USA TEAM DREAM V AUSTRALIA “LIVE” STREAMING ONLINE AT ESPN TUESDAYNIGHT AEST TIPOFF AROUND 10PM
http://broadband.espn.go.com/espn360/index_nonaff?addata=2008_360ub_XXX_XXX_XXX_XXX
I would love to watch the game, Australia pushed Argentina in the last game, they lost 95-92 but they where up by 15 points in the first half when Andrew Bougat was in the game. But i got a early start tomorrow, no more late nights.
SHANGHAI, China (AP)—They couldn’t shoot and occasionally didn’t defend. Definitely a performance the Americans should be relieved came before they got to Beijing.
Undefeated, but no longer unchallenged, the U.S. Olympic basketball team wrapped up its exhibition schedule with its toughest test, pulling away to beat Australia 87-76 Tuesday night.
The United States led by only four points nearly halfway through the third quarter and was up by seven midway through the fourth against an Australian team that was resting its best player, Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut.
The U.S. players still feel like gold medal favorites, but they hardly looked like gold medal locks during this shaky outing.
“Nothing alarming for us. It’s alarming when you lose,” Dwyane Wade said.
“We’re still growing. We’re still going to get better as each game goes on, but I think tonight we learned something.”
The Americans relied on an aggressive defensive effort to overcome a horrendous night from 3-point range and the free throw line, the same areas that proved costly in their semifinal loss to Greece in the world championships two years ago.
Wade scored 22 points and LeBron James had 16 for the Americans, who finished 3-of-18 from behind the arc and 20-of-33 (61 percent) at the foul line.
The U.S. team won two blowouts in Macau but found things much more difficult here, starting with an 89-68 victory over Russia on Sunday.
“The last two games the ball has been sticking a little bit, so we have to get back to looking like the first game where everybody was touching the ball and we were playing like we should,” point guard Jason Kidd said. “We’re too talented of a team to take tough shots because there’s always going to be someone open.”
Patrick Mills and Chris Anstey, who had a first-half altercation with Wade, each scored 13 points for Australia.
“In the third quarter they knocked down some big shots and I think that got them back in the ball game,” Kobe Bryant said. “And for us, we have to understand that that’s going to happen from time to time and it’s important to keep our poise, keep our composure and buckle down.”
The U.S. team seemed in control after allowing one basket in the final 5 1/2 minutes of the first half to open a 44-29 lead. But the Americans left that defensive intensity in the locker room, allowing a number of open 3-pointers and uncontested drives to the basket.
“We came out lazy,” Wade said.
The Australians outscored the Americans 13-2 to open the third quarter, pulling to 46-42 on David Barlow’s layup with 6:52 remaining in the period.
“We just broke down. We gambled a couple of times and allowed them to make the extra pass,” James said. “We can’t have those types of mental breakdowns because these teams can really shoot the ball.”
Michael Redd and Wade had layups to open the scoring in the fourth, pushing the U.S. lead to 69-55. Australia scored nine of the next 11 points to pull within seven with still half the period left, making the upset seem possible. The crowd even got behind the Australians, loudly booing a call that overruled what seemed to be a potential three-point play for them on an offensive rebound.
The Americans got their running game going again, and Wade had some easy baskets as they pulled away for their closest victory. The win over Russia was the previous closest game for the Americans, who came in averaging 110.8 points and shooting 64.2 percent from the field.
Bryant scored 13 points and Carmelo Anthony had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the United States, which faces host China on Sunday in its Olympic opener.
Bogut, the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft, wanted more time to rest a sore right ankle that has been bothering him, but said he expects to be ready by the opener against Croatia on Sunday.
The Australians threw a scare into defending gold medalist Argentina in an earlier friendly, building a 19-point lead in the third quarter before losing 95-90.
They started well in this game, with Mills fearlessly driving to the basket and helping Australia lead by four a few times in the first quarter before the Americans rallied to grab a 22-19 lead. U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski started the second quarter with a lineup of James, Bryant, Wade, Anthony and Deron Williams. Australia wasn’t scared of that unit, with Wade and Anstey jawing after Anstey fouled Wade away the ball and the players got tangled when the U.S. guard got up.
