Team USA - Tourney of the America's

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Well, they've won their 1st game fairly convincingly. Here's the details -

Anthony, Bryant help U.S. roll to 112-69 victory over Venezuela in FIBA Americas opener

By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer
August 23, 2007

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- With Kobe Bryant joining LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony in the starting lineup, the Americans figured to look impressive in the opener of the Olympic qualifying tournament.

And they did -- eventually.

Anthony scored 17 points, Bryant added 14, and the United States rolled to a 112-69 victory over Venezuela on Wednesday night in the FIBA Americas tournament.

The Americans were dominant for the final three quarters after scoring only 21 points in the first. Bryant, the NBA scoring champion the last two seasons, didn't even score in the opening period.

"We can still improve," James said. "We know we didn't do as well as we could on the offensive end, even though we scored a lot of points, but we're going to get better."

They were still pretty good. The Americans quickly overcame their sluggish start and shot 55 percent from the field while putting seven players in double figures.

"I think tonight we really wanted to be aggressive from the get," Anthony said. "That was real important. I think tonight that was our main goal, to go out there and dominate. Not try to embarrass, but dominate, and I think we did a good job at that."

Michael Redd also had 17 points, Amare Stoudemire scored 16 and Dwight Howard 12 for the Americans, who improved to 27-0 in the regional Olympic qualifier. The Americans face the U.S. Virgin Islands in the final game Thursday night.

"The tournament's going to get a lot harder than we had tonight, but as a team I think we played well," James said. "We shared the ball well. We did everything that we needed to do to win a basketball game."

Bryant was making his long-awaited international debut, while Anthony was the leading American scorer last year at the world championships. They needed a little more than a quarter to show they could be a formidable duo.

Jason Kidd and Howard started along with James, Bryant and Anthony, the three starters coach Mike Krzyzewski had already named. All 12 players saw action in the first quarter, which ended with the Americans up 21-8 after some shaky shooting.

Anthony had only four points in the opening period, but he and Bryant didn't stay quiet for long. Both scored seven points in a 16-6 spurt early in the second quarter that broke open the game and extended the lead to 39-16 on Bryant's 3-pointer with 5:23 left in the first half.

Both players were involved in the highlight play of the game. Kidd leaped to keep a high pass from going out of bounds along the sideline, quickly tossing it back to Anthony. He fired it to a cutting James, who passed behind his back to Bryant for a dunk, drawing a roar from what was otherwise a fairly quiet crowd in a Thomas & Mack Center that appeared less than half full.

"Incredible play," Bryant said. "The public now has a chance to see what's been going on behind closed doors, some of the amazing plays that guys are making."

The Americans led 54-34 at halftime, and the advantage ballooned into the 30s after the starters outscored Venezuela 14-2 to open the third quarter. James' steal and breakaway dunk made it 68-36.

Greivis Vasquez scored 12 points for Venezuela, which will face Canada on Thursday.

The Americans were forced to play in the qualifier after failing to win the world championships last year. They returned this year with a stronger roster, particularly in the backcourt, where Chauncey Billups and Redd joined Bryant and Kidd.

All the U.S. problems haven't gone away, though. The Americans missed seven of their first nine 3-point attempts and were only 20-for-29 from the free throw line, two of their biggest weaknesses in recent years.

Those may not matter much over the next 11 days. The United States has hardly been challenged in three previous appearances, with only one game being decided by single digits, and isn't expected to have any trouble earning one of the tournament's two spots for the 2008 Olympics.

James scored 11 points and Mike Miller, who limped off the floor after committing an offensive foul in the closing minutes, had 10 for the Americans. Kidd, who didn't attempt a shot in 15 minutes, and rebounding and shot blocking specialist Tyson Chandler were the only players not to score.

With games against Virgin Islands, Canada & Brazil, they should qualify in their group, and progress. The most interesting game should be the Brazil game, but the depth of Team USA should be too much, despite Barbosa & Nene.
 
it's really ironic..

it's been melo's USA team for a couple of years, he would perform very well and usually lead in scoring.. Coach Mike K. must like him...

LOL

thanks for sharing, but win against Venezuela is not everything though. They gotta be tough and well-prepared...
 
