Archive for the ‘Team USA’ Category

U.S. gets another gold!

1 Comment
Posted 12 Sep 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images

The United States won its first world championship since 1994 on Sunday, beating Turkey 81-64 behind another sensational performance from tournament MVP Kevin Durant.

Once again Team USA relied heavily on their defensive dominance and Durant’s unstoppable scoring. Durant had 28 points, setting a record along the way for most in the tournament by a U.S. player. He left the court with 42 seconds left and shared a long hug with coach Mike Krzyzewski, who finally won the world title after his previous two attempts ended with bronze medals. Durant scored 20 in the first half.

Lamar Odom added 15 points and 11 boards. Rudy Gay, and Andre Iguodala were both essential defensively in todays game and throughout the tournament.

The U.S. victory put a disappointing end on an important day for Turks, who approved sweeping changes to their constitution in a referendum vote, which the government hailed as a leap toward full democracy.

President Barack Obama called Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan before the game, congratulating him on the success of the tournament and Turkey’s team while acknowledging “the vibrancy of Turkey’s democracy as reflected in the turnout for the referendum.”

But the team, serenaded throughout by fans singing “12 Giant Men,” its theme song since its runner-up finish while hosting the 2001 European championship, fell short of becoming the fourth host to win the world championship and first since Yugoslavia in 1970.

Team USA now awaits the 2012 London Olympics, where members of the 2010 Olympics look to return to the roster. Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, and Chris Paul just to name a few, will all want consideration for 2012. Kevin Durant has locked in his roster spot, but other members of the “B” squad could be missing out on Olympic gold.

Tags: , , ,

YouTube Sunday!(How to Draw Kevin Durant)

2 Comments
Posted 12 Sep 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category NBA, Team USA, YouTube

Derrick Rose – Team USA Mix *NEW 2010*

How to draw Kevin Durant!

Part 2:

Tags: , , , ,

U.S. heads to finals after blowing past Lithuania

1 Comment
Posted 11 Sep 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images)

Kevin Durant scored 17 points in the first quarter finishing with a U.S.-record 38 points Saturday in an 89-74 victory over Lithuania.

Lamar Odom added 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Andre Iguodala led the defensive effort that took Lithuania star Linas Kleizaright out of the game.

“They did a great job on our leader, Linas Kleiza. We couldn’t find a solution on their star Kevin Durant,” Lithuania coach Kestutis Kemzura said. “He was unstoppable today.”

Lithuania led by two midway through the first quarter before Durant and Russell Westborook seized the game. Durant and Westbrook combined for nine straight points, extending the lead to 42-25. The U.S. took a 15-point advantage into the half

The Americans extended the lead to 19 in the third quarter, and though Lithuania kept making little runs, could never get within single digits. Durant finished 14 of 25 from the field, adding nine rebounds in 38 minutes before taking a seat with 44 seconds remaining.

Now the Americans have a chance at gold, and an automatic berth into the 2012 Olympics. They will play Sunday against Turkey, which beat Serbia 83-82 in the other semifinal.

Tags: , , ,

U.S. heads to semis after edging Russia

1 Comment
Posted 09 Sep 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

FIBA/T. Wiedensohler

Durant scored 33 points to lead the United States to an 89-79 victory that moved it within two wins of its first world basketball championship since 1994.

Chauncey Billups scored 15 points and Russell Westbrook finished with 12, including seven in a row for the Americans when their athleticism finally turned away a Russian team that had the pace to its liking for the first half.

The victory came on the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s win over the Americans for the 1972 Olympic gold medal, a game with an ending so controversial the U.S. players refused to accept their silver medals.

The U.S. and Russia have met many times since 1972, including a U.S. victory 16 years ago in Toronto that gave the Americans their last world championship. And there isn’t much of a rivalry anymore between the nations—the NBA even opened an office in Moscow on Thursday.
But the memory hasn’t faded of the clash in Munich, where the Soviets were given a third chance after the Americans stopped them twice in the final 3 seconds, and they eventually scored on the second do-over for a 51-50 victory— the Americans’ first Olympic loss after 63 victories.

The U.S. will play Lithuania in the semi-finals.

Tags: , ,

U.S. knocks out Angola

1 Comment
Posted 06 Sep 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

AFP PHOTO / ARIS MESSINIS

Chauncey Billups scored 19 points, Kevin Durant had 17, and the United States powered into the quarterfinals of the world championship with a 121-66 victory over Angola on Monday.

The U.S. won the opening tip for the first time in Istanbul and scored the first five points. Billups and Durant nailed consecutive 3-pointers to cap a 10-0 spurt and make it 22-7, and the Americans led 33-13 after one.

With Durant scoring 17 and Billups 16 in the first half, the Americans saved their most impressive performance in Istanbul for the knockout round, overwhelming the Angolans from the start after a couple of lackluster performances to close the group stage.

The lead ballooned to 29 late in the second quarter. Durant shot 7 of 10 in the half and Billups was 4 of 6, all from behind the arc, and Durant’s 3-pointer with 7 seconds left sent the Americans to the half with a 65-33 advantage.
Derrick Rose made two straight 3-pointers and Billups added another to start the U.S. scoring in the third quarter, and the lead grew to 37 late in the period. The Americans were 6 of 9 behind the arc in the period, which ended with them leading 91-56.

