Aug

5

Team USA Wins UGLY Defeats Australia 87-76

Posted by Jeff Sack under Slam Dunk Olympics Central 

Hopefully they just had to get this clunker out of their system. Team USA remains undefeated in exhibition basketball, but this was not a game that any member of the team could have been proud of. Team USA looked like a NBA team just before the All-Star break, when you know it’s an effort just?to go up and down the court for 48 minutes. After shooting in upper sixties percentile in their first few games, the Americans barely were over the fifty percent mark shooting 50.8% (32-63.) And they were just plain bad from outside the arc, shooting 16.7% (3-18) and barely passable at the charity stripe 60.6% (20-33.) This against the Australian National team playing without center Andrew Bogut as Team USA won in Shanghai 87-76.

It is debatable whether this is the last taste you would want in your mouth before taking the floor in Beijing. Yes a win is a win, but Team USA realizes if they play like they did Tuesday, against one of the stronger teams in the Olympics, they will not receive the Gold Medal. With this team anything less is just unacceptable. So the question is do they use this as a motivating factor, that bitter taste of this final ugly win? With Coach K. Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James setting the tone I think they will.?

Dwyane Wade showed that he is all the way back health wise as he once again led Team USA with 22 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals.?LeBron James had a strong all around performance scoring 16 points, 5 steals, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 1 rebound, Kobe Bryant scored 13 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block.?Carmelo Anthony? recorded a double-double scoring 12 points, grabbing 10 boards, 1 assist, 1 block.

The Australian team was led by Patrick Mills, and? Chris Antsey who each scored 13 points in the loss. Team USA is now 5-0 in exhibition games. Next stop, Sunday in Beijing as they face Olympics host China featuring center Yao Ming.

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