On Tuesday, July 24, the United States men's Olympic basketball team beat Spain 100-78 in its final exhibition. Carmelo Anthony scored 27 points to lead the Americans.
Here are three thoughts on the game:
Depth isn't a concern
I have to admit that I got a little nervous about this year's Olympic basketball team after watching multiple players forced off the squad due to injury. I was even more concerned after watching Argentina give the U.S. some problems in the Americans' 86-80 victory on July 22.
However, after seeing the U.S. tear Spain apart, I'm not worried about where this team is going. I'm impressed with how much chemistry the Americans have despite playing together for only a couple of weeks. Their solid teamwork outmatched a Spanish team that is expected by some to compete with the Americans for Olympic gold. Additionally, the U.S. might have some size issues inside, but it's clear that the roster has too much speed and athleticism for every other team competing at the 2012 London Games. I'd be completely shocked if the U.S. fails to win the gold medal.
Carmelo Anthony shows up
It's easy to forget how talented Carmelo Anthony is when it seems as if he's always involved in some type of controversy with the New York Knicks. Yet he was the player that spearheaded the U.S. comeback after falling behind 22-13 in the first quarter, not LeBron James or Kevin Durant. It will be interesting to see how he performs throughout the entire Olympic tournament, but it's good to see him playing excellent basketball without the pressures of playing in New York.
Sending the message
Let's be honest: the U.S. was terrible for most of the first quarter. Spain's height gave the team some problems, and it appeared that the Americans were going to go into the Olympics with a loss hanging over their heads. However, the one thing that impressed me about this team was that it didn't treat the game like it was an exhibition. The U.S. worked its way back into it and eventually broke away from Spain. In fact, once they took the lead, the Americans didn't take their feet off the gas pedal until the final buzzer sounded. That's what I'm looking for out of a team that's preparing for a gold medal run.
Derek Ciapala has been following U.S. Olympic basketball since childhood. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala and Facebook.
