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Full-Court Press
MEMBERS of Canada's Olympic basketball team knew they were in trouble when a concerto by Beethoven mistakenly was played instead of their national anthem before yesterday's game at the Stan Sheriff Center. Carter oh so good
against CanadaNot that they have to worry about such things in Australia at the Olympics later this month. No way these guys are going to be wearing any gold medals.
But even Toronto Raptors superstar Vince Carter knew something was wrong early on when the familiar "O Canada" was replaced by a "Ode to Joy," a piece usually heard at Christmas.
"I didn't know what that was," Carter said at a post-game press conference of a game won handily by the USA Senior National Team, 99-70. "I was thinking maybe this is the version I didn't know."
Too bad for Canada that Carter, who plies his trade for the Raptors in the Great White North, couldn't change uniforms and help his northern neighbors keep things a little closer.
In a game that held as much drama as an old "I Love Lucy" episode, Carter came off the bench to light up the inferior Canada team for 29 points in only 19 minutes.
Apparently, Canada's defenders don't watch too much NBA action. They left Carter so open on the perimeter, he must have thought he was in an afternoon shoot-around.
Carter not only hit 7 of 9 from the field, including 4 of 6 3-pointers, he also knocked down 11 of 12 free throws to finish as the game's leading scorer.
Not that he was complaining. During warmups, he was colder than Edmonton in early January. But as soon as USA head coach Rudy Tomjanovich put him in, Carter's superstar genes were a comfortable fit.
"It was a lot of fun out there," Carter said. "When you're playing on a team like this with all these go-to guys, you just wait for something to come your way.
"Fortunately, they played off of me and my shots were going in. This is the first game toward our ultimate goal to win the gold. We're playing for a whole lot of marbles. We're very serious."
As you would expect, Dream Team 2000 is more heavily favored to win the gold than Tiger Woods is to bag a major. Carter, Kevin Garnett, Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning head a cast of a dozen players who are the best in the world.
BUT to avoid hearing some sportscaster say, "Do you believe in miracles?" as Al Michaels did after the American hockey team stunned their Russian counterparts in 1980, Carter and his teammates take nothing for granted.
"We're very intense," Mourning said. "This is all about pride. Not only are you representing your profession, but you're playing for your country in a world arena."
Previous Dream Teams may have more recognizable players to the casual fan. Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan are icons people around the globe know as well as they do the golden arches of McDonald's.
One player on this team who seems destined to join that trio is Carter. Perhaps last night's performance is a first step in that direction for the former North Carolina player.
"I think we looked pretty good," Carter said. "Me being the youngest guy and the first time in this big event, I just wanted to adjust to what was going on and have fun. And that's what I did."
The fact he did it at Canada's expense, a place he calls home for half the year, was a touch ironic. Now, just as long as he doesn't break into "O Canada" should the USA when the gold, he'll be fine.
Paul Arnett has been covering sports
for the Star-Bulletin since 1990.