Before Sunday's gold medal game between the U.S. and Spain, Dwayne Wade said that, as a fan, he wanted to see a close game, but as a player he just wanted to win. I think Wade better be more careful about what he says next time around if he represents the U.S. in 2012.
But I'll give Wade a pass this time because I doubt the American squad would have maintained its mostly single-digit lead without Wade's opportunistic defense and timely offensive sparks.
However, I can't be so forgiving with Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba has long been my favorite player and he proved once again why he's possibly the most clutch player of his generation. But did you notice how close Kobe came to squandering his team's slender lead in the fourth quarter?
At the start of that fourth quarter the U.S. led by a measly nine points. And somehow Kobe felt that the best strategy to build on that lead was for him to bomb away from three-point range. Granted, ball movement was horrible at that point with LeBron in foul trouble and Spain drifting into a zone defense. But there was Kobe, taking those tough jumpers that us Lakers fans are all too familiar with.
I know, I know, there's always the argument that somebody has to take
those shots and Kobe was the only player with the requisite frosty
blood. I'll buy that argument in the regular season, but not on this
squad of All-World talent.
As the minutes ticked away, Kobe made the situation even worse by gambling for steals on defense and clearing his man a straight path to the rim. Doug Collins called him out on one play that resulted in a dunk over Dwight Howard but I noticed many, many instances of halfhearted D where Kobe failed to even lift his hand in a shooter's face. Where was that "lockdown defender" mentality that Kobe had promised to his U.S. teammates?
Of course, the U.S. did maintain its lead and Kobe scored or assisted on several late possessions to ensure the victory. But what if Kobe had stayed within the gameplan. If he had looked to penetrate and kick out on offense and kept stayed on his man on defense, then the final few minutes might have allowed the U.S. to appreciate the victory without holding our breath.
As a fan, I would have been perfectly happy with that outcome.
But I'll give Wade a pass this time because I doubt the American squad would have maintained its mostly single-digit lead without Wade's opportunistic defense and timely offensive sparks.
However, I can't be so forgiving with Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba has long been my favorite player and he proved once again why he's possibly the most clutch player of his generation. But did you notice how close Kobe came to squandering his team's slender lead in the fourth quarter?
At the start of that fourth quarter the U.S. led by a measly nine points. And somehow Kobe felt that the best strategy to build on that lead was for him to bomb away from three-point range. Granted, ball movement was horrible at that point with LeBron in foul trouble and Spain drifting into a zone defense. But there was Kobe, taking those tough jumpers that us Lakers fans are all too familiar with.
I know, I know, there's always the argument that somebody has to take
those shots and Kobe was the only player with the requisite frosty
blood. I'll buy that argument in the regular season, but not on this
squad of All-World talent.
As the minutes ticked away, Kobe made the situation even worse by gambling for steals on defense and clearing his man a straight path to the rim. Doug Collins called him out on one play that resulted in a dunk over Dwight Howard but I noticed many, many instances of halfhearted D where Kobe failed to even lift his hand in a shooter's face. Where was that "lockdown defender" mentality that Kobe had promised to his U.S. teammates?
Of course, the U.S. did maintain its lead and Kobe scored or assisted on several late possessions to ensure the victory. But what if Kobe had stayed within the gameplan. If he had looked to penetrate and kick out on offense and kept stayed on his man on defense, then the final few minutes might have allowed the U.S. to appreciate the victory without holding our breath.
As a fan, I would have been perfectly happy with that outcome.
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