Been a few quiet weeks on the NBA front, but I do have some awesome pictures that I'll put up from the Team USA scrimmage at Radio City (yes it was on stage at Radio City). After a pushover exhibition versus France in Madison Square Garden, Team USA ratcheted up the competition this weekend with two games in Madrid against Lithuania and Spain. I'll skip a general recap of each game and just focus on a couple key points from things I noticed that ESPN and NBATV didn't really focus on.
The battle for the last spot on the roster appears to be between Eric Gordon, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, which makes sense given that Derrick Rose, Chauncey Billups, and Rajon Rondo are all locks to be on the team. Each of them brings a unique skill set to the roster.
Gordon - Perfect international guard, big body, can shoot the three and get to the rim
Curry - lights out shooter than this team somewhat lacks that can also create when needed
Westbrook - the worst shooter of the three, but the best off the dribble and can play solid defense as a young guard
Personally, I'd love it if they kept all three since this team isn't set up like a traditional NBA team with a PG, SG, and SF in the back court. Billups is playing as a two-guard while Rose or Rondo run the point and I think the same could happen with these three off the bench. Westbrook and Curry more or less need the ball in their hands to score, but Gordon is the perfect shooting guard on the second unit. If they did choose to keep all three then I think the cut should be Kevin Love. He's barely played in any of the exhibition games and while this team severely lacks a post presence, other than providing five more fouls what does Love bring to the team otherwise? His playing time could be a result of some nagging injuries and/or the coaching staff playing the guards because they still have to evaluate them. This team's strength is its guard play, so why not load up on them instead of having Love as the 12th man on the bench. Yes, the Lamar Odom/Tyson Chandler center tandem is going to struggle but is the 6'9" Love going to improve the front line that much more? Plus, at least LO and Tyson can get out and run with these guards unlike Love.
In the end, the last player off the bench won't matter all that much, but here's my list of guys that are going to SHINE in the international format. I'm not listing Durant because he's obviously a beast (see: Sunday's 25/10/4 blocks in a 40 minute game versus the defending world champions).
Andre Iguodala - perfect game for FIBA play. Can create, get to the rim, knock down the mid range jumper - a key in international play because the 3-pt line is about three feet closer than the NBA line, making it a long 2-pt shot in the League. He can also defend and his versatility should really shine a la Carmelo on the 08 Olympic champs.
Rudy Gay - he can be a scoring machine off the bench and fill in while Durant takes a breather. Again, he's versatile and while he doesn't play defense like Iguodala he can play the 2, 3, or 4 on this team and stretch the defense with his shooting.
Derrick Rose - again, I keep saying it, but he's built for international play has a strong, tough, bigger guard that can take the bumps and hits that FIBA officials allow to happen - unlike NBA officials. He can get around anyone in the world and could put up monster numbers penetrating and kicking out to Durant or finding Odom after the defense collapses on him.
One more tune up exhibition versus Greece in Athens on Wednesday at noon before the Championship starts on Saturday. I'll have a more in depth preview of the entire tournament later this week after the Greece game.
No comments:
Post a Comment