If anyone can find that play in the article, please post it here!

Wonder why Chandler was an option rather than Camby?
 
If I am not mistaken, Camby said he wanted to spend sometime with his family in off-season and even thinking of moving out of Denver??

I think that was mentioned when Denver exited from play-offs this year.,
 
Good point, I think Camby's an awesome player, Def POY, don't see that next to Chandler's name!

Camby is 8 years older than Chandler and it took him 10 years to win DPOY...Give the guy a go, CHandler was awesome last year for New Orleans, and i think he will win a DPOY before to long and a rebounding title or 2
 
If anyone can find that play in the article, please post it here!

Wonder why Chandler was an option rather than Camby?

I know it's too late now, but I did seee a replay of that play on either the news or Sports Tonight a few days ago, a day or 2 after the actual game.

Took me a while to realise that it was from the game a few days earlier.
 
USA's looking sharp, the real test will be against Argentina, but they played superbly against Brazil and Puerto Rico, two of the better teams.

6-0 record so far, and honestly, with Lebron, Carmelo and Kobe starting every game and being SO unselfish, there is no way you can't win, unless Dwight, Tyson and Amare all die.
 
Just watching USA V Mexico.

What a joke...

23 - 45 in the 1st QTR About 20 dunks (no exageration either!).

The Center Llanas or something or other for Mexico is an absolute POTATO!

Melo Anthony is just RIPPING them apart, 6/6 FG 15 points, and I think 4 dunks?

Kidd is just showing why he's THE Floor General everyone says he is!

Just waiting for the Brazil V USA game to finish, and then I can see how well/bad Barbosa's team went.
 
Just watching USA V Mexico.

What a joke...

Just waiting for the Brazil V USA game to finish, and then I can see how well/bad Barbosa's team went.

Once again Team USA wins, convincingly against Venezuela.

Now they're easily into the semi-finals, who will they face? Brazil, Argentina?

Can't wait to see a rematch against Brazil or the matchup against a strong Argentina squad who just beat Brazil in overtime (great showing by the Brazillians against the reigning Olympic gold medallists.)
 
Good job by USA beating Argentina convincingly by 15, 91-76 today. They led by up to 25 points, although Argentina were missing key players.

Good start though definately in this tournament (8-0) which should translate next year.
 
u mean u.s.a might actually be a decent team this year, n they aint seen nothin yet, wait till wade joins


Where is it that Wade is joining Team USA?

The Team is set, he's not coming along.

They only just won against Argentina. And without Melo. I'm sure they'd be stronger with him, but Lebron took over. Wasnt he 26 points in first half (finished with that 21). Shooting 11/11 with 4/4 triples?
 
Did anybody catch MELO's Dunk TODAY! WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Huge!
 
Where is it that Wade is joining Team USA?

The Team is set, he's not coming along.

The roster is not yet confirmed for the Olympics (although I doubt there'd be more than 3 changes made).

As for the US, yes it has gone some way to improving, but from what I've been reading they still have trouble defending the pick-n-roll, playing team defence & knocking down jumpers. Any Olympic game where they struggle in these areas, they will be staring at defeat.

But on the plus side, they realise their short-comings, and are trying to get better in these areas, and the fact that the core of the group have now been playing international basketball with each other for 2-3 years stands them in good stead (as guys like LBJ, Melo, Wade, Dwight, Durant, Bosh are gonna be around for another 10yrs).
 
I think the big news sounds like Kobe's defense! Aparently he has been dominating the oppositions star player on the defensive end. Maybe this US outing will improve Kobe's game is that is even possible. Defensive player of the year anyone?
 
Where is it that Wade is joining Team USA?

The Team is set, he's not coming along.

They only just won against Argentina. And without Melo. I'm sure they'd be stronger with him, but Lebron took over. Wasnt he 26 points in first half (finished with that 21). Shooting 11/11 with 4/4 triples?

I'm pretty sure Wade is on the squad, and he'd no doubt be on the team if he wasn't injured.

If you remember, Wade, Carmelo and Lebron are the tri-captains for the whole mens USA Senior Basketball Program.

When he gets back on his feet and is playing he'll be back on the squad, and the same goes for my boy Chris Bosh.
 
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