Just a head’s up — USA Basketball is playing a mini-camp scrimmage that’s being televised on FOX Sports. Here are the teams:
The USA Blue Team, coached by Mike D’Antoni, includes Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Durant, Kirk Hinrich, J.J. Redick, Amare’ Stoudemire, and Daren Williams.
The USA White Team, mentored by Nate McMillan, will feature Shane Battier, Chanucey Billups, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Jason Kidd, Mike Miller, Tayshaun Prince and Michael Redd
There really are no scrubs in the bunch (okay, I snickered, too, when I saw J.J. Redick’s name, and I’m not too sure who Daren Williams is — maybe he’s related to Deron Williams?), so this contest is pretty much an All-Star game. The game is tipping off, like, right now (7pm, Sunday), so tune in.
Hat-tip: Need4Sheed
I’ve heard that Chanucey Billups is pretty good, in a Dwyane Wade kind of way.
J.J. Redick? A little affirmative action?
I’ll take the Blue Team. Kobe hasn’t played for the USA in a long time and will be eager to assert his Alpha Dog status. Plus imagine how good a coach Mike D’Antoni is without the ref betting against him.
“The USA White Team will feature LeBron James and Tayshaun Prince”
*Sighs*
There goes any chance whatsoever of Tay throwing a savage hard foul on Lebron in scrimage and screaming “THAT’S WHAT I WANTED TO DO ALL OF GAME FIVE BUT FLIP IS AN IDIOT” while hovering over his prone but relatively uninjured body like Mark Gastineau after a sack….
…ahh well a girl can dream.
Also, who’s reffing? NBA refs and team Blue wins… Internation refs and team White wins by about 10. No really, look at the lineups. Team Blue is full of bangers and has a bunch of slashers… where that doesn’t draw fouls. Team White has good passing/court vision, everyone can make a middle/outside jumper and everyone should be back on defence. Team Blue is way more talented but that hasn’t meant much when the style of basketball is “hit your jumpers, maintain poessesion for forever, drop some open threes and win 68-60″….
It’s almost like someone is trying to prove a point to the younger NBA guys… Chauncey and Kidd on the same squad? Thats a set up.
Wow, joejoejoe props for the near psychic call. Kobe Bryant was out of his mind good last night, like REALLY REALLY suprisingly good for someone who barely understands the rules and had no real reason to actually try here…
Wow.. colour me impressed by Kobe for the first time in years.
I loved this LeBron James quote after the game. Not only are the Cavs’ guards slammed, but it fuels all the old rumors that he’s bound for the Nets once he’s a free agent.
“This is a treat,” James said of playing with Kidd, whom he calls the best point guard in the NBA. “I don’t have that luxury on my team back in Cleveland. It’s like a dream of mine.”
Yeah, I cringed when I heard that Lebron quote too. Poor Boobie.
I watched it, put a little blurb up about it on my blog, but overall an entertaining game. Melo, Mike Miller, and Redd all lit it up from outside, and the J Kidd Lebron combo was money. I think that COlangelo finally might have something figured out here. Kobe looks like the go to guy in crunch time, but I don’t know if he’ll defer to a team oriented Lebron - JKidd approach during the first three quarters. If we don’t win gold in Beijing/wint hte FIBA Americas, I vote for the National team to simply be the NCAA winners. This is ridiculous
oh, and tayshaun and chauncey looked alright too