For the US the scoring came form varied sources but the biggest game came from Jason Kidd. He had been quite for most of the tournament but poured in seven assists.
Despite shooting poorly, Anthony led the US in scoring 21 points, mostly on the strength of hitting all 13 of his free throws. That was a theme for the US as they took 36 shots from the charity stripe and hit 26.
Seven US players scored ten or more points including three off the bench while Both Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh grabbed at least nine boards.
The game had special significance for several US players who four years ago were eliminated by this Argentine team in this stage of the tournament. It was the first time US professionals were knocked out of an Olympics and set in motion a series of changes in the Team USA program.
One More Challenge ahead
The last thing standing between the Redeem Team and the redemption it is seeking is the talented yet somewhat erratic team from Spain. These teams have already played in first stage and the US won in a rout.
This game will be a chance for Spanish vengeance since the US upset a 5-0 Spanish team in the quarterfinals in 2004, denying a very good squad the chance to medal.
The Spanish style of play however makes them less of a challenge than Argentina, Greece and maybe even Australia would have been.
First the Spanish like to run and play up-and-down basketball. This can cause problems for teams used to playing at a slower pace but the US likes to run and get more individual match-ups where their talent advantage can shine through. Unless Spainkeeps the turnovers way down, this modus operandi could back fire.
Likewise, the Spanish press will do more harm than good for them. The US has three great point guards, a great point forward (LeBron James) and a shooting guard who can help break the press (Kobe Bryant). The US simply will not be flustered, rattled or warn down by any kind of pressure defense.
Furthermore this philosophy creates a large amount of open space on the floor and the US thrives in open space. They have trouble with tightly packed defenses that can jump passing lanes and giving them more space only plays into their hands.
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