The Future of Team USA

Redemption. It is so sweet. It means all the world in 2008.

But does it mean that the United States is once again established as clearly the best basketball team in the world?

Not so fast. If we learned anything in that thriller of a gold medal game, it's that the competition is excellent, and no team will waltz to any titles. Proving you're the best, in a global basketball environment, means proving you're the best again and again.

Ironically underscoring that point is the reality that after this summer's stellar performance the U.S. has dropped to second in FIBA's bizarre world rankings, which account for several years' performance.

So, when you look ahead, what can you see? What does the team look like down the road? What have we learned?

2010, not 2012
It amazes even those who are involved in Team USA itself. American fans, for some reason or another, refuse to believe that anything other than the Olympics could be the pinnacle of international basketball. But the people who work in international basketball, and fans in most of the world ... they prefer FIBA's World Championships. You know how in soccer the World Cup is head and shoulders above the Olympic title? It's almost like that in basketball.

The world championships has a larger number of teams and a much longer single-elimination portion of the tournament. It's a tougher tournament to win. So when you're looking down the road at the future of Team USA, don't look all the way to London in 2012. Look first at 2010 in Turkey. Even if it does not yet mean more to you, then at least consider this: If Team USA can win in 2010, they get a free pass to London in 2012. And that would mean training camp and exhibition games in the summer of 2011, instead of must-win qualifying games. Aging superstars, worried about their NBA careers, like light summer schedules.

Permanent Team
It's a whole new way of thinking. In the U.S.A., we talk about our national teams by year, as if each is a distinctive entity. 1992 was the Dream Team, 2002 team was the Paul Pierce debacle, 2008 was Redemption.

But did you hear Team USA's braintrust -- executive Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski -- after winning gold? They were in lockstep that the key to victory was not just stellar players, but stellar players who had been playing together for some time.

Indeed, a roster much like this one lost to Greece at the 2006 World Championships.

Think about it, though. That means that this summer was the time to start having the 2010 players playing together. And 2010 would be good time to start working out the 2012 squad. And so and and so on, until it's clearly time to stop thinking of the national team as an annual event. It's a permanent thing. It's the kind of institution that probably ought to actually have a building (beyond, I guess, the Wynn in Las Vegas), and the team has announced that they will have just that in the near future.

Top NBA players all play basketball somewhere in the summers. The idea that Jerry Colangelo has wisely gotten across is that if you're one of the players in his sights, you ought to come to his place and learn to play with those other top players who will have the privilege of representing the nation.

Sure, the roster will be a little different each time around. But changes should be tweaks, not earth-shattering imports of whoever happens to be hot at the moment.

The second trick -- and Colangelo is on the ball here, too -- is to have a much bigger pool of players training than competing every summer. If you have thirty players mastering the art of playing together in training camp, then the injuries, weddings, births, and national team retirements that could draw a player or two away unexpectedly are easier to deal with.

Along those lines, on USA Basketball's website, the current national team roster is Carmelo Anthony, Gilbert Arenas, Shane Battier, Chauncey Billups, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Bruce Bowen, Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant, Tyson Chandler, Nick Collison, Kevin Durant, Kirk Hinrich, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Antawn Jamison, Joe Johnson, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Brad Miller, Mike Miller, Adam Morrison, Greg Oden, Lamar Odom, Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, Tayshaun Prince, Michael Redd, J.J. Redick, Luke Ridnour, Amare Stoudemire, Dwyane Wade, Deron Williams.

Now, of course they only got to take a dozen of those guys to Beijing, but I like the idea that all these players are still part of the team. But if you're wondering who might be on Team USA in the future, that list is a good inspiration, as those players have all been through some or all of the training.

Another list to look at is the team of young players who were invited to scrimmage against Team USA in Las Vegas this summer. That team included LaMarcus Aldridge, Jerryd Bayless, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Luther Head, Al Horford, Andre Iguodala, Kevin Love, Kevin Martin, O.J. Mayo, Derrick Rose, and Rodney Stuckey.

Big-Time Commitment from a Coach
At times, in recent years, I have thought it might make sense to hire a top coach to just coach Team USA. That coach could spend his long offseason getting to know his roster, and the competition, better. He could also put some time into spreading the gospel of national team basketball to fans, corporate sponsors, and players. Make the team stand for something.

And then, when the players come available in the summer, that coach would be more than ready to hit the ground running. The players may arrive with flagging energy levels after 100 NBA games. But the coach would be fresh as a daisy, ready supply the wholesale enthusiasm that is required to win single elimination tournaments.

A good NBA coach, on the other hand -- one that sees action in the playoffs -- is ready for a month of naps by the end of June.

I suspect that's part of the reason a college coach was chosen this time around. If a full-time national team coach is too expensive a proposition, a college coach is a nice compromise. Not only do they have longer offseasons, but they also have that rah-rah high-energy approach that you need in a shorter contest.

"I would love to see Tubby Smith, Rick Pitino, Tom Izzo, Roy Williams or Billy Donovan," says ESPN's David Thorpe. "Did you see what Team USA did when they won the gold? They circled up and jumped up and down. I didn't see the Celtics do that when they won the title. But you see college teams do that. It's just a different emotion. In college, and on the national team, you play for a short time together, and keep the energy level high. In the NBA, you play 100 games and wear people down. It's a different meter."

Dreaming about Rosters
So, with all that in mind, who can you expect to have on this team in 2010?

We learned two important, and interlocking, things this summer.

• Some of Team USA's youngest players are keepers. Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh, and Dwight Howard were all excellent, and all have something to prove. When I think of any team, I think first of point guards and big men, and this roster is blessed with two of each who can more than get the job done. To me figuring out the next four years of this roster is really a question of finding the wings to run alongside these four.
• The United States has a big advantage over the rest of the world: Big, strong, long, multitalented wing players. LeBron James is the poster child, but Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant are right there. Carmelo Anthony has played that role. Other national teams will have to think long and hard about how they are going to get more size and athleticism from their wings. It's always good, as a team, when you have your opponents adjusting to what you're doing. So, by all means bring back James, Wade, and Bryant if you can. If any of them are not available, I'd start inviting from a list that includes Kevin Durant, Kevin Martin, Brandon Roy, Shane Battier, and Rodney Stuckey.

Wild card: As we talk about the summer of 2010, don't forget that it's the summer of 2010. As in, the free agency period we have been anticipating forever. At the moment, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, LeBron James and many other top players are scheduled to be free agents that summer. Any of them that does not have a new contract squared away in early July would have a hard time committing to the national team. No way you'd risk getting injured while the biggest contract of your life is in play.

So, without further ado, here are the returning players I'd want to see on Team USA in 2010 and 2012:

• Chris Paul: Runner-up for the NBA's MVP award. Good place to start.
  
• Deron Williams: Big, strong guard who can shoot, defend, and win.
• LeBron James: No one has any idea how to stop this man.
• Dwyane Wade: The revelation of 2008 faces a history of injuries, and free agency in 2010. But if he wants to play, he's welcome on my team.
• Kobe Bryant: He's not getting any younger, and he still looks awkward trying to be selfless. But there's no arguing his talent is supreme.
• Chris Bosh: The U.S. lost nothing on defense when he was on the floor, and he's very efficient with the dunks and layups that result from all the attention paid to James and Wade.
• Dwight Howard: One of the biggest and strongest players in the tournament was also one of the most nimble.

