After a break from practicing, the United States returned to action in Chicago. After an eventful first training camp that resulted in a number of forced roster moves, 16 players started the exhibition period still in contention. While some players were closer to securing their spots on the roster before others, all the remaining players were expected to be given a fair chance in a competitive setting before decision were to be made. A few lingering injury issues affected who was available for each game, but the picture got a little clearer.
The first exhibition was in Chicago against Brazil, a solid choice for a first opponent against the team that gave them the closest game four years ago. A team with some veteran NBA names in addition to players more familiar to those who keep in touch with the basketball scene around the world, Brazil managed to put together a nearly full strength team for the tournament this summer after a less experienced team had a disastrous tournament last summer in Venezuela. Given the vast difference in experience in the international setting, Brazil was a preview for the kind of team that has tested the Americans in recent tournaments. They showed some of those traits in this game, using solid passing and movement to create some easy basket inside while showing shooting ability from all five positions in spots all around the floor. As a result, the margin was close on several occasions, but the American team ended up winning 95-78.
The scene shifted to New York following the first game as things started with a practice at West Point. The second exhibition came against the Dominican Republic. With a weaker opponent than in the first game, the United States won easily as expected, by a 105-62 margin. The players who were already projected to make the final roster were ruthlessly efficient in their minutes, allowing the team to give a number of minutes to the players who did not appear in the previous game. DeMarcus Cousins was healthy, so he along with Andre Drummond, Gordon Hayward, and DeMar DeRozan were finally able to make an appearance with Damian Lillard also getting far more minutes than his first appearance. Derrick Rose, Mason Plumlee, Chandler Parsons, and Kyle Korver were the four players from the first game who were held out of the second one.
The second exhibition in New York was against another established team in the Americas, Puerto Rico. The experience of the visitors meant that they did not back down from the challenging, hanging tough with Americans for the entire first half before falling further behind as the game progressed and ultimately losing 112-86. The closeness of the game early helped test the final rotation players, but it also gave players still fighting for their spots a good chance to showcase what they could do in critical situations when called upon. After this game, the team was ready to fly to Spain, so roster decisions were finally made. As a result, Damian Lillard, Gordon Hayward, Kyle Korver, and Chandler Parsons were not making the trip with the team. The performance of Derrick Rose meant that another point guard was not needed, leaving Lillard at home. Hayward and Parsons showed their all around skills, but there were other players who could offer those particular skills in greater abundance on the final roster. Korver would have given the team an additional shooter among other skills, but the shooting ability shown by the players projected to be in the rotation meant that there was less of a place for a player deemed to be a specialist.
After a long trip, the team arrived in Spain on the island of Gran Canaria. There the final roster played their last exhibition against Slovenia. While they are also a possible future opponent in a competitive game, this was a good choice to prepare for the tournament. Their offensive system tested the American defense, but the level of the opponent still allowed the team to win and give all of the players some more time on the court as the final margin was 101-71. The team then got ready to make their next trip, going to the mainland to the location of their preliminary round games in the heart of Basque Country.
With the exhibitions over, the team can sneak in a bit of rest before a taxing preliminary round schedule that will see them play five games in six days. The fortune of the group draw means that the team is unlikely to be significantly challenged, but it does leave the team less tested than the other top teams once elimination is on the line with the final sixteen teams. The team has a favorable path to the final game, but will obviously be looking to establish chemistry as quickly as possible to peak by the end of the tournament. After the tournament is over, we will examine the effect that it has on the next stage of Olympic qualification.
The first exhibition was in Chicago against Brazil, a solid choice for a first opponent against the team that gave them the closest game four years ago. A team with some veteran NBA names in addition to players more familiar to those who keep in touch with the basketball scene around the world, Brazil managed to put together a nearly full strength team for the tournament this summer after a less experienced team had a disastrous tournament last summer in Venezuela. Given the vast difference in experience in the international setting, Brazil was a preview for the kind of team that has tested the Americans in recent tournaments. They showed some of those traits in this game, using solid passing and movement to create some easy basket inside while showing shooting ability from all five positions in spots all around the floor. As a result, the margin was close on several occasions, but the American team ended up winning 95-78.
The scene shifted to New York following the first game as things started with a practice at West Point. The second exhibition came against the Dominican Republic. With a weaker opponent than in the first game, the United States won easily as expected, by a 105-62 margin. The players who were already projected to make the final roster were ruthlessly efficient in their minutes, allowing the team to give a number of minutes to the players who did not appear in the previous game. DeMarcus Cousins was healthy, so he along with Andre Drummond, Gordon Hayward, and DeMar DeRozan were finally able to make an appearance with Damian Lillard also getting far more minutes than his first appearance. Derrick Rose, Mason Plumlee, Chandler Parsons, and Kyle Korver were the four players from the first game who were held out of the second one.
The second exhibition in New York was against another established team in the Americas, Puerto Rico. The experience of the visitors meant that they did not back down from the challenging, hanging tough with Americans for the entire first half before falling further behind as the game progressed and ultimately losing 112-86. The closeness of the game early helped test the final rotation players, but it also gave players still fighting for their spots a good chance to showcase what they could do in critical situations when called upon. After this game, the team was ready to fly to Spain, so roster decisions were finally made. As a result, Damian Lillard, Gordon Hayward, Kyle Korver, and Chandler Parsons were not making the trip with the team. The performance of Derrick Rose meant that another point guard was not needed, leaving Lillard at home. Hayward and Parsons showed their all around skills, but there were other players who could offer those particular skills in greater abundance on the final roster. Korver would have given the team an additional shooter among other skills, but the shooting ability shown by the players projected to be in the rotation meant that there was less of a place for a player deemed to be a specialist.
After a long trip, the team arrived in Spain on the island of Gran Canaria. There the final roster played their last exhibition against Slovenia. While they are also a possible future opponent in a competitive game, this was a good choice to prepare for the tournament. Their offensive system tested the American defense, but the level of the opponent still allowed the team to win and give all of the players some more time on the court as the final margin was 101-71. The team then got ready to make their next trip, going to the mainland to the location of their preliminary round games in the heart of Basque Country.
With the exhibitions over, the team can sneak in a bit of rest before a taxing preliminary round schedule that will see them play five games in six days. The fortune of the group draw means that the team is unlikely to be significantly challenged, but it does leave the team less tested than the other top teams once elimination is on the line with the final sixteen teams. The team has a favorable path to the final game, but will obviously be looking to establish chemistry as quickly as possible to peak by the end of the tournament. After the tournament is over, we will examine the effect that it has on the next stage of Olympic qualification.
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