posted July 30, 2008 at 17:24 in NBA Articles
2008 U.S. Olympic Basketball – Gold or Bust
While the United States Men’s Olympic Basketball are the clear-cut odds-on-favorites for online Olympic betting faithful to win the Olympic Gold Medal in the BetUS Sportsbook in 2008, the fact of the matter is that the U.S. Men’s teams were also expected to roll all over their international competition in each of its last three major international competitions – and limped away with just two bronze medals despite the multitude of predictions that claimed their superiority.
The recent U.S. international basketball history includes the 2004 U.S. Olympic team losing three times on its way to a third place finish after losing just two games total in the previous 14 Olympics combined.
Now, members of the 2008 U.S. team, including four members of the 2004 squad, say that they ready to return the United State to its rightful position as the world’s basketball leader.
"It is redemption," said shooting guard Dwyane Wade, one of the four holdovers from 2004. "That's what it is … a road to redemption. 2004 was a hurt year for a lot of us - not for just the players but for the world. A lot of people were hurt by it. So this is a redemption year. This is to let our fans (know) that we're the best in basketball still."
While Wade is talking a good game, the fact of the matter is that the U.S. has fallen severely behind its international basketball brethren in the ‘team play’ and ‘basic fundamentals’ categories.
While other teams, like defending Gold Medal champion, Argentina, have made excellent use of their team’s unselfishness and ability to make the most fundamental plays look routine, the U.S. has fallen into the ‘Sportscenter’ highlight era, with nearly every U.S. born player trying to make the nightly highlight reel, but lacking the basic fundamentals to make the most simple of plays when most necessary, largely choosing to turn to their respective one-on-one games when all else fails.
This is the exact reason why USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo, the former owner of the Phoenix Suns, decided three years ago that he wanted to put together a team that would be committed to at least three years of playing together.
"I have always been a firm believer that basketball is the ultimate team sport and that the more you play with one another, the better you can become -- and that a good team can beat a group of all-stars," Colangelo said.
The good thing for the U.S. heading into the 2008 Olympics is that there disheartening international experiences of the last four years has seemingly put USA basketball officials on the right track as far as how to go about actually forming a team, not an all-star roster.
Seeing its immense need for consistent outside shooters, the U.S. added Milwaukee Bucks sharpshooter Michael Redd and Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant to the roster. Unlike years past, when the Americans sought to simply outscore their usually overmatched opponents, this year’s team will focus more on defense and rebounding.
"We know defense and rebounding wins championships, whether it's the Olympics or the NBA," Bryant said. "So we're going to put a lot of emphasis on that."
35-year-old point guard Jason Kidd, a veteran of five U.S. teams, including the 2000 Olympic gold medal winner, already knows what the international teams have seemingly taught the U.S. the last several years.
"I think it's just understanding that every time we take the floor, that everybody's watching and that we want to show the world that we can play the game the right way, and play as a team," Kidd said. "I think that's what the international teams have started to understand -- to play as a team and win as a team."
While the U.S. team has plenty of talent on its roster, one thing that concerns me - and should make BetUS Olympic basketball bettors pause and take notice is the fact that the team is severely lacking in height with no seven-footers on the roster and 6-11 center Chris Bosh, actually more suited to play power forward than actually anchoring down the middle.
Spain, expected by many to finish with the Silver Medal, has two seven-footers in Pau and Marc Gasol, while Germany has four seven-footers and another player at 6-11.
The U.S. will open its Olympic campaign on Aug. 10 against a China team that includes three seven-footers in Houston Rockets seven-foot-six inch center Yao Ming and New Jersey Nets seven-foot small forward Yi Jianlian and 7-foot-one former NBA center Wang Zhizhi.
"In order for us to become the best team we can be, we have to treat each team in the same manner," U.S. head coach Mike Krzyzewski said.Here is a look at the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Roster, followed by a look at their Olympic Basketball Odds in the BetUS Sportsbook and my brief analysis on how they will actually fare during the 2008 Summer Olympics.
2008 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team Roster
Carlos Boozer, 6-9 PF – Utah Jazz
Jason Kidd, 6-4 PG – Dallas Mavericks
LeBron James, 6-8 F – Cleveland Cavaliers
Deron Williams, 6-3 PG – Utah Jazz
Michael Redd, 6-6 SG – Milwaukee Bucks
Dwyane Wade, 6-4 SG – Miami Heat
Kobe Bryant, 6-6 SG – Los Angeles Lakers
Dwight Howard, 6-11 F/C – Orlando Magic
Chris Bosh, 6-11 F/C – Toronto Raptors
Chris Paul, 6-0 PG – New Orleans Hornets
Tayshaun Prince, 6-9 SF – Detroit Pistons
Carmelo Anthony, 6-8 SF – Denver Nuggets
Head Coach – Mike Krzyewski – Duke University
Assistant Coach – Jim Boeheim – Syracuse University
Assistant Coach – Nate McMillan – Portland Trailblazers
Assistant Coach – Mike D’Antoni – New York Knicks
Odds to win Olympic Gold Medal in BetUS Sportsbook
-325 to win Gold Medal
Analysis: While I like the U.S. to ultimately win the Gold Medal, I don’t think this team will cakewalk all over their international competition as those days are now long gone with the improved level of international players covering the globe.
The reasons I believe the Americans will win the Gold Medal in the end, are tri-fold. First off, head coach Mike Krzyewski commands respect and will likely make all the right moves on the bench during the course of the competition. Unselfish players like Jason Kidd, Tayshaun and LeBron James will also do whatever it takes to help this team win while not seeking too much personal glory and finally, the U.S. has at least three flat-out scorers on the roster that can shoot with any player on the face of the planet in Bryant, Redd and Anthony. It may not be easy, but the U.S will get the job done and take home the Gold Medal to American soil.
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