Then I'd add in some players who could help on a long, athletic, multi-talented squad:

• Kevin Durant: The very definition of a long multi-talented athlete, and he'll be much better by 2010.
• Brandon Roy: If this young All-Star can stay healthy, he can be another powerful multi-skilled wing, and also the third point guard you'd need if someone gets hurt.
• Kevin Martin: Remember Michael Redd? Our zone buster? He didn't play much because his defense was low energy. Martin is one of the most efficient shooters in NBA history, and he has the speed and length to thrive in high-energy defense.
• Al Horford: A rapidly developing young big man who is a leader, a finisher, and a fine open-court athlete. About the only thing he lacks is an American passport. The Dominican has lived in the U.S. since he was a young child, and has expressed interest in doing the paperwork necessary to join Team USA.
• Shane Battier: He demonstrated during Houston's big winning streak that he is the best at stopping elite wing scorers. And he can hit the open shot, all while being a great veteran teammate.

So, that's my twelve.

But of course there is a good chance many won't be available. So waiting in the wings I'd have:

• Greg Oden: I would have stuck him on the main team, but for the one little snafu on his record: He has yet to prove he can play one game, let alone 100 or so NBA games. Signing him up for an extra summer season just seems mean, until he has been around a while.
• Carmelo Anthony: He has been a major part of this team for so long. And he has talked about missing his child. I'm guessing he might want some time off, which is why he's not the top twelve. But if he wants to play ...
• Tyson Chandler One of the best in the league at defending power forwards, he can also handle plenty of centers. On offense, if Chris Paul is there, it always seems like Chandler ought to be, too.
• Rodney Stuckey: In his first playoffs, the young Piston guard showed more than enough promise.
• Derrick Rose: I say give him a couple of years to get used the next level of the game, then sneak the "next" point guard onto the roster so he's ready to unleash his game on the world in 2012.
• Rudy Gay: He's showing all the signs of developing into the kinds of wing player that sets the U.S apart.

Rehashing Why Greg Oden is the Key

I’m sure I have talked about this once before, but it’s been a while and with all of the talk about the impact of new players and talent depth it’s been on my mind.

Depth, talent, and versatility are important. Those things are valuable in getting through an 82-game grind and positioning yourself for the playoffs. The more arrows you have in your quiver the better chance that some of them will strike home over the long run. However once you get to the playoffs it becomes a different game…not so much about the number of arrows (as the chances to fire are more limited over seven games than eighty-two) but about how accurately you take your best shot and how much damage you do with it.

Fast forward eight months down the road. The Blazers are entering the playoffs for the first time since back in Ought-Three. For fun let’s say it’s against the L*kers. (If you don’t like that, figure instead at some point we’ll have to face them to make it to the promised land.) I guarantee you somewhere--could be a fanpost here, could be another site entirely, might even be in a print publication--somebody is going to offer some version of the following analysis. (I’m using last year’s L.A. roster and foregoing the explanations which would be included.)

Derek Fisher vs. Steve Blake: Push

Kobe Bryant vs. Brandon Roy: Edge L*kers

Lamar Odom vs. Martell Webster: Edge L*kers

Pau Gasol vs. Lamarcus Aldridge: Edge Blazers

Andrew Bynum vs. Greg Oden: Edge Blazers

Bench: Edge Blazers

Blazers have three edges, L*kers have two, Blazers should win.

Sounds logical on paper. Reality doesn’t follow that logic, however. The fly in the ointment is that the NBA playoffs don’t depend on edging out your opponent in more positions as much as they depend on who has the best overall player on the floor. Even in this new, team-game-friendly league the gap that matters most is the superstar gap. You can edge a team out in three or four of six positions (including bench). They’ve got Kobe or Kevin Garnett? They win a lot of seven-game series. That one mismatch weighs more than the others.

The key to playoff success is simple: You have to have a guy on the floor who has the potential to be the best, most dominant player out there on a given night, who fulfills that potential more often than not, and who warps the whole game for both sides when he does fulfill that potential.

Consider Portland’s own history. Back in the late 70’s Maurice Lucas was an all-world player. There weren’t many other power forwards who could stack up to him. Lionel Hollins was a star as well for those couple years. The Blazers also had a renown supporting cast considered one of the most cohesive in team history. But the player who owned the court every night was Bill Walton. In 1976-77 he was healthy and Portland won it all. In 1977-78 he goes down near the end of the season with a foot injury and the Blazers--with that same cast of other stars and supporters--go down in the first round. A decade or so later Terry Porter was a fantastic point guard, Kevin Duckworth an All-Star center, and Buck Williams and Jerome Kersey were feared forwards. That group made your knees shake. But the guy who made the difference was Clyde Drexler. With him that team is a Finals contender. Without him the team is decent, but decent doesn’t win over the long haul in the playoffs.

Fast forward once again to today. Brandon Roy is an incredible leader, a clutch player, an amazing scorer…in many ways he’s the Terry Porter of his time. (Keep in mind that while we think of Terry as a point guard he really shaded towards a hybrid who marked scoring and team leadership among his strongest gifts.) Lamarcus Aldridge is going to become dominant, perhaps as much as Mo Lucas ever was offensively. The young talent surrounding those two has everybody salivating. But Brandon is not going to be Kobe or LeBron. He does have this weird knack of bending the space around him to his will and he will win plenty of games for the Blazers. I’d even go so far as to say he’ll be the game-bending player on many nights. But on a night-to-night basis even if he’s capable of scoring in Kobe-like droves that’s not the strength of his game. Nor is he able to shape the game defensively as strongly as Kobe does. Brandon is a smart, consummate team player. It’s just not his style to thrash the entire court and strangle it in that “I’m League MVP So Whatcha Gonna Do, Brother?” way. Lamarcus is going to be a multi-time All-Star himself but he’s probably not going to be Bill Walton or Tim Duncan 50-Greatest-Ever dominant. Who is the guy with the potential to just destroy everything that moves around him…not the sleek fighter jet or the tricked-out tank, but the freakin’ nuclear bomb? For the Blazers that’s Oden. Both Brandon and Lamarcus make the opponent go, “Oh no, we better have our stuff together.” Greg Oden is the type of guy who could make the opponent go, “We quit!” That last part is what wins playoff basketball.

Greg Oden will have the potential to trump any opponent mismatch in the same way Kobe Bryant does…not just an edge, but THE edge that makes the opponent edges not matter anymore. Whatever happens or doesn’t happen in the regular season, when it’s go-time in April, May, and eventually June, that’s going to make the difference. You can win a series here and there without him, but if you want to dream about Finals appearances, Oden is your guy.

12 Action Flicks Not Just For Dicks

You know the scenario: It's Friday night and you're too lazy to do anything but stake out some hot property on your couch with your honey, some take-out and a rental. So you're loitering in the nearest Blockbuster, where the lady would like to see "PS: I Love You" (worst title ever, btw) and the senor is trying to go home with "10,000 B.C. (you know it sucks, right?). You've played out the Judd Apatow collection and you're this close to choosing "Superhero Movie" to just get it over with, dammit. Nono. Save yourself from the pain and heartache, you poor soul, with this handy guide to action flicks that everyone can enjoy. This way, the dude gets his explosions and the woman gets her end-of-the-movie make-out scene. Happy endings for all!

CATEGORY 1: MOVIES THAT ARE KIND OF LIKE CHICK FLICKS

Speed
Synopsis: Hero cop (beefcake) and lady hero bus driver (adorable, yet sexy). Bad guy. Hostages. Bomb on bus. Explosions.

Yup, this choice is way predictable - but for good reason. Despite Keanu Reeve's questionable acting and some so-lame-they're-amazing one-liners ("pop quiz, hotshot"), this movie delivers the high-octane adventure with satisfying/sexy results. The bad guy dies, the heroes kiss and the nail-biting chases are still fresh in our minds. Plus hey, we kind of love Keanu's one-dimensional "there's a bomb on this bus" delivery, and one-liners are what action movies are made of.

