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Team USA Good for Basketball, Refreshing
Watching the way this team continues to amp up its game each time out is impressive. They faced two tough tests in Spain and Greece and surpassed all expectations. They were set up with a potential let-down game against Germany and they responded with an easy, impressive win.
Three more games left and with three wins the “Redeem Team” will take the gold.
This is great for basketball.
First of all, you get the feeling by looking at these guys that they want to be there and that they want to represent their country. The past few teams, it seemed like the players felt it was more of a burden than an honor. Sure it is hard to play an 82 game season then go to the Olympics and win gold, but that is the legacy that the Dream Team – the only team to really deserve that name – handed down. This ‘08 version is certainly rising to the occasion.
Michael Phelps won his Olympic record eighth gold medal the other night. In attendance was Lebron James and Kobe Bryant, two players who know winning and the dedication that comes with it. They were bouncing in the stands watching their fellow American take gold with his teammates in the relay that blew away the competition. It was refreshing to see them giddy, acting like fans in support of one of the all time great Olympic athletes. And they were genuinely in awe.
Then you hear Lebron interview after the win against Germany saying they are playing with a chip on their shoulder and that they have something to prove. What is interesting is the feel of this team, they aren’t playing angry as if the people of the United States doesn’t support them, rather it is directed at the rest of the world for doubting us. In a time when a lot of doubt and mistrust is being pushed America’s way, it is great to see someone doing something to change that. Even if it is in some small way like proving to the rest of the world that America is still number one in basketball.
The Olympics seem to be an attempt for a coming out party for China to the rest of the world. Look at us, we are a superpower. At least, that is the initial idea but it has turned out to be something much more somber, much more beautiful. You are seeing great stories from around the world as the world is truly coming together to embrace these games. Team USA basketball is trying to show that they are a force to be reckon with in the game of basketball, that we are still the best in the world when it comes to our sport. Yet they are doing it with a kind of graciousness, a kind of humility that we haven’t seen really since the ‘92 team.
What makes this group probably even better than the ‘92 team is that the world competition is so much better now that it was 16 years ago and the differential in the wins is almost as massive. And you want to root for this team – they are not brash and angry. They are confident and calm in the face of adversity. They represent what you want America to represent when being presented to the rest of the world. In a word, they make you proud.
They play the game the way it is supposed to be played. They take it to a different level and they show greatness on the court. They also make an effort to show up at the rest of the events and be a part of the Olympics, not just distant professional mercenaries assembled to win a medal. Jerry Colangelo deserves a ton of praise for how well he has constructed this team.
This may be the best Olympic men’s basketball team ever.
Dwyane Wade’s Olympic Test Starts Today
The US Mens Olympic team opens up today against China at 10am EST on NBC. Yao Ming rushed himself through rehab just to make it back for this moment in what will shape up to be probably the most watched basketball game of all time.
Heat fans will be tuning in not only to see their country go for gold, but also to keep an eye on their favorite franchise player, Dwyane Wade.
Wade has a lot to prove all of a sudden. Coming off a 15 win season, which got the Heat the #2 pick in this draft, Wade feels a bit slighted considering it was only 2 years ago that he was on top of the basketball universe leading his team to its first ever NBA championship and being dubbed Finals MVP. There were whispers that he could be the next Jordan, and Wade even started to eclipse Lebron James in some people’s minds.
Then injuries settled in: knee tendinitis, a dislocated shoulder. These things all took their toll on Wade and his game and all of a sudden his flaws started to show up. His lack of consistent perimeter defense, his turnovers. His game became “limited” as he tried to do too much and the losses piled up. Then he had to shut it down amid some controversy as some speculated openly about the real extent of his injuries.
Wade tried to come back to quickly after his shoulder separation in the previous season as he tried to be there for his teammates and push for their playoff run. The Heat failed, being swept by the Bulls in the opening round and Wade may have put himself in a worse position by rushing back. This year, as the season started to grow darker and darker and there was no sign of this team salvaging its playoff chances, Wade shut it down.
The question remained, is this post-2006 version the real Wade? A tired, worn down player with an inconsistent game? Or could it be that he really was worn down, both mentally and physically, from the toll of the previous seasons and all he needed was some rest? If the latter, this Olympic trial will demonstrate that as Wade has been drawing rave reviews from his coaches and peers already.
The Olympics could serve as Wade’s coming out party, again. He has been characterized now as playing with a chip on his shoulder, like he has something to prove. He is digging in deeper and focusing on playing better defense and rekindling his competitive fire – something a 15-67 season can kill in any player.
So we will all be watching as the American team not only strives to prove it is the best team in the world, but also as one of its premier young players strives to prove that he is truly among the elite of the elite.
Discuss Wade’s Olympic performances with us.
Jason Williams Signs with Clippers; Shaun Livingston a Heat Possibility?
