USA men’s time to shine to earn basketball glory
Tonight’s game against Spain just the start of knockout rounds for a team with shaky debut
The United States’ men’s basketball team didn’t look ready for the start of the Olympics in Tokyo.
But three games in, they’re playing like the gold medal favorites once again.
And that’s good news, because their competition is about to become much stiffer.
If the United States slips — if it puts forth anything less than its best in the knockout rounds of the tournament — the Olympics could end in the same ignominious manner they began.
Credit where it’s due: Since the Americans’ 25-game Olympic winning streak was broken in an embarrassing loss to France in the tournament opener, they have played two games and have looked every bit like the best team in the world. They’re connected on both ends of the court, allowing their superior talent to shine.
Yes, the United States is back to its old ways. The Americans didn’t just beat Iran and the Czech Republic to close out group play — they blew them out with ease. The U.S. is averaging nearly three points a minute in its last two games, led by Kevin Durant and Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum on offense and Draymond Green and Bucks point guard Jrue Holiday on defense.
But nothing has been won yet. For the U.S. to claim a 16th gold medal in men’s basketball, it will need to carry this form into the knockout stage of the tournament, starting with a quarterfinal game tonight against Spain.
The U.S. and Spain, the reigning world champion, have met twice in the gold medal game (2008, 2012) and had a thrilling semifinal showdown in the 2016 Olympics, won by the Americans 82-76.
And while Spain’s best days in international play are likely in the past — its core players from their golden generation are playing in their last Olympics — they do have some younger players to help. Alberto Abalde, a playmaking, sharp-shooting wing from Real Madrid is likely the X-factor in the contest.
The U.S. and Spain played in a pre-Olympic warm-up game, with the Americans winning in (yet another) close one, 83-76. The United States is an 11.5-point favorite for to night’s game.
Should the Americans take care of business — and they should — they’ll likely face arguably the second-best team in the tournament, Australia.
This is the height of the Aussie’s golden generation. The Boomers opened the tournament with six current NBA players on their roster. They lost big man Aron Baynes (Toronto Raptors) to injury Friday.
Still, there is Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs) and Matthew Dellavedova (Cleveland Cavaliers); Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz), Dante Exum (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks). Mills and Dellavedova, who starred collegiately at St. Mary’s, are joined by another Gaels great, Jock Landale. This is the second-most talented team in the tournament and they play a tough-nosed but cohesive brand of basketball.
Once the knockout round starts, anything less than the Americans’ A-game will likely doom their gold medal dreams. If they play Australia, that’s not just a threat, it’s a guarantee.
The United States shouldn’t need reminding, though. The Boomers beat the Americans in warm-up play in Las Vegas in July, 91-83. The U.S. might be playing better ball as of late, but the Australians can beat them again.
That said, if Durant & Co. keep their heads on straight, they should have no problem beating both the old and new top contenders en route to the gold medal game. Once there, they likely would face France in a rematch or Slovenia, which is led by NBA superstar Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks).
No, there’s no reprieve for the U.S. The United States is unquestionably the dominant force in the game, but if you still doubted the claim that the of the world is catching up to the States on the hardwood, the next three American opponents should prove convincing.
There are four teams the U.S. must keep an eye on moving forward. Two already have beaten the Americans. The other two could.
The Americans are still favorites — heavy favorites — but there’s no question that they’re going to have to work harder than most teams in U.S. men’s Olympic basketball history to achieve glory.