Redeem Team gets revenge, defeats Greece
Greece beat Team USA two years ago in the World Championships, forcing the U.S. to settle for a bronze medal. It might have been a blessing in disguise for the Americans since it required them to play in the summer of 2007 to qualify for the Bejing Olympics. That extra work is paying dividends as Team USA’s collection of (mostly) All-Stars is starting to play better together, especially on the defensive end. Team defense is what has gotten them through the preliminary games, and it’s what allowed them to upend Greece, 92-69.
The Americans have started 3-0 in pool play without an effective long-range game. They have shot just 19 of 65 (29%) from behind the arc, which is something that has plagued the U.S. for some time. Coach K has elected not to use three-point specialist Michael Redd all that much, probably because his team is getting by without him. They continue to see a lot of zone, however, and as the competition gets tougher, they might need Redd’s shooting to open up things inside.
The team faces its toughest test of pool play when it faces unbeaten Spain at 10 AM (ET) on Saturday.
On a side note, one thing that struck me as odd as I was watching ESPN’s series “Road to Redemption” was just how much of a leadership role LeBron James has taken. Apparently, he’s constant talking, coaching and cracking jokes. But other than his tremendous talent, I just don’t see how LeBron qualifies as a leader of this particular team. He’s just 23 and hasn’t been around great coaching other than his summers with Team USA.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s one of the world’s best and is already basketball’s most athletic player, but he doesn’t strike me as a particularly heady guy. His shot selection is suspect, he gets out of position when he’s on the ball defensively and, other than a big jump in FG% from his rookie to his second season, he has failed to drastically improve any other part of his game. His 3PT% still hovers around 32% and his FT% has actually decreased from 75% his rookie season to 71% last year. Moreover, he has failed to recognize that by developing a good post game, he could literally dominate on the block. Where is that turnaround that made MJ so hard to guard? Where is the up-and-under?
Given his athletic ability, it seems like LeBron could be so much more. And for that reason, I’m not sure why anyone on Team USA would be spending a lot of time worrying about what he has to say.
Wow – tough critique of LeBron
Couple of things – one, LeBron has always viewed himself as a leader, and he pushes his teammates. Compared to Kobe, he’s light years ahead. Kobe embarassed himself during the finals this year with the way he treated his teammates.
Yes, LeBron needs to keep improving his game, but there are other stats you didn’t mention. Last year he was the third player in NBA history to avergage 30 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists per game in a single season. Only Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson achieved those numbers.
He a terrific passer who always tries to involve his teammates, so none of this is a surprise to me. His deficiencies are due more to age and as you mentioned the lack of great coaching, but he always embraces the leadership role.
Point taken on LeBron’s leadership style versus Kobe’s, but I don’t think that Kobe is a great leader either. However, I think he’s a harder worker than LeBron is, and in that way he leads by example. Kobe has MJ’s work ethic, but he can’t hold a candle to Jordan’s interpersonal on-court style, which was gruff yet supportive.
It’s true that LeBron averaged 30/7/7 this season, but he averaged 27/7/7 four seasons ago. He can probably push his scoring higher if he wanted to, but I don’t believe he’s that selfish. My eyes continue to be drawn to those 3PT and FT percentages – those are numbers that can be raised by practice, and they haven’t moved (upward) in five seasons. I’m also befuddled by his reluctance to play on the block. I just don’t think he’s ever been comfortable playing with his back to the basket, and with his strength and passing skills, he’d be a terror down there.
Anyway, I wasn’t saying he wasn’t a great player. I just don’t think that, at 23, he has any business jibber-jabbering/coaching at a Team USA practice.
I hear you, and believe me, as a Cavs fan I’m frustrated as hell by his free-throw shooting, his ill-advised three-point shots and his lack of a post-up game. I’m convinced that Mike Brown is a defensive genius and a complete moron when coaching the offense. It’s frankly a joke that he won’t post up Lebron.
I’m also more used to seeing LeBron run his mouth as an on-court coach. It’s just his style.
Fair enough. I think we’d both agree that if he put that much energy into his free throw shooting, he’d be hitting about 98% by now.
I’m not around much basketball, but I do have an interest in psychology – so here’s the question.
I think one of the toughest tasks in coaching is dealing with people who possess superior natural ability. It’s hard to convince a person who’s always been so strong and fast they didn’t have to work at it to actually work at it.
I can’t count the number of guys I beat out for teams who were far better natural athlets because I put the work in and they didn’t. Does Lebron James fit this catagory?
Incredibly gifted athletes who just decide they don’t want to work that hard.