Eric Gordon and Rudy Gay also scored 17 for the Americans, who will face either Russia or New Zealand on Thursday night. Gordon was 5 of 6 behind the arc.

In case you missed the Dream Team playing Angola back in 92′, enjoy the video below:

Tags: , ,

Team U.S.A. still undefeated

1 Comment
Posted 02 Sep 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook each scored 14 points, Stephen Curry had 13 and Eric Gordon lead all scores with 21 points as the United States pulled away from Tunisia after sleepwalking through the first half, winning 92-57 on Thursday in its final game of pool play at the world championship.

The Americans misfired on nine of 10 3-point attempts in the first half, playing a little uninterested. Clearly taking advantage of the Americans’ lack of interest, Tunisia hustled to keep possessions alive, even ripping a couple of balls out of U.S. players’ hands. But those extra possessions usually ended in missed shots, as Tunisia hit 28 percent after entering the game at 36 percent for the tournament, second worst in the 24-team field.

The Americans finally broke it open midway through the third quarter. An 8-2 burst turned an eight-point lead into a 55-41 advantage. Gordon and Curry made consecutive 3-pointers in an 8-0 spurt that extended it to 63-44 in the final minute of the period.

The U.S. (5-0), seeded first in Group B, next plays on Monday against Angola, the No. 4 seed from Group A.

Tags: , ,

The Other Dream Team-Lithuania’92(video)

No Comments
Posted 02 Sep 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

The trailer for the documentary “The Other Dream Team” the story of the 92′ Lithuania olympic basketball team has been updated and made a little longer than the one that came out in February. The story covers the 92′ Olympics and the Lithuania matchup against their former occupiers the Soviet Union. After over 50 years of Soviet rule, the country of Lithuania is free and with some help from Don Nelson, and the Grateful Dead they face off against the Soviet Union for the bronze medal.

Tags: , ,

U.S. 4-0 after beating Iran

1 Comment
Posted 01 Sep 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The U.S. got off to a slow start early against Iran, but pulled things together winning 88-51, to go undefeated in the preliminary round.

Kevin Durant finished with 12 points, and Kevin Love got an ample amount of playing time finishing with 13 points, and 6 rebounds.

After squeaking by Brazil with a two point win, Iran put up much less of a fight.  The U.S. lead 43-28 at the half, forcing the Iranians into 24 turnovers. U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski went to the bench early in this one, with the Americans shooting 58 percent and scoring 23 points off turnovers in the easy victory.

The U.S. will meet the fourth-place team from Group A in the round of 16, on Monday.

Tags: , , , ,

US edges past Brazil to go 3-0 at Worlds

No Comments
Posted 30 Aug 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category NBA, Team USA

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The Americans faced their toughest competition to date, barely pulling off a two point win against Brazil, 70 to 68.

Kevin Durant once again was the saving grace finishing with 27 points, 10 boards, and three steals. Durant also had 8 turnovers, mostly do to “international travel” calls.

Brazil came out fired up, making basket after basket leading to a three point lead at halftime 46-43. M Vieira of Brazil went 4 of 5 from deep for 14 points. Leandro Barbosa also had 14 points but shot 3 of 13 from deep,-ouch.

The US has followed the same course of sloppy play and lackluster defense in the first half, then turning it all on late. Brazil went ice cold in the second half, missing two chances to tie it in the final seconds.

Brazil was without two of there NBA stars, Nene’, and Anderson Varejao.

The Americans didn’t take the lead for good until 7:14 remained. Chauncey Billups added 15 points. The US is now 3-0.

Next game for the US is Wednesday against Iran 12pm (ET)

Tags: , , ,

US 2-0, after trouncing Slovenia

No Comments
Posted 29 Aug 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category NBA, Team USA

USA showed off their talent in depth once again on Sunday when they cleared their bench in a 99-77 victory over Slovenia at the world basketball championships.

Kevin Durant scored 22 points, Love added 10 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

Like their Saturday opener, USA turned it on for the crowd in the final quarter as four of their players went on to join Durant in double figures.

Rudy Gay finished with 16 points for the Americans (2-0), while Russell Westbrook and Andre Iguodala each had 11. Durant shot 8 of 13 before sitting out the fourth quarter.

With the Americans shutting out Slovenia’s main scoring option Goran Dragic (seven points), Slovenia struggled early to find another shooting option as the US raced out to a 32-11 lead by the end of the opening quarter.

The Americans made eight of their first 11 shots from the field and led 23-11 after one quarter, then suddenly went cold in the second.

Kevin Durant is the go-to-guy and he played like one today, leading the US to a 42-28 lead into half-time.

It was a lead they would only further extend in the third quarter, even when USA coach Mike Krzyzewski was forced to his bench with Lamar Odom and Andre Iguodala entering foul trouble, both becoming frustrated by the physicality of the Slovenians.

But unlike Croatia who folded 106-78 to the US on Saturday, Slovenia matched the US tempo, pouring on 31 points to America’s final quarter 32.

USA will again be on court on Monday when they meet fellow Group B heavyweights Brazil.

Tags: , ,
← Previous Entries