Him: Keanu kicked some ass! A BUS jumps over a GAP in the HIGHWAY! Dennis Hopper plays the bad guy!
Her: Keanu is hot! Sandra saves the day! They love each other in the end *shriek*!

Charlie's Angels
Synopsis: Heroic trio of bad-ass women. Bad guys. Friendship. Plenty of ass kicking.

No scoffing, please. This movie is a hootenanny of a good time no matter how you slice it. (What?! Just roll with it). You've got your team of fighting femmes who don't need guns to get the job done, and the three leading ladies who rock the roles. There's tongue-in-cheek humour, sleek cinematography and Bill Murray. It's campy and ridiculous and totally worth watching even if just to see Drew Barrymore beat up three dudes with her hands tied behind her back.

Him: Cameron Diaz in underoos! Crazy fight scenes! Race cars!
Her: Fierce lady heroes! Humour! Luke Wilson!

Bad Boys
Synopsis: Hero cops (beefcakes). Camaraderie. Bad guys. Car chases and explosions.

Ok, basically anything with Will Smith in it could go here. Especially shirtless Will Smith. (See: I Am Legend [work out scene], I, Robot [shower scene], Independence Day. I'm gonna go take a cold shower now). So, this isn't really much of a chick flick (it's a buddy flick!), but if you're a girl and you appreciate the general Woll Smoth aesthetic, you will like this movie. That's a fact. Plus, Will and Martin Lawrence have an irresistable chemistry on screen, and though it's not the best movie ever (far from it), sometimes it's just fun to put your brain on hold and watch some hijinks.

Him: Cops! Drugs! Sweat!
Her: Hot cops! Laughs! Sweat!

Italian Job (2003)
Synopsis: Protagonist heist team. Heist. Bad guys. Exotic locations. Car chases. Love interest.

If well done, a heist movie can be much more than just eye candy. It can engage your inner geek, bring forth thrills and wonderment and sometimes shift your perception. While not being one of the best heist movies around, the Italian Job remake should satisfy your popcorn requirements. The car chase scene with the Minis is of course a stand out, while Matt Wahlberg & Charlize Theron are pretty good-looking and stuff. Bonus content: The 1969 version is even better!

Him: Crazy stunts! Gadgetry! Charlize Theron!
Her: Plot twists! Cute cars! Mark Wahlberg!

Princess Bride
Synopsis: Hero. Love interest (also hero). Adventure. Avengement. Heartache and happiness. Ass kicking.

Is it a misstep to call this an action movie? Maybe. But who cares - it's close enough, it's amazing and it has universal appeal. There's a classic storyline, fantastical elements and romance that even the most hardened soul can get behind. Best of all? You loved it as a kid and you can love it now - repeated viewings are encouraged.

Him: Outlaws! Pirates! Andre the Giant!
Her: Romance! Fairy tale! Obedient farm hand!

Mr. And Mrs. Smith
Synopsis: Protagonist married couple (secret assassins). Deception. Predicament. Bad guys. Explosions and ass kicking.

Remember a time when Brangelina didn't yet exist? Just think - all it took was a delicious mixture of pure sexified action and heads exploding (from the never before seen pairing) to create a phenomenon. Yep, this movie was like a Big Bang. Not coincidently, the movie itself includes many a gun bang, explosion bang, laugh bang, banging bodies, and eventually, girl + boy banging. Just call them Bangelina.

Him: Brad! Angelina! Fire!
Her: Brad! Angelina! Passion!

True Lies
Synopsis: Hero (secret assassin). Love interest hero (unknowing wife). Bad guys. Deception. Vulnerability. Laughs.

One of the movies that introduced the modern concept of blockbuster, True Lies gave Arnold's typical killing machine some personality and Jamie Lee Curtis' slight awkwardness some fantastic bitchery. It's always a good time to get lost in a story that makes us laugh, makes us take notice and warms the cockles of our hearts while blowing things up in the process.

Him: Sexy dancing! Spies! Death defying!
Her: Sexy dancing! Laughs! Rekindling romance!

CATEGORY 2: MOVIES THAT ARE PRETTY MUCH AWESOME

Bourne Identity
Synopsis: Amnesiac hero (beefcake). Bad guys. Conspiracy. Teamwork. Car chases and explosions.

Most of the movies on this list are pure popcorn affairs - they're not quite up to par for the typical film snob and "tour de force" isn't really the first word that comes to mind. But Bourne Identity? Exception. Well acted, well crafted, well written and well received. Matt Damon isn't your typical action hero but is easily one of the stand-outs on this list. Bonus: the two sequels are also excellent, with the third film, Bourne Ultimatum, being the best of all.

Him: Truly likable hero! Danger! Hand to hand combat!
Her: Well written! Emotional! Matt Damon!

Kill Bill
Synopsis: Hero (lady assassin). Bad guys. Revenge. Ass kicking. More ass kicking.

If you've never seen this movie (je m'excuse?!), prepare to be stunned. Stunned by its simple yet powerful plot, stunned by the colours, stunned by the martial arts, stunned by the sensory overload, stunned by the gorgeous visuals. Basically, you may finish the movie and wonder what just happened - and then you'll want to see it again. Do you sense favouritism? Cause it's true. Bonus: Volume II is a totally different experience, and just as faboolous.

Him: Revenge! Swords! Anime!
Her: Phenomenal woman hero! Beautiful cinematography!

Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Synopsis: Hero. Bad guys. Exotic locations. Adventure. Teamwork. Otherworldly awesomeness.

This flick is universally popular for a reason, you know. Even though you're aware of how things pan out in the end, you darling couples can cuddle on the couch - the dude, biting your nails when Indiana finds himself in a pile of snakes while the girl, cringing, reaches for a protective arm. Romantic, isn't it? Plus, you know, the movie is kind of crazy awesome and stuff, or whatever. Who hasn't wanted to be an Indiana Jones-like hero at some point in their life?

Him: Indiana Jones! Knives! Arch Nemesi!
Her: Harrison Ford! Shiny things! Good story!

Casino Royale
Synopsis: Hero (beefcake). Love interest (intelligent, sexy). Bad guys. Car chases and explosions. Ass kicking.

Those who doubted James Bond's latest depiction by Daniel Craig - haters to the left. The latest Bond is the man most dudes want to be and most females want to be with. Then there was Vesper Lynd, the love interest most girls want to be and most men want to be with. But in reality, many of us were too busy getting swept up in the incredible action sequences, dangerous predicaments and wonderful cinematography to notice that we're just dirty slobs on a couch. Maybe that's just me?

Him: Man's Man! Poker! Aston Martin!
Her: Man's Man! Cool as ice female lead! Amazing stunts!

Die Hard
Synopsis: Hero cop (beefcake). Bad guys. Hostages. Negotiating. Explosions and ass kicking.

Sometimes touted as the best action film of all time, Die Hard launched a sub-genre of flicks sticking the hero in a hostage situation while using wit and bad assery to get out. Bruce Willis' John McClane is a hero to men and likable by ladies despite being kind of an ass. It's a nail-biter, a roller coaster and the very definition of terrific. Basically, if this movie were a president, it would be Thrill Clinton.

Him: Bruce Willis! One-liners! Weaponry!
Her: Bruce Willis! Alan Rickman! Christmas!

What would you add the list? My personal faves are Terminator 2 and Face/Off, and I'm so furious that they're not mentioned. Who wrote this, anyway?! What a jerk.

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World Will Be More Like N.B.A.

To reassert its global pre-eminence, the United States men’s basketball team overhauled its program, stuffed its roster with N.B.A. stars and did everything but rewrite the rules and restripe the courts. That last part is coming, though.

Winning Olympic gold in Beijing depended partly on Team USA’s ability to cope with the unfamiliar geometry of the international game: a trapezoidal lane, a shallow 3-point arc and a contorted array of driving lanes.

