While they'll probably have to find a new coach for the next time out, it looks like the Olympic team will likely still have NBA players: David Stern and the NBA have not been able to reach agreement with FIBA, and obviously these things don't come together quickly.
This time around, the U.S. has had a shortage of big men, not that it's slowed them very much to date. But has anyone stopped to consider this?
Anthony Davis is sure to be invited, as is Kyrie Irving. But let's consider for a moment the impact of possibly inviting John Henson: what happens to the defense when you pair Henson and Davis? Absolutely no inside game for opponents, that's what.
And you'll have Irving dropping the ball in their laps for easy money.
So today the U.S. gets Argentina again, for the third time in less than a month. People will naturally focus on the score in the last game, which the U.S. won handily, 126-97. But we'd urge you to consider two things before investing too much hope into that:
1) Six out of eight quarters have been quite close.
2) Luis Scola's comment after this week's game, where he said that no one was going to beat the U.S. if they scored 126 points.
3) We'll toss this in for the bonus round: think Carmelo Anthony is going to be pissed?
Let's back up though, to bullet #1: for the most part, Argentina has kept up, and part of the reason why they got blown out in the final game of pool play is that the U.S. got mad with the chippy play, not least of all Facundo Campazzo's low blow against Anthony, who, as we say, is likely to play with a certain level of irritation.
As for Scola, not to go all Sherlock on you, but it's pretty clear from his comments that his coach is speaking through him, albeit a bit cryptically, and that the idea was to slow the U.S down (and will be again).
Easier said that done of course; no one has slowed this team down much at all.
Here's a thorough look at how Argentina will come at the U.S. by Zach Lowe.
Still, the problems remain the same: Argentina is a superb team, though aging, and they already face a talent deficit, made worse by angering the vastly more talented Americans, who, we suspect, are going to want to put their foot down early.
Aside from unfortunately angering the players, whatever is said publicly, those who follow Duke closely know that Coach K is (typically) far more competitive than his players and does not take kindly to slights or insults or physical provocations.
We will be very surprised if the U.S. doesn't come out with a ferocious intensity.
By the way, how might the Dwight Howard trade affect the game? It has an immediate effect on Andre Iguodala and a lesser one on Kobe Bryant. Just food for thought.