Word: balled
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...flourished. Team U.S.A.'s most consistent player throughout the tournament, Wade was spectacular on Sunday. His 21 first-half points helped give the U.S. a 69-61 lead at the break (he finished with a game-high 27). Though they trailed, Spain wasn't scared: both teams moved the ball, ran the break, and shot over 60% in the first half. Finally, a game worth watching...
...would have if Kobe had been kept out of China. "Everyone knows Kobe wants the ball down the stretch," says Gasol, Bryant's teammate with the Los Angeles Lakers. "They did what they were supposed to do." Namely, feed Bryant the ball. But unlike past years, Kobe didn't hog it every time. On the next four trips, Bryant made one of those wild shots in the lane that only he can hit, assisted on a three pointer, dropped a slick pass to Dwight Howard for an easy dunk, and a drained a trey...
...semi, possibly do to at least make the gold medal game interesting? Scola thinks they should ape Argentina and wrestle. "You gotta play ugly," Scola says, referring to his team's rugby tactics. "If you try to play 'Showtime,' the way [the U.S.] plays, you try to throw the ball up, they're going to be better. They jump higher, they run faster, they're stronger . . .You've got make them feel uncomfortable. That's the only...
...does the U.S. counter the bully tactics? "Defense," explains U.S. backup center Chris Bosh. It's kind of nice when your substitute big man is shooting 79% from the field, like Bosh is. "Because you play solid defense, you stay in between your man and the ball, you rebound the basketball. Now, that turns into transition points. And then, when they see the physical stuff is not working, they get a little frantic. They get worried...
...Here's why the world should be scared: Argentina tried to beat up the U.S., and lost by 20, albeit with one of their best players unable to play most of the game. And Spain has never matched Argentina's intensity. Plus, Spain likes to push the ball up the court, so going all tough guy means scrapping your strength. And oh yeah, the U.S. crushed Spain by 37 points in the preliminaries. "It's really hard to play two bad games in one week, you know," says Spanish guard Raul Lopez. For those of us desperate for one compelling...