But in two years, the trapezoid will be dead, the arc will be a little deeper and the international game will be a bit closer in style to the N.B.A.’s. The lane will become a rectangle, emulating the United States model. The arc will move to 6.75 meters (22.1 feet) — closer to the N.B.A. standard of 22 feet 9 inches — from 6.25 meters (20.5 feet).

The changes were among several adopted, to little fanfare, by the International Basketball Federation, known as FIBA, in April. The new rules take effect after the world championships in 2010, so they will be in place for the 2012 Olympics in London.

The intent is to sharpen the international game and to make it more uniform from one hemisphere to another, at all levels of play. But the changes will undoubtedly provide a subtle lift to a United States team that probably needs no help.

“I think it’s going back to our roots and will be more of an advantage to us,” said Tony Ronzone, USA Basketball’s director of international player personnel. He added, “It will help us and our game in international competition.”

Geometry has never been a major concern for Americans. The trapezoid lane has been part of the international game since the 1950s and did not stop United States men’s teams from winning gold medals in nearly every Olympics since then. Nor was it the primary reason the team stumbled to a bronze in 2004.

But the adoption of a rectangular lane and a deeper 3-point arc will give the international game a decidedly American look and could change the way the world plays the game.

The N.B.A., with a 16-foot-wide lane, has long been dominated by burly 7-footers who play with their back to the basket and score from the low blocks. FIBA’s trapezoidal lane, which spans 19 feet 8 inches along the baseline, keeps those players far from the basket, diminishing their size advantage. The short 3-point arc also makes it easy for guards to double-team the post and still recover to the perimeter.

“Post-ups are a little bit harder,” Chris Bosh, a center on the United States team, said in Beijing. “In the N.B.A., you can be a little more patient. Here, if you get it in the post, you have to be aware of guards collapsing and trying to swipe down on you to steal the ball.”

The different rules have bred a severe contrast in styles. The best United States-born centers are generally in the Wilt Chamberlain mold: big, powerful and effective around the basket. The European big man is typified by Dirk Nowitzki of Germany, a sleek 7-footer who is more comfortable on the perimeter.

The rectangular lane can be expected to encourage players to develop a post-up game.

“This obviously is going to change kind of the style of game, and probably give more room to the post-up players,” said Zoran Radovic, the development director for FIBA who formerly starred for Yugoslavia. “Every winning team in the N.B.A. has a dominant center. In Europe, a dominant center is not that much of an effect under current rules.”

Basketball officials in the United States welcomed the changes, although they did not specifically push for them.

“It’s also probably an endorsement of our game and our rules,” said Jerry Colangelo, the managing director of the senior national team for USA Basketball.

Although it appears that the international game is moving toward the American model, “that is not the way the FIBA board who made the decision actually felt about it,” said Patrick Baumann, the secretary general for FIBA. The goals of the association’s board, he said, were much broader than merely standardizing the game.

In FIBA’s view, the 3-point shot has become too common. In 1984, when the arc was added in international play, only 14 percent of all field-goal attempts were 3-pointers, Baumann said. Now, he added, that number is 40 percent and players routinely make 38 to 40 percent of them.

“The board felt that’s no longer now an exceptional shot,” Baumann said. “It felt something needed to be done.”

The board stopped short of adopting the N.B.A.’s deeper 3-point line because FIBA also governs women’s and youth basketball leagues.

FIBA is looking for the combination of a deeper arc and a narrower lane to help open up the floor and allow more movement.

“The game was becoming a little bit too crowded under the basket,” Baumann said.

Of the 213 nations under FIBA’s jurisdiction, only the United States uses the rectangular lane. Baumann said uniformity in the game was merely “the cherry on the cake.”

Not everyone believes the changes will benefit the United States and other teams (notably China) with dominant post-up players.

“I don’t really see a difference,” Sasha Pavlovic of Serbia, who is a guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, said of the rectangular lane.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas of Lithuania, a center for the Cavaliers, predicted that players around the world “will adjust pretty quickly” to the new lane.

Other rules differences mean that the style of the N.B.A. and the international game will remain distinct for a long time, Baumann said. Whatever advantages the United States may gain with these changes, he said, will be short-lived.

“You may feel it’s an advantage tomorrow,” he said, “but the day after tomorrow, all the teams will be on the same level, and the better will win.”

Pete Thamel contributed reporting from Beijing.

Team USA has already won hearts and minds in China

Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images

Team USA has elevated the image of the NBA with its play and sportsmanship at the 2008 Olympics.

BEIJING -- Win or lose Sunday against Spain, the members of the U.S. men's basketball team have been golden ambassadors for their country and their sport.

It happened so many times and in so many ways, no one could possibly count off how many hearts and minds they've won over -- both among the Chinese, and among other American athletes.

But a few random stories can help paint a picture of how gregarious and down-to-earth Team USA has been.

LeBron James said he has signed more than 1,000 autographs since arriving in Beijing, but he had given away only one pair of his sneakers. That happened earlier this week, when James looked up toward the balcony at Beijing Normal University, where the team was practicing, and saw a 12-year-old girl watching with her mother.

James motioned for her to come down, took her around to meet the other members of the team, took a photo with her (recounting the story Saturday, he remembered her name was Katherine), then removed his shoes, signed them and handed them over.

For Kobe Bryant, the aftermath of a simple handshake will stick in his memory.

"I was just walking out to the bus after a game," he said. "She was one of the volunteers, and she just started crying. That was a trip."

Bryant and his teammates set the tone for how they were going to act on their first night in town, when they arrived at their hotel, immediately went downstairs and said they wanted to go to the athletes' village to have a look around.

They were mobbed to such a degree that Chris Bosh said it was borderline scary, but they spent a couple of hours there, walking around and mingling with athletes from other countries -- just as they would do two nights later when they attended the Opening Ceremony and made it a point to work the crowd.

Four years ago in Athens, the American basketball players had isolated themselves on a balcony, away from the other athletes as the American federation was waiting to march into the stadium, and other athletes took such offense that they sought out journalists to tell the stories of how aloof and disconnected the basketball players had seemed.

Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images

Dwyane Wade was surprised to find a bottle of Gatorade with his picture on it for sale at the base of the Great Wall of China.

That '04 Athens team rubbed a lot of folks back in the United States the wrong way, too. One of its signature bad moments came when the players arrived at the arena to watch the U.S. women's team play and were shown on television not really paying attention, sitting in a row with their headphones on, off in their own worlds. Away from the cameras, they were standoffish as well, such as the time in Belgrade on a pre-Olympic tour when they dined at a reception with the president of Serbia and stayed huddled in a corner, offending their hosts.

"The tough thing about that is it wasn't everybody, but we were guilty by association," recalled Carlos Boozer, one of four holdovers from the '04 team. "Hopefully we can change people's perspectives about us because we don't want people thinking we're jerks or a-------. We want people thinking we're representing our country correctly and are doing it the right way.

"We weren't told we needed to fix our image; this is just who we are. We're good people anyway."

One of the better stories to make the rounds Saturday as the Americans prepared to face Spain in the gold-medal game (2:30 a.m. ET Sunday) was a game of P.I.G. played between Bryant and Adam Wright of the U.S. water polo team, which also trained at BNU.

First shot: A dunk. "P" for Wright.

Second shot: A 3-pointer from the left wing. "I" for Wright.

Third shot: A launch from behind the backboard, up and over the glass and through the net. "G" for Wright, although he at least got a piece of the rim on his attempt.

Several players have made appearances on Chinese television's late-night talk show programs, and officials who travel with the team each day said the number of autographs and sneakers given out to young volunteers, security guards, police and military have been too numerous to tally.

