Editor’s Note: If you missed the game, click here for a full schedule of games.
Here are a few things I noticed about the USA vs. Venezuela game :
1. The Leaders
There has been much debate about who are the leader(s) of this team. I’ve figured out who are. Jason Kidd is the vocal leader, while Kobe Bryant is the leads through his examples. Bryant has asked from Coach K, to guard the opposing teams best player every game, for the whole game. If that’s not leading by example, I don’t know what it is.
2. Unselfishness
Team USA played with the kind of unselfishness that coaches can only dream of. On one possesion, Kidd saved the ball from going out of bounds, to Carmelo who passed it Lebron, who had an easy dunk, who therefore passed it to Kobe. It must have been replayed at least 4 times.
3. Dwight Howard’s Tenasity
I agree with Mike Krzyzewski in starting Dwight Howard. Howard came in and ABSOLUTELY snatched every rebound that came his way, and a whole lot more that didn’t. Stoudemire is a better offensive player, but you don’t need a dymanic big man when you have Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, AND Kobe Bryant on the same team.
4. Kobe Bryant’s Defense
Kobe showed that he is still a premier defender in the basketball world. He guarded the opposing teams best player, Greivis Vasquez, throughout the game and he even had a DVD of Vasquez before the game. This doesn’t mean he didn’t contribute big time. Try, 14 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and a blocked shot. This isn’t the main reason why Kobe is important to Team USA. The reason is his killer instinct, and the fear he causes among opponents. During the Dream Team year, Michael Jordan put the fear of God into opponents. Last year, Dwyane Wade couldn’t do that. Kobe can.
5. Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony has many scoring titles waiting for him. He just needs for Kobe to get out of the league of for Kobe to get some better teammates and then it’s going to be Carmelo’s show. The reason I say this is because of Melo’s versatitly. Scoring in the paint, back to the basket game, cutting, off the dribble, offensive rebounding, Anthony can do it all. He’s the only player in the league with that kind of versatitly (Bryant excluded).
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