the Olympics. That's fine with me, and it's cool with the birthday boy too, apparently. Happy 29th, Mike, and congrats. From the quotes:

You want to cry, you want to laugh, you want to smile. It was amazing to see our flag raised and to know that you are the best team in the world.

Olympic Notes: Team USA going for gold

Alex Boeder — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:33:09 -0000

Team USA shoot for Olympic gold against Spain at 1:30 a.m. central time Saturday night/Sunday morning on NBC.
Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don't Lie looks behind the boxscore at Team USA/Argentina.
SLAM Online's Lang Whitaker also recaps Team USA's latest win.
FoxSports.com's Charley Rosen predicts gold for Team USA.
My five observations following Team USA's win over Argentina.
ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan writes about Team USA winning over the hearts and minds in China.

Michael Redd described an endless stream of fans following him through a mall as he went shopping: people asking him to stop and pose for a quick picture, or thrusting a piece of paper and a pen toward him for an autograph. "They know all our stats, they know where we come from, they know everything about us. It's amazing -- it really is -- just how popular basketball has gotten. It really has gone global."
Sheridan also says Team USA's performance against Argentina may have given Spanish coach Aito Garcia Reneses hope in the gold medal game.
Dime notes it's gold medal time for Team USA.
Slate considers the marketing genius of the Redeem Team. (Link-tip: TrueHoop)
SI.com's Alexander Wolff says Team USA won't settle for silver.
SI.com's Steve Aschburner looks at the tough NBA road ahead for the Redeem Teamers.

Basically a shooting specialist in Beijing, Redd will be the Bucks' ringleader again, trying to create some instant chemistry on offense with Richard Jefferson and Luke Ridnour. Meanwhile, Mo Williams is gone and Andrew Bogut might be hobbled from his Olympic ankle injury. So Redd, the most flattered of the players invited to play for Team USA, could end up as the hardest-working among them once this is over.

Recap: Team USA 101 Argentina 81

Alex Boeder — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:33:19 -0000

Team USA topped reigning Olympic champion Argentina 101-81 (recap/quotes) on Friday morning. That result, coupled with Spain's 91-86 win over Lithuania, sets up a Team USA versus Spain gold medal game on Sunday at 1:30 a.m. central time.

Five observations following the game:

A 20-point win over the defending champs has largely been met with mixed reviews for Team USA. And that's a loud sign of wonderful progress made in a remarkably short time by the American team. The fact is, people are once again expecting not just wins, but thorough blowouts against even the strongest competition. So while the latest effort may not have satisfied critics, it satisfied the oddsmakers, who pegged Team USA as 19.5 point favorites. They won comfortably, just as expected. The fashion they did so was atypical, sure. A 19-point first quarter lead multiplied by four quarters calls for a 76-point final margin, but that's really not realistic, gang. We were destined for a letdown, you know. Let's just keep things in perspective. A 20-point win in a 40-minute game against one of the elite basketball-playing nations isn't the shabbiest result.
In the middle of Argentina's nightmare first quarter, they lost Manu Ginobili to a left foot injury. He's absolutely the team's best player, and staying healthy would have benefited the Argentines, though they played admirably in his absence. Andres Nocioni wasn't at full-strength either. Team USA is fortunate to have flown free of the injury bug thus far. Then again, its depth would allow them to withstand an injury to Kobe Bryant and a hobbled Carmelo Anthony, I'm really quite confident. For Argentina, life isn't that easy. And that makes me comfortable from a Team USA perspective. Even more comfortable than the comfortable margin of victory this morning.
Carmelo's a touch on the feisty side on this day, and there's not much wrong with that. I'm happy with Anthony living at the line, where he nailed all 13 free throws against Argentina. That perfection offset his 3-14 mark from the field, and kept him on the floor for all but 10 minutes of the game. Deemed as the team's most important player in previous competitions, he had been relatively quiet until this game.
Without Ginobili on the court, Luis Scola and Carlos Delfino were forced to carry a heavy load. The inside-outside duo attempted 39 of Argentina's 68 shots and scored 45 of the team's 81 points. That's more than half of each. Both had their moments too, particularly Scola, who looks primed and ready to rock it for the Rockets this season. He gave Team USA defenders fits, and finished with nifty numbers: 28 points and 11 boards along with a couple blocks and steals.
He's Chris Bosh, vote him for top player of the tournament? Just another day at the Olympic office: 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 5-5 at the line in 20 minutes. The power forward is 23-29 (.793) from the field and 19/23 (.826) from the line. Yes, that's 82.6 % for the 6'10" power forward, if you're reading, Kobe (44.4 %), LeBron (50.0 %), and Wade (61.8 %).