Michael Redd described an endless stream of fans following him through a mall as he went shopping. People were asking him to stop and pose for a quick picture, or thrusting a piece of paper and a pen toward him for an autograph.

"They know all our stats, they know where we come from, they know everything about us," he said. "It's amazing -- it really is -- just how popular basketball has gotten. It really has gone global."

Still, in a country of 1.3 billion, there are some who remain oblivious to the stardom of the American players they have randomly bumped into. Take, for instance, the pair of middle-aged women running a concession stand at the base of the Badaling section of the Great Wall.

They met Dwyane Wade and had no idea who he was … even as he pointed to his own face on the bottle of Gatorade they were trying to sell him.

Wade recounted the story:

"Once I get down from my long journey, like a 45-minute walk, now I'm thirsty. So I'm looking for something to drink, and lo and behold I see a Gatorade. And I'm like: 'Can I get a Gatorade?' and they asked for some crazy amount of money, like 3,000 [yuan], and I looked at it and I saw my picture, and I looked at them and said, 'This is me,' and she was like, 'No, no. Money!' So I have to come up with the money. I had to buy three or four of them because of how thirsty I was, and I didn't even haggle her down. The kid in me came out. I was shocked to see my face on it. I've been with Gatorade [as an endorser] a couple years, but it just shocked me at that moment that I was there, on the bottle. So I invested into Gatorade as well."

If all goes well Sunday against Spain, this team's legacy will be the redemption it brought to USA Basketball after three straight international tournaments that ended with someone else winning gold medals: Yugoslavia at the 2002 World Championship in Indianapolis, when the Americans placed sixth; Argentina at the 2004 Olympics, when the Americans took bronze; Spain at the 2006 World Championship, when Team USA finished third.

But what will stick in the heads of the players who competed are the snapshots of the people they met, the places they've seen and the treatment they've received.

"The way they've treated us over here, that's what's going into the memory bank," Tayshaun Prince said. "People are treating us like we're on top of the world -- which we're not."

But the top of the world was only one more victory away, and the Americans were hoping to finish this tournament in the same manner in which they've played it -- with one last display of unquestioned supremacy.

"We want to win, we want to dominate and show we can still dominate the game," Wade said. "I know myself, as a fan, I want to see a good game; I don't want a see a team win by 20.

"But right now I'm not a fan, so I'm not worried about that."

iLuv 9200 iPod speaker system

When you want to combine your old favorite CDs with the latest iPod technology, a device like the iLuv 9200 iPod speaker system comes in very handy. iLuv call their product a “vertical audio system”, as it features 4 CD bays on each side of the console. The CD bys have sliding doors created from transparent plastic, which ads well to the white surface of the iLuv 9200. The iPod docking station and the FM/AM radio bring the final touches to this interesting home entertainment option.


Although there is no subwoofer attached to the iLuv 9200 iPod speaker system, you do get the option of adding one via a dedicated output. The speakers can be wither placed on detachable stands or mounted on the walls. The speaker cord is long enough so you don’t have to worry about running out of it in larger rooms. The upper part of the iLuv 9200 iPod speaker system also houses the iPod dock. The dock is not visible when not in use and it also serves as a charger for your iPod.

The system works well if you’re not after the best quality out there. The price is also on the budget side. The plastics and materials used to create it are ok, but the remote control is a bit too large. Some noise is heard when the CD doors are opening up, but other than that the iLuv 9200 iPod speaker system offers above average quality. The sound quality coming from the iLuv 9200 iPod speaker system is, however, very good. There is unnoticeable sound resonance and the device is prompt to answer remote control commands.

While the iLuv 9200 iPod speaker system is not packed with the latest in iPod technology and it has a few flaws that will probably annoy users every now and then, it is a device that delivers, for the kind of price it sells for (£160 in the United Kingdom). Direct competitors of the iLuv 9200 iPod speaker system should also be looked at when shopping for this sort of home entertainment electronic device.

Dunks, Mom, and Apple Pie

The marketing genius of USA Basketball's "Redeem Team."

On Aug. 11, USA Basketball formally sought to trademark the nickname "Redeem Team," including, in its application, a list of 64 pieces of apparel that might one day incorporate the phrase. Among them: Redeem Team hosiery; Redeem Team basketball shoes and Redeem Team basketball sneakers; Redeem Team aprons; Redeem Team undergarments; Redeem Team beach coverups, Redeem Team bathing suit coverups, and Redeem Team bathing suit wraps; Redeem Team bikinis and Redeem Team tankinis; Redeem Team "baby bibs not of paper"; and, of course, the Redeem Team "novelty headwear with attached wigs."

This has been the story all along with the so-called Redeem Team, which has vivisected the field in Beijing, including a 101-81 dismantling of Argentina on Friday morning. The Americans have played brilliantly, bird-dogging the ball, breaking out into transition, and shooting opponents out of their zone defenses. The Redeem Team's greater triumph in these Games, though, has been one of marketing, branding, and message discipline. With assistance from Nike, which partnered with NBA Entertainment to make a five-part Team USA documentary called "Road to Redemption," USA Basketball has relentlessly peddled the notion that this new bunch has embraced the virtuous and selfless habits of international ball. The New York Times helpfully called it an "extreme makeover," a clean break with the Dream Teams of recent vintage, which, to hear everyone tell it, had John Wayne Gacy running point and the Bloods and the Crips coming off the pine. "We needed to change the culture," said Jerry Colangelo, the managing director of USA Basketball.

If you believe any of that talk, I have a genuine Redeem Team tankini to sell you. Surely, by now no one reckons USA Basketball (the governing body that selects and manages the American Olympic team) to be anything but the NBA wrapped in an American flag. (Those with lingering doubts will please note that the preceding clothing list also appears verbatim, right down to the novelty headwear, in the bid by Sonics owners, since dropped, to trademark the name "Oklahoma City Supersonics." They will also note that NBC plays John Tesh's old NBA theme music during every game.) USA Basketball may stress its newfound adaptability to the international game, and the players may once again pose for post-game photos with their opponents (just like 1992, only this time choreographed by a film crew from NBA Entertainment), but in reality this has precious little to do with spreading global goodwill. From here, at least, these gestures look a lot more like signal flares sent up by the NBA to appease its allegedly disgruntled fans back home.

It's not as if the players' images need any buffing abroad. Right now, there is amateur video on YouTube of Kobe Bryant eating french fries in the Olympic Village; at last check, it's been watched just south of 25,000 times. When Bryant tried to take in a U.S. women's basketball game recently, he was mobbed by Chinese fans along the steps of the stadium and barely made it out of the scrum with his smirk intact. His jersey, we've been told time and again, is the top seller in China, outranking even Yao Ming's. (His unruly popularity in the Middle Kingdom may not be as mystifying as it seems. A friend in Beijing says that the idea of Kobe as the next MJ, having long ago been dismissed stateside, still resonates thereabouts, especially in TV commercials.) The team was even swarmed at a side entrance to the Great Wall, of all places. It's a funny quirk of Americans. We need foreigners to remind us of our occasional native genius, like the Rolling Stones with the blues or Jerry Lewis with the French.

Of course, the sporting press now judges the character of an athlete by the kabuki he performs in front of a television camera. And in that respect, the Redeem Team has been especially brilliant. The whole team sounds alike, which is no mean feat for a group that includes the genuinely funny Chris Bosh and Bible-thumpers like Dwight Howard and Michael Redd. In post-game interviews, they all take great pains to mention defense and ball movement and, in an occasional flight of fancy, the glory of hearing your own anthem from the medal stand. They talk about the rest of the Olympics, about hanging with the karate guys. They have made a point of being seen at other events: NBC's cameras have caught Jason Kidd at beach volleyball, LeBron and Kobe at the Water Cube.

