Archive for the ‘Team USA’ Category

US handles Croatia in opening game

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Posted 28 Aug 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category NBA, Team USA

(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Eric Gordon made four 3-pointers and had 16 points to lead the Americans, who turned a close game into a blowout by limiting the Croatians to six points in the second quarter.

Kevin Durant scored 14 points and got the United States started on a dominant second-quarter stretch in a 106-78 victory over Croatia in its opening game of the tournament.

The Americans scored the first seven points of the game, but Croatia settled down and executed its offense well in the halfcourt to get open looks under the basket. The Croatians grabbed a 19-18 lead on Marko Banic’s follow shot with 1:42 left in the first quarter and trailed just 22-20 heading to the second.
But the U.S. quickly blew it open in the second. Durant’s three-point play started a 12-0 run that pushed the lead to 14, and consecutive 3-pointers by Gordon and another by Rudy Gay extended it to 47-26 with 1:48 to go in the half.

The Americans scored the first seven points of the game, but Croatia settled down and executed its offense well in the halfcourt to get open looks under the basket. The Croatians grabbed a 19-18 lead on Marko Banic’s follow shot with 1:42 left in the first quarter and trailed just 22-20 heading to the second.
But the U.S. quickly blew it open in the second. Durant’s three-point play started a 12-0 run that pushed the lead to 14, and consecutive 3-pointers by Gordon and another by Rudy Gay extended it to 47-26 with 1:48 to go in the half.

Gay and Russell Westbrook both scored 10 points for the Americans, who shot 55 percent from the field and were only outrebounded 41-39 despite using a small lineup with 6-foot-10 Lamar Odom as the starting center. Reserve Kevin Love grabbed 10 rebounds in just 13 minutes.

The U.S. faces Slovenia on Sunday followed by a game against Brazil on Monday.

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US routs Greece in final exhibition

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Posted 25 Aug 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

United States defeated Greece 87-59 on Wednesday in their final tuneup before the world championships.Unlike the close call with Spain, the Americans were never threatened. Greece, one of the favorites going into the Worlds, was determined to show little against a potential medal foe. The Greeks rested several top players, including “Baby Shaq,” Sofoklis Schortsanitis.

Derrick Rose ran the team seamlessly making his first five shots, scoring 13 points and was named Player of the Game. Eric Gordon led the team with 18 points.

Their quickness on defense resulted in 24 turnovers, helping the U.S. build a 42-32 lead by halftime. The U.S. then went on a 28-12 run in the third quarter to put the game away.

Forward Costas Tsartsaris scored 17 of his team-high 24 points in the first half for Greece, which was playing less than a week after a bench-clearing brawl in a game against Serbia.

ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla suggested, not so subtly, that the American team was better off without Celtics guard Rajon Rondo. USA Basketball announced Tuesday that Rondo was withdrawing to attend to personal business.

The world championships begin Saturday in Turkey.

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US holds off Spain in 2nd exhibition game

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Posted 22 Aug 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

AFP PHOTO / DANI POZO

Team USA holds off Spain 86-85. The United States came out much better in their second “friendly” before the World Championships start next week.

Kevin Durant was awarded the Global Community Cup player of the game. He finished with 25 points, and 10 boards. Durant blocked shots by Ricky Rubio and Rudy Fernandez after Derrick Rose put the Americans ahead with two free throws.

The United States rallied after Spain — 13 points behind after three quarters — took a one-point lead on Juan Carlos Navarro’s three-point play with 27 seconds left.

Navarro scored 20 points in the first game between the teams since the Americans won the 2008 Olympic final. It was the first loss in nine games for Spain, the defending world champion. The World Championship begins Saturday in Turkey.

Up next for Team USA

• Aug. 25: USA vs. Greec

Athens, Greece; Noon ET, ESPN2, ESPN3.com

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US beats Lithuania in 2nd friendly!

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Posted 21 Aug 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

Russell Westbrook was named Player of the Game after finishing with 12 points and five rebounds. Rudy Gay had 14 points and five rebounds as the United States overcame a poor shooting start and early nerves to beat Lithuania 77-61 in a basketball world championship warmup match on Saturday.

Three-of-21 shooting and six turnovers left the U.S. trailing 15-7 after the first period.

But it regained its composure and hung in with its equally poor-shooting opponent until a Lithuania technical followed by a flagrant foul by Mantas Kalnietis allowed the Americans to lead for good at 54-49 near the end of the third period. It was part of a 17-0 run, with Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon leading the attack.

Kevin Durant led the U.S. with 15 points while Linas Kleiza’s 12 points led Lithuania, which hit 25-of-62 shots to the U.S.’ 27-of-58 shooting.

American team’s nerves showed early under Lithuania pressure, and it took Rudy Gay’s entry to spark the U.S. But it was Westbrook’s and Gordon’s leading the USA on a 24-2 run in the third quarter that gave the U.S. a winning cushion.

Gordon knocked down all four three throws after the flagrant call and followed up a Westbrook dunk from a steal with his own lay-in as the U.S. went into the fourth period full of momentum and ready to run the fast-break. Lithuania didn’t hit a shot for five minutes in that time.

