No surprise here; the favorite to win the FIBA Americas tournament won. Team USA defeated Argentina 118-81 on Sunday to win the Gold medal. The first five minutes of the game was played hard and carried much tension. It wasn't until late in the first quarter did Team USA finally start to pull away. For a short minute, it almost felt like Argentina could win.
The game was fun to watch. We fought the blistering 104° Vegas heat between the parking lot and the Thomas and Mack Center. After Team USA got on a run in the first quarter, it was free and smooth the rest of the way. Luis Scola played well for Argentina, but he was not enough. If Argentina had played their full squad, including Manu Ginobuli, Fabricio Oberto, and Andres Nocioni, the game would have been much closer. Enough to beat this Team USA? Probably not.
LeBron James Dunks During Warmups
LeBron James was the high man for Team USA that day, scoring 31 points, a new record for Team USA in an Olympic qualifier. LeBron went 11 for 15 field goals, with 8 for 11 in three pointers. Watching LeBron perform dunks and making long distance shots during warm-ups gave an early indication that he was ready to win Gold.
LeBron James Shoots a Three for Team USA
Kobe Bryant had a good day passing the ball as he picked up 8 assists in the game. Dwight Howard was once again dominant in the paint, as he went 7 for 7 to go with 4 blocks. Mike Miller entered the game late in the 2nd half and came out firing. Miller, always a fan favorite, was given a thunderous ovation from the crowd when he entered the game.
Team USA wins Gold in FIBA Americas Tournament
The roster that made up this Team USA is definitely better than the previous rosters. The two biggest changes are the addition of Jason Kidd and Kobe Bryant. It became clear that a team full of individual scorers would not be able to win Gold. The move to include pass-first point guards and role players is the best thing the coaching staff could have done. Team USA is now playing team basketball. This is the way to Gold.
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