The media have swallowed it whole. As one typical column put it: "The big names signed on—Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade—and they checked their egos at the door. Jerry Colangelo built the team and Mike Krzyzewski, a college coach, molded it. By the time they came to Beijing, they were a dedicated unit determined to show the world not just that American NBA players are the best in the world, but also that they're not the self-centered, spoiled brats that many people thought they were."

This is all Colangelo's handiwork. He has made a few substantive reforms. Upon taking the helm of USA Basketball in 2005, he required his carefully selected group of players to make a three-year commitment to the team, thereby allowing for more continuity and more practice time than in years past. He also wisely jettisoned the 2004 Team USA coach, Larry Brown, who still doesn't get nearly enough criticism for his and his squad's surly and indifferent performance in Athens. Yes, the team was a collection of mismatched parts—Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury pounding the air out of ball in the same backcourt—but Brown threw the match in the barrel of gasoline. Among many things, he inexplicably benched LeBron James, the American player who best embodies the supposed international ethic of all-around play, thought to be a lost art in the NBA by people who haven't watched a game since the Reagan administration. (Seeing Argentina's Carlos Delfino fire away like some World B. Free of the Pampas should force everyone to rethink the international-equals-unselfish stereotype.)

Otherwise, Colangelo's true accomplishment has been to sell the ridiculous idea that his team comes from a finer moral stock. Colangelo, who personally interviewed prospective players (and an unctuous plutocrat who represents his country far more obnoxiously than Derrick Coleman ever did), speaks fondly of his meeting in 2005 with guard Michael Redd. It seems that Redd, having driven from Milwaukee to Chicago, came into the executive's hotel room wearing sweatpants but carrying a garment bag. He excused himself, went to the bathroom, and emerged in a suit. "Pretty darn impressive," Colangelo has said of the interview. "In that kind of setting ... you find out a lot about individuals."

Which explains the anointing of Duke's Mike Krzyzewski. The sort of taskmaster who tends to grate on professional players, he is nevertheless perfectly tailored to Colangelo's purposes. Where Chuck Daly, coach of the original Dream Team, was a sort of genial uncle to a group of veterans that needed little guidance (and famously, not a single timeout), Krzyzewski and his towering persecution complex are well-suited to the kind of young players who masochistically self-identify as the Redeem Team.

More importantly, Krzyzewski telegraphs to the American audience a deep seriousness about Playing Basketball the Right Way (though LeBron's presence alone should be all anyone needed), not to mention a former West Point cadet's more muscular sense of patriotism. "Coach K and I were having dinner last summer and talking about ways to connect this team with America," Colangelo told the Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith. "We talked about engaging ourselves [with the military]: Can this become their team? America's team? It seemed like a natural."

And it's worked. Both men, with help from Nike and the players themselves, have managed to sell the spurious idea that Team USA is a Boy Scout troop in basketball shorts: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, reverent. They sold this Redeem Team stuff so hard that a man in St. Cloud, Fla., named Tony Fletcher got it into his head to trademark the phrase, apparently a few hours before the thought occurred to USA Basketball. "I kept hearing Redeem Team all the time," Fletcher told me. He is now looking to partner with an apparel company.

LeBron playing team basketball while Kobe plays...Kobe basketball

Dusan Vranic / APAs the USA rolls over its Olympic competition, LeBron James is clearly demonstrating he is a better all-around player than Kobe Bryant -- and not just because of his better statistics.

BEIJING -- Heading into these Olympic Games, as American men's basketball began its great image overhaul, two questions lingered over the group that has become known as the Redeem Team.

The first was whether the United States could win the gold medal. And while that will not be answered until Sunday, one does not have to be an oracle to figure it out.

The second was how the alpha-dog dynamic between the planet's two brightest stars, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, would play out. That answer, too, has been as clear as the U.S. dominance in this tournament.

From his persistent vocal leadership to his rugged rebounding to his ability to drive to the hoop at will, James has outplayed Bryant. He has played multiple positions, emerged as the vocal leader and has better statistics.

And while Bryant has not played poorly, he has continued to play like he is on his NBA team instead of adapting and adjusting to his more talented Olympic teammates. James has stood out precisely because he has blended in so well.

"I knew it had to come from someone," James said of his leadership role. "It doesn't matter how good individuals are, if you don't have a leader, it's not going to be right. I took that responsibility from Day 1, saying I'm going to be the vocal leader and I'm going to be the leader of this team."

Bryant, meanwhile, has looked a bit lost. He has seemingly yet to realize that although taking 16-foot fadeaways or pull-up 3-pointers in transition instead of passing to Luke Walton or Trevor Ariza may be a smart play in the NBA taking those shots rather than pass to Dwyane Wade or Carmelo Anthony with Team USA is not always wise.

Bryant had his best game of the Olympics on Wednesday, scoring 25 points as the United States beat Australia, 116-85. He had his best half of the games, too, scoring nine points during the Americans' 14-0 run to start the second half. In Friday's semifinal round, the United States will play Manu Ginobili and Argentina, which beat Greece, 80-78 in their quarterfinal, on Wednesday.

Even with his hot second-half shooting, Bryant still has not quite bought into coach Mike Krzyzewski's team mantra of taking "USA shots." It's been a subtle way for Krzyzewski to preach to his players that the shots they take in NBA team may not necessarily be the best ones for this team.

It is hard to criticize the play of the national team. It has won its six games here by an average of 32 points. But when the offense has stagnated, as in the first quarter Wednesday, when Australia trailed by just 25-24, it has typically been with Bryant forcing shots. Is that trying to find pimples on the Mona Lisa? Perhaps. But the numbers will show just how much better and more consistent James has played.

James has better statistics in every relevant category. He has averaged more points (15.8 to 14.7) by taking 13 fewer shots and nearly half as many 3-point shots as Bryant (36 to 19). James has grabbed more rebounds (31 to 17), dished more assists (25 to 10) and turned the ball over less often (12 to 10). And he has been to the free-throw line more than twice as often (20 to nine), reflective of James' greatest strength here and Bryant's greatest weakness.

James has shown that no defender in international play can keep him from driving to the basket, so he has barreled down anyone in his path. Bryant has played with too much finesse, flipping up turnaround shots and 3-pointers instead of attacking the basket or looking to pass to his teammates.

"For me, I'm a complete team player," James said. "I'm probably the ultimate team player. I'll sacrifice whatever for the success of the team. Kobe is a great, great, great player. It's not hard for me and Kobe to get along because of my game and his game."

If the great NBA bar debate over who is the best player in the world was based on Olympic play, it would not be much of a debate.

Perhaps what has been most impressive about James is his selflessness. He did a full body dive to save a loose ball in the third quarter against Australia. He has played out of position, at power forward, for much of the time and has given the United States the defense and rebounding production it has needed.

"I'm proud of him," Krzyzewski said. "I'm really pleased with where he's at."

Thanks largely to James's contributions, the Americans are very likely to be pleased at where they end up in this tournament. No one more than James. Not counting last summer's FIBA Tournament of the Americas, he has not won a title since he was a high school senior in Ohio.

"This means a lot more to me than anything," James said. "Representing my country and being out here playing against some of the best athletes in the world, this is big."

And he has played like winning the gold is bigger than he is.

by Pete Thamel, New York Times News Service

Wednesday August 20, 2008, 11:09 PM

Obstacles to Repeating as Champions

We all know that it is hard for teams to repeat as champions. None of the Celtics championship teams of the 70's or 80's repeated as champions. They won in 1974 and 1976 and in 1975 and 1977, they didn't even make it to the finals. They had some lean years from 1977 until 1981 when they won their next championship, Once again, after winning in 1981, they failed to make the finals in 1982 and 1983. They won the championship once again in 1984 but in 1985, they lost to the Lakers. They won once again in 1986, but then came the 22 year drought until they won again last year. They had very good teams the year following each of those championships, but still weren't able to repeat as champions.

