| US-Spain Preview |
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| Written by Ben Weixlmann | |
| Saturday, 23 August 2008 | |
 Here’s some things to look for: a fast-paced game with talented guard play, solid inside play, and phenomenal coaching. From the Americans, I think it will be the same ol’ thing, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Kobe Bryant showing why they are the three best players in the world. To be honest, I have really been surprised and delighted with the play of Chris Bosh. Coming into the Olympics, I thought Dwight Howard would be unstoppable, but he has struggled against the competition save for the game against Germany. Bosh, on the other hand, has been one of the most consistent players on the whole squad. James will continue his ever-present ability to body up against smaller opponents going to the rim, as well as showing off an improved jumper. What more can be said about the way Dwayne “Flash” Wade has played in these Olympic Games. Flash has diced through the lane scoring in a variety of ways for the US. Bryant is slowly but surely finding his form, even though it still isn’t there quite yet. Sure, he went 2-for-9 from distance in the win over Argentina, but his 25-point performance against Australia has to count for something, right? Don’t disregard the Spaniards, though. There is some legitimate NBA talent on this roster, and I’m not talking about Pau Gasol. His brother, for one, is a wide-body who can create fits for opposing big men. He also has a soft touch from about 12 feet, so Bosh and Howard will have to come out to respect his mid-range game. The guards, though, are where Spain really can keep the US in check. They didn’t do a good job of it in the pool play game, but if Spain takes care of the ball, they can use the ball handling and outside shooting to their advantage. Although star point guard Jose Calderon is nursing an injury, Rudy Fernandez and Juan Carlos Navarro are formidable options. Not to mention, Spain has sensational young star Ricky Rubio, who fills out the backcourt quite nicely. I know it sounds obvious, but Pau Gasol is the player to watch out for from this Spanish squad. Everyone in the US saw what he could do last year for the Los Angeles Lakers, and there is surely more from where that came from. If Gasol can have a big game, watch for the score to stay close long enough to make the American audience uncomfortable. My Prediction: 87-72, US wins gold behind 15 points from James and Wade, with Bosh adding 11 and 8 rebounds.         Set as favorite Bookmark Comments
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