Yesterday afternoon, the World Basketball Festival hit the Big Apple as Team USA hosted France in a tune-up for the World Basketball Championships. I was fortunate enough to represent The Hoop Doctors at the event. The crowd outside of Madison Square Garden was excited about this sold out game. From people with tickets to those trying to buy them from guys trying to sell them on the Garden steps, people were clamoring to get inside. It was packed and judging from the random people I spoke with outside, they hope this team of non-superstars can still get it done . In fact, it’s looking like the entire tournament may be one of non-superstars as many other countries will be without their best player(s).
That energy was also apparent inside, as Frenchmen Tony Parker and Rony Turiaf (who are not playing for France this summer) were courtside in streetclothes to take in the action. Coach K decided to go with Rajon Rondo, Chauncey Billups, Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Tyson Chandler to start the game, while the French squad boasted NBAer Boras Diaw in their starting lineup. The crowd was alive as the two teams were set to tip it off atThe Worlds Most Famous Arena. As the game began and the teams started trading baskets it sounded to me as if the crowd was split. It appeared as if just as many people were cheering for France as they were the U.S. But, the Team USA player who seemed to receive the most love from the crowd every time he touched the ball was Rajon Rondo (who is beginning to over-use that fake behind the back pass now).
Rondo really impressed me with his play as he was able to get into the teeth of the defense at will. He was much quicker than anyone on the French roster and it showed. He was clearly the crowd favorite from where I was sitting. Even more so than Kevin Durant. The first quarter ended with both teams knotted up at 16. Then the second quarter began, which turned into a bit of a dunk contest. Rudy Gay and Kevin Durant put on a show for the U.S. The game didn’t necessarily get sloppy, but it definitely got the crowd going.
On a team that has five 21-year olds, 33-year old Chauncey Billups was named Player of the Game. He finished with 17 points, but Rudy Gay led all scorers with 19. Kevin Durant chipped in with 14 points while grabbing eight boards.
Just hours before the game, the team cut Jeff Green and JaVale McGee, and they will travel to Madrid today for games against Lithuania and Spain before heading to Athens to take on Greece. Then finally, they’ll head to Turkey for the tournament of 24 teams which begins on August 28.
This was an impressive win for the U.S. They held a 39-30 halftime lead before going on a 16-4 second half run en route to a 86-55 runaway win. But I couldn’t quite tell if they were that good, or if France was that bad. I think it may have been a combination of the two although France was without probably their four best players: Tony Parker, Mickael Pietrus, Joakim Noah, and Roddy Beaubois. Either way, they ended up dominating this game and gives them some momentum before they take on Lithuania on August 21.
This was the first glance we’ve had at what will be very close to the final roster that will compete in Turkey. The team’s strengths are speed and pesky defense, while their weakness will no doubt be size down low. Let’s see if they can overcome that. Let’s also see if they can overcome the back-handed-compliment of a nickname they have received thus far: the “B-deem team.”
Here are the game highlights:
If you’re looking for your everyday, predictable basketball talk, then go somewhere else, because Kevin Burke of The Kevin Burke Project brings provocative, thought provoking content about basketball as only he can. Kevin also hosts The Hoop Doctors weekly podcast show, which you can subscribe too for free on iTunes.