Olympic Notes: Team USA defeat Australia, Bogut injury not serious, Argentina up next

Alex Boeder — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:47:58 -0000

Team USA defeated Australia 116-85 (recap/quotes) on Wednesday morning. After a sluggish start, the Americans pulled away during a convincing 34-18 third quarter. Australia forced more turnovers (13-11) than the Americans, but were killed on the glass, as Team USA had almost as many offensive boards (19) as Australia had total rebounds (28). Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 25 and LeBron James added 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and four steals. Oddly, the two superstars hit just 1-4 at the line each, and the Americans converted 18-31 (.581) at the line total. In spite of that, Team USA came out with yet another convincing, 31-point win. It's a bit strange that its closest Olympic game thus far was a 97-76 win over Angola, easily one of the weakest teams in the Olympic field.
Andrew Bogut lasted only 11 minutes before departing the game with an ankle injury. Thankfully, reports indicate the injury is not serious.
Neither Bogut nor Michael Redd made much of an impact in the game. Bogut was quiet in Australia's impressive start, scoring four points and turning the ball over a couple times. As usual, Redd didn't get on the court until later in the game, and finished with five points in nine minutes.
ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan recaps Team USA's quarterfinal victory over the Boomers.
The Australian's Luke McIlveen writes that Australia's "Rocky" wish turned into more of a "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" against Team USA. Ouch.
TheWest.com reports speedster point guard Patrick Mills, who gave Team USA fits in the the team's pre-Olympic matchup, says the Americans sledged him physically and psychologically in the rematch on Wednesday.
Bob Wolfley of JS Online reports that GM John Hammond is impressed with Team USA's Olympic performance.
Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don't Lie examines how a leader has emerged for Team USA.
Meanwhile, TrueHoop's Henry Abbott is happy to report that Team USA has no King.
Up next: Team USA versus Argentina at 9:15 a.m. central time on Friday morning. It was curious to see that many experts weren't so high on Argentina prior to the tournament, with many deeming at least Spain and Greece superior. But with Manu Ginobili surrounded by a stable of familiar teammates, the Argentines remain highly dangerous, and it's difficult to imagine they won't give the Americans a good game.
On that note, FoxSports.com's Charley Rosen warns that Team USA must take Argentina seriously.
The victor will advance to the Gold Medal game against the winner of Spain versus LIthuania, which precedes Team USA against Argentina. That games begins at 7:00 a.m. central time. Charlie liveblogged Spain's 72-59 quarterfinal win over Croatia that got them to the semis.
Sheridan previews Team USA's showdown with rival Argentina.

Argentina prefers to play man-to-man defense, and Scola said his team has not played one single second of zone during the tournament. That could change if Argentina adapts one of the few defensive styles that have been effective -- to use that word loosely -- against Team USA, but it's likely the teams will go at each other straight up as the game goes through its early stages.
SI.com's Alexander Wolff pinpoints Argentina's problem: depth.
Bryan Armen Graham of FanNation makes semifinal predictions.
USA Basketball has a ton of pre-semifinal quotes from Team USA players.
Dime is wondering who will be on Team USA in 2012. And who wouldn't want to be?
Bethlehem Shoals at the Sporting News says the Olympics are proving that the NBA's style of play still rules the hardwood.

Dunking at will, wreaking havoc on defense and spending about two-thirds of each game in transition -- and covering up their weaknesses with raw ability and invention -- it's some of the most exhilarating basketball in recent memory.

Sounds a lot like the NBA, doesn't it? Or -- even worse -- an idealized version of the All-Star Game.

Olympic Notes: Redd versus Bogut

Alex Boeder — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:21:56 -0000

In a showdown of the two highest-scoring teams, Team USA play Australia at 7:00 a.m. central time on Wednesday morning. You can watch the quarterfinal matchup live on USA. If you can't catch the game live, take a little trip to NBCOlympics.com, which offers full replays of events. One Buck will march on to face the winner of Argentina/Greece, one won't.
Australia, sans Andrew Bogut, gave the currently assembled Team USA its most difficult game, on August 5 in a pre-Olympic match. The Americans pulled out an 87-76 (recap/quotes) victory, but were outscored 47-43 in the second half.
Michael Redd and Team USA are coming off a dominating 106-57 (recap/quotes) win over Germany in the team's final game of group play. Team USA stands as the only undefeated team after five games.
Meanwhile, Australia was perhaps even more impressive in crushing previously undefeated Lithuania. Charlie recaps the 106-75 victory in which Bogut led the charge with 23 points.