Jason Williams signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, following two-time ex-Heater Ricky Davis, another franchise undergoing major changes. Williams, it seems will vie with Jason Hart to be the backup to Baron Davis in LA; in Miami he would have been a third stringer at best.
Jason Williams’ departure now leaves only Udonis Haslem and Dwyane Wade as the lone members from the 2006 championship team.
In JWill, the Heat had a tremendously smart and savy point guard but it was his chronic knee tendonitis that cost him his minutes and ultimately his security with the Heat. The Heat now have two point guards, Marcus Banks and Mario Chalmers, that will contend for the starting spot while a third, Chris Quinn, is weighing his options. He might also be on his way out, however.
This also creates an intriguing situation for the Heat. The Clippers are now expected to part ways with point guard Shaun Livingston, who suffered a horrible knee injury two seasons ago that almost cost him his career. Livingston is currently pushing through rehab, and although he may not be ready for the grind of 82 games this upcoming season, it could be possible that he could contribute while working his way back.
Livingston is currently playing basketball again and is working on his rehab with Tim Grover in Chicago with several other NBA players. According to him, he has garnered interest from 10-12 teams. Perhaps the Miami Heat is one of them, and it would be a perfect risk for the Heat as they look to rebuild. Adding Livingston would be an interesting project and since the Clippers were unable to come to terms on a deal with him, and instead signed Jason Williams, it could be a perfect place for Livingston to start over.
Heat Signs Diawara; Round Out Roster
The Miami Heat announced they signed Paris native Yakhouba Diawara. The 6′7″ guard/forward played the previous two seasons with the Denver Nuggets but was on the Heat’s summer league roster back in 2005. Diawara played collegiately at Pepperdine averaging 15.5 points and 6.0 rebounds.
The most difficult thing to comprehend about this acquisition could be learning how to spell Diawara’s name. After all, he is a pretty good perimeter defender and this is definitely a need for the Heat as they lacked solid perimeter defense virtually all last season. Adding Diawara to the roster with players like Stephane Lasme, James Jones, Bobby Jones really gives you a good sense of where this team is heading. Not to mention, with Kasib Powell and Dorell Wright having been offered contracts, the two of them could still be added to the roster which would give the Heat a lot of options at SF and SG, two positions of noted weakness from the previous season. Yet, make no mistake, Lasme and Powell can both play in this league and Bobby Jones was looking pretty good last season with his brief audition on the Heat.
Diawara seems to be a player in the James Posey mold. A high energy guy with tenacious, tough perimeter defense. He has to fine tune his perimeter shot as he only shot 31% from three point range last season. Still, he was able to get solid minutes and find his way into the Nuggets rotation because of his defense. Working with Keith Askins, who helped mold Bruce Bowen, will certainly help Diawara.
The Heat roster seems to be focused on building a strong defensive core around the offensive games of Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley and Shawn Marion. With Erik Spoelstra on the bench, expect the Heat to have a more up-tempo offense but not without losing the focus on defense, as that is a hallmark of a Riley-coached team and Spoelstra will definitely look to retain that. The Heat were one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA last season – these moves that Riley is making not only are keeping the Heat within their financial goals of staying flexible for the 2010 offseason, but also are helping the Heat re-develop their winning culture with hungry, young players.
Miami Heat Offseason Silent: In Vacanza in Italia
Mi dispiace…mah, sto in Italia in vacanza questi giorni.
At least, I hope I spelled that correctly. Anyway, I am still in Italy these days, winding up the Grand Tour I am on, and with that I have a moment to check on the Heat’s offseason.
Seems I haven’t missed out on too much since I left July 7th. We seemed to have missed out on opportunities to trade for Mike Miller or Ron Artest. We also watched Ricky Davis sign on with the Clippers – but is this going to be the kind of exodus the Heat grow to regret like last season’s exodus of James Posey and Jason Kapono? It seems like there wasn’t much room for Davis anyway, despite his hardwork while with the team. Yet, that deal with Minnesota definitely cost the Heat as they gave up Antoine Walker, Wayne Simien and their first round pick (2009) for Davis and Mark Blount.
Most interestingly, however, are reports that Dwyane Wade is on fire with the Olympic team and that he is approaching the summer in Beijing with a chip on his shoulder. He has something to prove. This is a great sign because the great ones stay great because they are never satisfied. They always stay hungry and lean. Wade is just being Wade, and with his new teammates and looking to make the Heat his team, this could probably be the most promising development of the offseason. Despite drafting Michael Beasley with the #2 selection overall (which in my book is going to go down as a bit of a lucky bounce itself).
So, I will continue enjoying the sunshine, wine and gelato of Italy. I will keep poking around the ancient corridors and ruins while brushing up on my Italian and Latin – snapping photos for my students back home. As for the Heat, they seem to be content with building from within, and this may just be the best approach for a franchise with so much turnover.
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