Next Game:
Sunday, Aug. 22: USA vs. Spain
Madrid, Spain; 3 p.m. ET, ESPN3.com
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Nice Kicks: For The Love of The Game(Video)

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Posted 19 Aug 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category NBA, Sneakers, Team USA

Last week Nike, Jordan Brand, and Converse joined forces to celebrate the game of basketball and the culture that surrounds the sport in New York City. Hear from NBA elite, world class USAB players and coaches, and the greatest of all time on what the love of the game means to them in this amazing documentary by Nice Kicks.

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USA beats France in first exhibition game

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Posted 15 Aug 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images

On Sunday the United States beat France 86-55 on Sunday in its only home exhibition before the world championships. France was without Tony Parker, Ronny Turiaf, and Joakim Noah, who were ALL in attendance at Madison Square Garden.

The Americans trimmed their roster to 13 earlier Sunday when they cut Jeff Green and JaVale McGee(shucks). They final cut will come sometime in Europe, perhaps not until they have completed their exhibition schedule. After watching Russell Westbrook keep the bench warm throughout the first three quarters, it looks as though he could be next.

The thought of losing all his OKC Thunder teammates must have been weighing on Durant early as he missed his first five shots but finally got a pair of dunks midway through the second period. Durant finished with 14 points and eight rebounds for the Americans, who open the world championships on Aug. 28 against Croatia.

Player of the Game was Chauncey Billups who scored 17 points, nine in an early third-quarter flurry that broke open the game. Also Rondo did his patented move:

Here’s Team USA’s remaining schedule of exhibitions leading up to the 2010 FIBA men’s basketball championship slated for Aug. 28-Sept. 12 in Istanbul, Turkey:

• Aug. 21: USA vs. Lithuania, Madrid, Spain, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN3.com

• Aug. 22: USA vs. Spain, Madrid, Spain, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN3.com

• Aug. 25: USA vs. Greece, Athens, Greece, Noon ET, ESPN2, ESPN3.com

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World Basketball Festival: USA Showcase

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Posted 12 Aug 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

Today we got the third look at the newest edition of USA Basketball during the tip-off of the World Basketball Festival, live from Radio City Music Hall. The teams narrowed down went Blue Vs. White again. The showcase had a different look to it because it was in a theater, which made the court appear smaller and raised higher then normal.

Andre Iguodala was named Player of the Game but the game ball goes to Tyson Chandler for camping out under the rim in “SUDDEN-DEATH OVERTIME” and catching the lob from Rajan Rondo giving the Blue team the win 49-47.

The World Basketball Festival will continue with events at Rucker Park in Harlem on Friday and will conclude with a double-header at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon, with the U.S. taking on France at 1 p.m. ET (ESPN2) and China playing Puerto Rico at 3:30 p.m. ET (NBA TV).

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Team USA trims roster to 15

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Posted 28 Jul 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

Following four days of training and an intra-squad exhibition game that were held July 19-24 in Las Vegas, Nev., USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo today announced that 15 players had been selected as finalists for the 2010 USA World Championship Team.

Named as finalists for the USA World Championship Team were Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets); Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder);Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (Los Angeles Clippers); Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers); Jeff Green (Oklahoma City Thunder); Andre Iguodala(Philadelphia 76ers); Brook Lopez (New Jersey Nets);Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Lamar Odom(Los Angeles Lakers); Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics);Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); and Russell Westbrook(Oklahoma City Thunder).

Tyreke Evans, Gerald Wallace, O.J. Mayo and JaVale McGee, where the players cut from the roster.

Continue reading “Team USA trims roster to 15” »

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USA Basketball Blue-White Game Recap

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Posted 24 Jul 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

Kevin Durant played like a man amongst boys scoring 28 points and leading the White squad to victory over the Blue squad in the USA Basketball Showcase in Las Vegas. Durant also had 7 turnovers.

Rudy Gay led the Blue squad in scoring with 23 points, and just like Durant had 7 turnovers.

The entire White squad minus Gerald Wallace, and Danny Granger should all be on the roster heading to Turkey for the World’s Championships. That leaves Durant, Curry, Rose, Gordon, Iguodala, Odom and even Tyson Chandler all on the roster from the White squad.

The eight remaining players should be both Grizzlies, Rudy Gay, and OJ Mayo, Rondo, Westbrook, Brook Lopez, Kevin Love, and with all the hope I can muster JaVale McGee.

JaVale McGee played the least amount of time (9:24) but scored more points,(7) and pull down more boards(3) then Brook Lopez who had 2 points, 2 fouls, and a turnover in 13 minutes.

August 15
USA National Team vs. France
Madison Square Garden, NY
Tickets

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USA National Team Begin Camp

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Posted 21 Jul 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Team USA

The USA National Team begin practice yesterday as coach Mike Krzyzewski tries to whittle down the team to the 12-player roster that will compete in the World Championship in Turkey from Aug. 28 to Sept. 12. Many of the players that played in the 08′ Olympics are gone. Lots of new faces, and plenty of guards.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Participating in the July 19-24 USA National Team Training Camp in Las Vegas: Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Gerald Wallace, Tyreke Evans, Chauncey Billups, Stephen Curry, Jeff Green, Lamar Odom, Kevin Durant, David Lee, Brook and Robin Lopez, Rudy Gay, Eric Gordon, and for some reason Tyson Chandler.

Coach K talks to the media:

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July 24 @ 7:00 p.m. (PDT)
USA Basketball Showcase
Las Vegas, Nev.

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