US NBA stars face acid test
Looking far from a “Dream Team” and more like one of the gang, the US team of NBA stars faces a stiff test against Argentina in today’s Rio Olympic quarterfinals.
The two-time defending champion Americans have won 22 consecutive Olympic Games since falling to Argentina in the 2004 Athens semifinals and settling for silver. They are 89-1 since then, losing only to Greece in a 2006 World Championships semifinal.
But far from the dominating squad that shined in Beijing and London, this US line-up with 10 Olympic debutantes was tested by Australia and managed only 3-point triumphs over Serbia and a France team resting star Tony Parker in group play.
“I still think they are the favourites for sure, but after what happened in the last two or three games, yes, there are some doubts,” said Argentina’s Manu Ginobili, an NBA star guard for the San Antonio Spurs.
The USA men remain a team rivals would rather avoid facing too soon, but any aura of invincibility based on history or absent stars like LeBron James is gone.
Golden State’s Kevin Durant, the 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player and four-time NBA scoring champion, leads the US squad with 16.8 points a game and averages 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists as well.
Carmelo Anthony, seeking an unprecedented third men’s basketball Olympic gold medal, averages 15.2 points and 5.0 rebounds.
“We have some great competition out there, some great games,” Anthony said. “We got to get even more prepared. We got to be prepared for whatever. We come into these games with the same mindset – to dominate.”
For all their struggles, the US team have not lost in 10 games since coming together a month ago, five at Rio and five before.
“I’m comfortable with us as a team right now,” US guard Paul George said. “Teams are having success against us, but we’re just finding ways to win regardless.”
“We just have to trust ourselves on both sides of the ball,” US guard Klay Thompson added. “If we do that and play hard, I don’t think we’ll lose.”
