The U.S. men's basketball team destroyed Spain 119-82. Spain showed a total lack of heart, which doesn't compliment well the total lack of brains they showed by doing the "slanty eyes" ad. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were the catalysts once again, but it was a total team effort.
Carmelo Anthony had his best game by far in these Olympics. He built up his confidence late against Angola when the game was out of reach, played alright against Greece, and caught fire from behind the arc today. For the first time in the tournament, the U.S. shot the ball well from three. For the third game in a row, they defended the three well. It's amazing how a hand in the face effectively disrupts international players' shot from long distance.
If there is a gripe with America's play in this game it was first half fouls and turnovers. But come on, this was a near perfect performance. Jason Kidd, whose role is as the table setter, hasn't been proficient in limited duty thus far, but he turned it around today. Dwight Howard finally played well, although I'm still not convinced he understands the lax goaltending rules. Yes, you can swipe the ball off of the rim. No, you can't pluck it out of the air.
This game got me thinking. The United States thoroughly beat down an NBA-filled Spanish squad by a greater margin than they defeated the other lesser teams. I think they get up for teams with NBA players on the roster more than they do for the others. That can be dangerous because once the medal round comes, there's no room for error.
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