Monday, August 18, 2008

No More Room For Error

The U.S. men's basketball team ruined Germany, 106-57. America got off to a quick start for the first time in these Olympics. After a 20-3 run to open the contest, they never looked back. The U.S. shot and guarded the three effectively. Dwight Howard had a big game.

With Dirk Nowitzki on their team, I've always wondered why Germany wasn't better. Now I know. He has nothing around him and it's easy for the opponent to crowd around him. Up next for the U.S. is Australia in the quarterfinals. An Andrew Bogut-less Australia squad has given the U.S. its toughest game dating back to the pre-Olympic exhibitions. The U.S. cannot afford to take them for granted and I doubt LeBron and company will.

When I played picup games in China three years ago, I found that most players were slashers. I shot very poorly, but still shot better than everyone I played against. The long range shot was simply not part of the Chinese game. With that in mind, I get a kick out of watching the Chinese fans' reaction to three-pointers in the Olympics. If you listen closely, the oohs and ahhs have been as loud whether a three-point shot is made or an alley oop is completed.

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