The Celtics are favored to win the East again next season. Here is what Marty Burns said in his Eastern Conference preview:

1. Celtics: The loss of veteran forward James Posey (via free agency to the Hornets) could hurt, especially come playoff time, but for now Boston has to be considered the East favorite again. General manager Danny Ainge re-signed key reserves Eddie House and Tony Allen, and Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen should be even better with another year together (assuming they're not too worn out from last season's long playoff run). The bottom line is that the defending champs didn't make any significant moves ... but they didn't need to.

Even without James Posey, the Celtics should be better this season. As Burns said, with a year together under their belt, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett should be better together. Ray Allen finally figured out where he fit in the scheme of things in the Finals and I expect him to pick up where he left off last year. The domination in the finals was the result of the three of them having the experience of the year together.

Not only will the three stars play better together, but Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins will be a year better. Tony Allen was finally coming on in the Finals and this could be the year he puts it all together. Eddie House returns and is determined to be better this season. Both Big Baby and Leon Powe are working hard this summer and will be improved. Just the experience of the playoffs and the Finals will make this team better. Add to this the addition of two very promising and athletic draft picks and on paper it seems as though the Celtics should repeat as champions.

But, there are several things working against any NBA champions repeating. One is the fact that all the other teams spend their summer trying to match up with the champions and make moves with an eye toward how they can beat the champs. Every team in the Atlantic Division are making big moves. The Raptors brought in Jermaine O'Neal to give their team a defensive presence to match up with the Celtics front line. The Sixers brought in Elton Brand to try to match up with Kevin Garnett. The Nets may have gone backwards by going young with Yi and breaking up their big three of Kidd, Carter and Jefferson. The Knicks are still making changes but will be a much different team than they were in 2007-08.

The Cavs have brought in a veteran point guard who can share the scoring load with LeBron. They came close to beating the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semi-finals and it is possible that the moves that they made this off season could be enough catch up with the Champions. The Pistons haven't made any major moves, but there are rumors swirling around them that they still may make a trade. The Bulls added the number one pick to a team that underachieved last season. The Heat should be much tougher with a healthy Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion along with the addition of Michael Beasley. So, the competition will be much stronger and the Celtics will be playing with a bullseye on their backs. Every team is out to defeat the champions and will play their best against them.

Even with the improvements in the other teams and the fact that they go all out to defeat the champs, the biggest challenge may come from within the Champions themselves. Last year at this time, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were all in Boston and working out along with the majority of the younger players who had been there much of the summer. They had a hunger right from the beginning to get that ring that had alluded all three of them throughout their careers. They were on a mission to win the title right from the beginning.

Fast forward to this off season and from all the reports, Paul Pierce is still celebrating the championship. He is in Las Vegas coming home from a club at 3:30 PM. He is hosting Mike and Mike. He is working out some, but no where near the extent he worked out last off season. There has been no word from Kevin Garnett and knowing him, he is already deep into his off season work out regimen. But, he isn't working with the other two as a team like they did last season. Ray Allen has been taking it easy and playing a lot of golf and that in itself isn't a bad thing. He needs to get some rest after the playoff run, but the point is, there just isn't that drive and that hunger like they had last summer.

The Star Tribune reports this:

Starting today and continuing for two weeks, the Timberwolves will have nine of their top players -- including Al Jefferson, Sebastian Telfair, Kevin Love, Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes, Corey Brewer, Chris Richard and Mike Miller -- working out every day at Target Center. They will be around until Labor Day, take 10 days off, then resume workouts out until training camp opens.

It was the Celtics last season who had the majority of their players in town working out together. This season teams like the Timberwolves have that hunger for a ring and are getting an early start. There have been a couple of the Celtics' young players in town all summer working hard, but where last season they were all there, this season the 3 stars have had their hunger satisfied with a championship and they don't have that urgency that drew them all together last season and that is bringing teams like the Timberwolves together now.

Finally, there is luck. The Celtics had a couple of minor injuries, but nothing major that would knock a major player out for a long time. Injuries can knock a contender out of the race no matter how good the team is or how many stars it has. If they can't play due to injury, they aren't going to win. The 1986 Celtics were virtually injury free with just a few minor setbacks. The 1987 team was beset with injury after injury as their aging stars struggled to stay healthy. For some reason, it is difficult for contending teams to remain free of major injuries two seasons in a row. The Celtics did it last season, can they do it again this year? Only time will tell.

On paper and in most of the rankings, the Celtics will be favored to win it all again. But, will they have the hunger to put it all out there on the court every game like they did last season? So far, they aren't showing the same hunger they did last season to come together early and work as a team toward that goal. Can they get past the improved competition? Can they stay healthy a second season in a row? A lot of questions must be answered before the Celtics can be crowned repeat champions.

August 18, 2008 by FLCeltsFan 6:01 PM

The Top Five IF's in the West

At the beginning of the week we looked at the Eastern Conference's biggest question marks. Today we look at the powerhouse conference that is the West. Last year was the most competitive that the conference has ever been, and it looks like we're going to have another extremely close race again this season. While some teams have improved dramatically, some have stayed right where they were at last season. In a conference that is always improving, we could see some of the traditional powers from the past few years fall from the top. Here's a look at the West's five biggest IF's:

IF Andrew Bynum picks up where he left off…
It took Bynum's knee a lot longer to heal than originally expected, but he has finally been cleared and is on track to be ready for training camp. Despite the fact that the Lakers came within two games of winning the NBA championship,it was obvious at times that they really missed Bynum's ability to rebound, block shots, and finish around the rim. With a healthy Bynum this Laker team could be very scary, especially if Odom makes a smooth transition back to the small forward spot. There's a lot of talk about a dynasty reforming in LA, but it hinges on Bynum being able to fit in and stay healthy.

IF Houston can stay healthy…
With the recent acquisition of Ron Artest this finally appears to be the year that Houston will live up to expectations. On paper they are close, if not even with the Los Angeles Lakers. The biggest issue with Houston though is staying healthy, something they have been incapable of doing during the McGrady-Yao era. Yao's early return from a broken foot to play in the Olympics certainly doesn't help the cause, but he has looked pretty impressive so far. The other wildcard is keeping Ron Artest in-line, but this Houston team is capable of making some major noise this season. An NBA Championship is a definite possibility should this team be able to stay healthy and get on the same page.

IF Portland can successfully integrate three rookies…
Portland's success was one of the biggest surprises in the NBA last season. The most frightening part about it was that they did it all without the number 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, Greg Oden. As if his return wasn't enough, Jerryd Bayless and Rudy Fernadez will also be joining him in Portland this year. This may be the first time that a team has had three viable candidates for the Rookie of the Year award. While last year's Portland team was very good, the success of their three rookies will make or break their season. They need all three to step in and contribute right away in order to hang in the West. Considering Oden's amazing talent, Bayless' impressive play in Vegas, and Fernadez's strong showing in Beijing, expect Portland to be a playoff team in 2009.

IF age has finally caught up with the Spurs…
The San Antonio Spurs have already cemented themselves as a dynasty and the team of the decade along with Los Angeles Lakers, but their championship days may be over. They are still one of the contenders in the West, but the rest of the conference has made up a lot of ground – and a couple of teams have even passed them up. The Spurs failed to make a big splash this offseason, despite trying to do so. Corey Maggette, J.R. Smith, and Jannero Pargo were all high on the Spurs' priority list, but financially they simply couldn't obtain them. Instead they settled for signing Roger Mason Jr. and bringing back Kurt Thomas and Michael Finley. This team remains one of the oldest in the league and they have only slightly improved. It's hard to imagine them returning to the Western Conference Finals if they don't make some additional changes.

