Summer Olympics 2012: Does USA Basketball Have Enough Size?

The U.S. Olympic men's basketball team has only one true center on their roster—Tyson Chandler. After that, they're a much smaller team.

While the 2008 version of Team USA featured Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer to bang down low and play center, this year's team doesn't have that luxury.

While Chandler, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, is solid down low, he cannot play every minute of every game. Who's going to spell him off the bench?

The only bigs Team USA has on the roster are Kevin Love and Blake Griffin. Love is a power forward who likes to shoot and move around. Griffin is known more for his dunks than his defensive prowess. Both will play center, but they have not played much of that position in the NBA.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski didn't seem too concerned about the lack of size: [via Washington Post]

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“I think it has the potential to be that if we learn to use our versatility. It’s a more versatile team than 2008. Now does that translate into being better?” coach Mike Krzyzewski said Sunday. “Although we don’t have the center, that team didn’t have Durant or Westbrook. So it’s a different team and we’ll see if it becomes better, but it can be. It could be.”

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Coach K is indicating that this team will have to be more explosive offensively to compensate for the lack of a true pivot. Adding Durant and Westbrook is a start.

While most of the world doesn't have low-post threats to compete, there is one team that does: Spain.

Spain features the Gasol brothers (Pau and Marc) and Serge Ibaka down low. In 2008, Spain was within four points with two-and-a-half minutes to go in the gold-medal game before USA pulled away. They did not have Ibaka in that game.

Spain is the only real threat for USA. Most international teams are more concerned with shooting the ball than posting up.

USA should waltz into the gold-medal game, where a rematch with Spain is very possible.

If that happens, then it will be an epic battle. Chandler will have to play a lot of minutes, and a combination of Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony will have to do their part in the post to help out. 

While having Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh would certainly make this team better, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Love and Blake Griffin can make up for that. Being able to play James and Anthony down low helps, too.

They only have one traditional center, but they do have enough size. Love and Griffin are both 6'10". James and Anthony are both 6'8".

The size is there, even if it isn't in the traditional role. USA will have to battle hard against Spain, but they have enough offensive weapons to make it work.