Bogut's revived jumper has done wonders in opening the offense up for both he and his teammates. Instead of receiving a pass at the top of the key, and holding the ball in hopes of finding a cutter, Bogut is going into instant attack mode. He can either pull up for a three if no one's on him, and when he guarded on the perimeter he's used various shot fakes to drive all the way to the basket, where he's been able to do things like this.
Sure, Team USA is firing on all cylinders, but Australia is getting hot at the right time too. Prior to beating Lithuania, they handily defeated reigning European champions, Russia, 95-80.
Luke McIlveen of The Australian reports on Australia's preparation for Team USA.
The Australian also has a video interview with Andrew Bogut following the team's latest win.
USA Basketball's Team USA/Australia preview includes quotes from Tony Ronzone, American Director of Player Personnel.
ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan warns that Australia is the team's toughest challenger thus far.
X's & O's of Basketball offers excellent analysis of Australia's offense.
SI.com's Alexander Wolff evaluates each Team USA player following pool play.
Wolff also breaks down Team USA/Australia rematch and predicts winners for the all the games.
In FanNation, Bryan Armen Graham adds quarterfinal predictions.
A Stern Warning 's Team USA/Australia preview reveals keys to victory for each team.
Numbers, live from Beijing: Michael Redd is averaging 4.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists on 28.6 % shooting from the field and 25.0 % on three-pointers. He's playing 11.6 minutes per game. Andrew Bogut is averaging 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 61.7 % shooting from the field and 71.4 % on three-pointers. He's playing 21.4 minutes per game. Yes, Bogut is 5-7 from outside. And yes, that's four more three-pointers than he's made in his career with the Bucks.

Starting PG: Ridnour or Sessions?

Alex Boeder — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:29:43 -0000

After adding Luke Ridnour and Damon Jones (and Adrian Griffin) and losing Mo Williams (and Desmond Mason) in the recent trade, the Bucks have five players capable of running the point: Ridnour, Jones, Ramon Sessions, Charlie Bell, and Tyronn Lue.

While the Bucks are long on quantity at the one, quality is more of a question mark, though all five possess positive attributes.

Ridnour capably started all 82 games on a division-winning Sonic team in 2004-05. The same year, Jones hit 43.2 % from outside for the Heat, and the year before that he brought stability and to the Bucks' backcourt. In limited time last year, Sessions was one of the brightest rookies, and a wonderful distributor who averaged 7.5 assists in only 26.4 minutes. Bell plays defense and brings size at the one. Lue is an instant-offense type who nailed 45.3 % of his three-pointers last season.

Then again, the quintet totaled 23 starts last season. That's an average of 4.6 out of 82.

Lue is a career backup and Jones isn't starting material at this stage in his career either. Bell fits in more naturally as a backup shooting guard.

That leaves Ridnour and Sessions, both of whom can push, dribble, and pass the ball quite well. Their shooting and defensive abilities are questioned.

Sessions and Ridnour also went a combined 1-11 starting at point guard last season, with Ridnour getting the lone victory on March 24 against the Blazers.

That's not terribly inspiring, but basketball is a team game, and Ridnour and Sessions are team players. Not only that, but the 2008-09 Bucks hardly resemble the clubs Sessions and Ridnour played on last season.

John Hammond, for one, is comfortable with the point guard situation.

"I think we have a good combination to make ourselves very good at the point guard position," Hammond said. "You’ve got Luke, who is in the prime of his career at 27 years old. You’ve got the veteran backup in Ty Lue, who has been in almost every situation possible. He’s always been a great teammate, and he’s going to be supportive of Luke and Ramon.

"And with Ramon we have a good young piece who has value in this league and a piece we want to keep here long term."

Neither Ridnour nor Sessions will have an easy time matching Mo Williams' overall production. Below is last season's stat comparison between the point guard Hammond recently dealt away and his old point guard favorite in Detroit.

Name	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG %	FT %	3PT %
Williams	17.2	3.5	6.3	1.18	.15	.480	.856	.385
Billups	17.0	2.7	6.8	1.29	.22	.448	.918	.401

Of course, Michael Redd, Richard Jefferson, Andrew Bogut and everyone else in green and red will benefit from replacing Williams with the more giving Ridnour and Sessions. And that's really the key going forward for the Bucks.

As an NBA veteran of five years rather than five weeks, Ridnour might have the starting edge over Sessions. But like we've witnessed on Team USA at point guard this summer, the better players will rightfully play more minutes.

I'm optimistic that Ridnour will work well with his new teammates, but we already know Sessions does. That's one chief reason why I'd like to see Sessions start the opener on Oct. 28 against the Bulls.

What say you?

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SB Nation User Blog: Alex Boeder

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Starting PG: Ridnour or Sessions?

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