IF Dallas falls out of contention…
You won't find a more competitive owner than Mark Cuban, but his best efforts to put together a contender in Dallas seem to have come up a bit short. The trade for Jason Kidd continues to look like a tremendous mistake, and Josh Howard's actions away from the court have really brought his status into question. We know one thing though, Cuban is going to do everything he can to put a winning team on the floor. If come the February trade deadline Dallas is struggling expect them to be extremely active. They have a staggering $32 million coming off the books next season, and could use that to make a deal with a team looking for cap space. Dallas is definitely a team to keep an eye on this season. Not because they're going to be overly successful, but because some major changes will almost certainly be looked at.

SORRY ABOUT SUNS…

James Lawton: Wenger betrayed as the last bastion of sanity descends into temple of gloom

Though it is 2000-odd years since the money dealers had their tables turned over in the temple, and only less than a month before the start of a new Premier League season, isn't it surely time for a similar gesture?

Transformers Optimus Prime iPod dock

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Dream Team or Redeem Team?

BEIJING – With each successive blowout, each complete manhandling of competition exponentially greater than Magic, Michael and Larry could have fathomed, the question about the current USA men’s basketball team isn’t about redemption, it’s about greatness.

As in, is this the greatest basketball team ever assembled?

Could they even take the original Dream Team?

Immediate reactions of blasphemy aside, the debate is certain to heat up if Team USA continues its blitzkrieg of the Beijing Olympics and wins the gold.

The team play has been extraordinary, the defense suffocating and even the outside shooting precise. On top of its game, the 2008 team is a tour de force to behold, its 119-82 annihilation of world champion Spain being the finest indication that this, at the very least, is the best Olympic team since 1992. And that includes a rather dominant 1996 U.S. club.

“They wanted to show everyone they are superior, and they did,” shell-shocked Spanish center Pau Gasol said.

1992 DREAM TEAM
NAME	POS.	HT	WT	AFFILIATION
Charles Barkley	F	6-6	250	Phoenix Suns
Larry Bird	F	6-9	220	Boston Celtics
Clyde Drexler	G	6-7	222	Portland Trail Blazers
Patrick Ewing	C	7-0	240	New York Knicks
Earvin Johnson	G	6-9	220	Los Angeles Lakers
Michael Jordan	G	6-6	198	Chicago Bulls
Christian Laettner	F	6-11	235	Duke University
Karl Malone	F	6-9	256	Utah Jazz
Chris Mullin	F	6-7	215	Golden State Warriors
Scottie Pippen	G/F	6-7	210	Chicago Bulls
David Robinson	C	7-1	235	San Antonio Spurs
John Stockton	G	6-1	175	Utah Jazz
2008 REDEEM TEAM
NAME	POS.	HT.	WT.	AFFILIATION
Carmelo Anthony	F	6-8	230	Denver Nuggets
Carlos Boozer	F	6-9	258	Utah Jazz
Chris Bosh	F	6-10	230	Toronto Raptors
Kobe Bryant	G	6-6	220	Los Angeles Lakers
Dwight Howard	F-C	6-11	265	Orlando Magic
LeBron James	F	6-8	240	Cleveland Cavaliers
Jason Kidd	G	6-4	210	Dallas Mavericks
Chris Paul	G	6-0	170	New Orleans Hornets
Tayshaun Prince	F	6-9	205	Detroit Pistons
Michael Redd	G	6-6	215	Milwaukee Bucks
Dwayne Wade	G	6-4	212	Miami Heat
Deron Williams	G	6-3	205	Utah Jazz

Superior even to the original squad? Here’s why the argument, first broached by Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post, is at the very least a valid one.

The 1992 team didn’t need to bring its “best” team to Barcelona to roll through the Olympics. USA Basketball selected it in part based on personality, marketing and even lifetime achievement.

Magic Johnson had been retired for a year. The Larry Bird of ‘92 was long past his prime, six years removed from his final league most valuable player award.

John Stockton was chosen over Isiah Thomas because Michael Jordan didn’t want Thomas around. Twelfth-man Christian Laettner, the NCAA player of the year, was selected as a nod to the past days of collegians representing the country.

Those four players averaged the fewest points on the team. Not that any of it mattered. The U.S. outscored opponents by an average of 43.8 points per game and became a phenomenon in the process.

In 2008 there is no such luxury, not with the improved play of the rest of the world.

The final players on the current U.S. team are Tayshaun Prince and Michael Redd. Prince is a defensive stopper with his pterodactyl-like wing span. Redd is a dead-on outside shooter.

All 12 of the current American players are either in their prime or about to enter it. This team is younger, quicker and certainly more focused, mostly because it needs to be.

Comparing results at these games is almost futile. The 1992 team could party the night away in Barcelona, roll out of bed and still win by 40. There have been no reports of such a thing here, where preparation is paramount.

“We realize that we made a sacrifice to come out here, and part of it is our bodies need to sleep,” said Carlos Boozer. “This is what we signed up for. Let’s go do whatever it takes to get it. If it takes leaving the arena at one in the morning to get the gold medal, we’ll [do it to] get the gold medal.”

The thing is, had they needed to be, the 1992 team would’ve been just as focused. Jordan would have assured that.

If anything tilts the balance forever in the original team’s advantage, it is MJ. In the summer of 1992, he was 29 years old and in the middle of winning six NBA championships and five NBA MVPs, numbers that could’ve been higher had he not chosen to play baseball for a season and a half.

He is undeniably not only the greatest player in the history of the game, but arguably its greatest crunch-time player and, along with Bill Russell, the best at simply finding ways to win. If it came down to a final shot, who’s betting against him?

The current team, as talented as it is, would have no logical answer.

Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, considered the three best players and outrageously gifted in their own right, are all a step down from MJ.

However, the idea of Kobe defending Jordan, his idol, would be intriguing.

Conversely, the 1992 team has nothing quite like the physical freak that is the 6-foot-8, 240-pound LeBron. Scottie Pippen on him would be a hellacious matchup, though.

As good as the perimeter talent on the 1992 team was – especially Jordan, Pippen, Clyde Drexler and knock-down shooter Chris Mullin – the current squad is deeper and certainly capable of its own fireworks.

It is inside where the 1992 team would hold a significant advantage and likely determine the game.

The Dream Team’s post combinations were breathtaking – Patrick Ewing and David Robinson at center and Charles Barkley and Karl Malone at power forward, all in their prime. The current group of Dwight Howard, a tender 21 years old, Chris Bosh and Boozer would be overwhelmed and perhaps systematically fouled out. Carmelo Anthony, an uninterested defender, would have to be counted on here to help.

The only way for the current team to win would be to push the ball, score in transition and find a way to prevent the 1992 club from dumping it down low.

Could they do it?

The most difficult thing to determine is effort level. The 1992 team didn’t need it. This team is focused almost exclusively on it, especially on the defensive end.

“For 40 minutes we (want) to be nonstop movement and chaos,” said Chris Paul. “That’s what we try to do. We wreck havoc. Every time down we’re all over the point guards. Our big men are up, we’re not relaxing.”

In a single elimination game, that may or may not be enough.

“You will see a team of professionals in the Olympics again,” 1992 U.S. coach Chuck Daly said at the time, “but I don’t think you’ll see another team quite like this.”

If anything, you could argue that while the 1992 version may remain the greatest team ever assembled and one that would be favored in a hypothetical matchup, no team has ever played the game at a higher level than the current U.S. team.

By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports