Empty the Bench

Hats off to Chinese national team, who stuck with Team USA for longer than anybody expected. Behind the strength of remarkable three-point marksmanship the score was tied 29-29 with 6 minutes left in the 2nd quarter before LeBron James & Co. finally pulled away in impressive fashion. The early volley of threes from China and the fervor of the home crowd put some pressure on the more talented USA squad, but after stumbling early all fears were put to rest in the third quarter… for the time being.

The turning point and defining moment in the match was a second-quarter Dwyane Wade-to-LeBron James alley-oop that brought down the house and served as a fitting symbol for a contest defined by American hops, aggressiveness, athleticism and dominance both in the open court and around the basket. LeBron was an absolute demon and the second-best play had to be James pinning a hapless Chinese guard’s shot to the backboard with two hands before outletting one of many fast-break dunks (above).

As Kobe mentioned this week, LeBron has been the unquestioned vocal leader of this team. He was the leader again on Sunday, bringing an intensity and presence on both ends of the floor that nobody else in the arena could match.

The most impressive part of this victory could be Team USA’s ability to pressure the ball on nearly every possession. All of the guards were able to keep the Chinese points off balance for much of the game, causing a number of turnovers and easy fast-break baskets. The defensive intensity, spearheaded by Mr. James, was a welcome sight for those who have grown disenchanted with Team USA basketball in recent years.

As an NBA fan there were a few developments of note. First, D-Wade is back. His quicks and his ups were beyond reproach and Wade looked far more agile and explosive than he did at any point during the 2007-08 regular season. Second, Yi Jianlian is going to be a maddening disappointment in the NBA. He has skills and he has the physical tools to be an exciting player and he shows brilliant flashes, but his basketball IQ appears very low, he lacks confidence and he doesn’t display the traditional skill set of a small forward or power forward. Third, Dwight Howard is a bad man. Fourth, LeBron James is an even badder man.

All things considered, Team USA acquitted itself nicely and succeeded in turning the contest into one of athleticism and physical prowess — though their outside shooting and three-point defense still left something to be desired. It should also be noted, by Yao Ming’s own admission, this Chinese team has “no chance” to win an Olympic medal.

Team USA should be considered the clear-cut favorite for the gold until something changes, but this win isn’t anything to get too excited about.

It sure was a hell of a lot of fun to watch though.

Related:
- Behind the box score, where fine first impressions are made
- U.S. beats China 101-70 in Olympic opener
- Bryant, James and Wade Dazzle as Team USA Routs China, 101-70