“What they’ve done, and where you see them, can intimidate a lot of people,” Anstey said. “I think to come into a game intimidated you’ve given up before you start, and we didn’t feel like we did that tonight.”
Australia cut it to 26-25 on David Andersen’s basket with 5:36 remaining in the half, then the small unit’s pressure defense set in and made it hard for the Australians to even take shots.
The Americans forced eight turnovers in the period led by James, who was all over the court coming up with steals and blocks. He scored eight straight points to make it 37-25, then swatted a shot into the seats about a minute later.
Australia finally ended its drought when Mills went all the way for a layup with 1:51 to go, but the Americans came back with a steal by James leading to his own bucket and were up 15 at the break
International zone defense really brings the US back to pack, if they struggle against Australia, Spain with push them to the limit. International zone takes away the pure athleticism from the game, this makes the contest much closer. I am tipping some of the larger more physical European nation’s will really test the US.
Dream Team ? ? ? ? ??
please dont call them that…they are anything but…
More like, dream individual group of players…
Wow, I don’t know what to say, you sound like the group in America that don’t like the NBA game for all the various reasons; I won’t get into those issues.
I agree, not the Dream Team. I refer to them as the “better than the past 6 years” team.
Whats your def of “dream team”?
oh no, i absolutly LOVE the NBA, i watch is everyday i can and have NBA TV…im really a huge fan…
but, they tried to get away from a team of stars…but they didnt do it at all…
a dream team (in todays day and age)
needs to be a team that can play together, look at all the BEST TEAMS, they have 2-3 stars, then a TEAM behind them.
the USA team today, will not know what to do or who to go to when they are pushed to the limits by the best teams this year, too many go to guys etc…it will be confusion…same thing what happened last time.
for example, i beleive the Celtics (assuming they are all American? ) will be better in the Olympics than this USA team…
The only reason why boston would be better is they are use to playing together something that the other countries have over us. I have no doubt that the dream team would beat boston, they have some of the best players in the world, lebron and kobe - enough said. Oh i forgot and two of the best point guards in the world.
right my point exactly…
but what team needs, chris paul, williams and jason kidd at point guard?
no one on the usa team, really has a role…whos the go to guy? i would pick Kobe every time…but im guessing lebron would pick lebron, melo would pick melo etc…
plus, i thought the Duke coach was supposed to bring a system to the team, i dont see much difference to the last few year…
they bring it up, go one on one, and stuggle against a zone, still…
you have the samething on boston team who is the go to guy ray, kg or paul when asked they didnt even know. i like the point guard mix bc u have 2 young studs and one old vet and jason kidd knows his role. so who do you want, chris paul, derek fisher and tyrone lue.
on a team where they know the system inside out, yeah id prefer them…
it was extreml obvus who was their go to guy…one person took more shots than all the others, had the ball more than all the others and was more vocal than the others…
we will see…unless they play,
1 - harder
2 - with more passion
3 - an offence
4 - with a consistent 8 player rotation
5 - consistant minutes for the top guys
6 - and better defence…
i think they will struggle against the top teams…
they may still win, but only cuz they got Kobe…lol.
One of the Australian reporters called them the REDEEM team.
He went on to mention the only bling that is considered worthy is gold. No pressure. I think the US will get better with team work, if they don’t I don’t think they will win.
Australia will help determine the medallists and is maybe an outside chance for a medal - they are going to have to play 100% intensity all tournament and if chances are there they need to take them.
Chris Anstey (Australian Centre) had a moment with Kobe Bryant, I think the US team where amazed Anstey didn’t back down and still wanted to keep going even after some of the US and Aust had got between Bryant and Anstey. As an Aussie I loved it.
they don’t have physical european teams dude
they dont have physical teams in Europe?
How else do you think they make up for lack of talent…
They work very hard and are very physical actually.
The euro brand of basketball is very soft, look at players like dirk. I will say the euro athletes are skilled in certain areas like shooting etc this is why the euro players have a very tough time translating there game to the nba.
you cant compare this team to the original dream team because they play in different eras.
what what what ???
The Euroleague is very physical!!!
my word, your example is terrible…
it is like me saying, the NBA ISNT an athletic league because Zydrunas Ilgauskas plays in it…
are you for real?
Your comment about euro basketball being more physical is silly, have you ever seen a euro game? Does the euro league has anyone like shaq?