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Friday, September 1, 2000
USA too deep Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning are hard enough to beat when they aren't all on the same team. Add eight more from the NBA's upper echelon, and it's pretty much impossible.
in tuneup
Carter, Allen, Mourning and
Garnett lead USA's Dream Team
to an easy victory over CanadaBy Dave Reardon
Star-BulletinSteve Nash of the Canadian Olympic basketball team and the Dallas Mavericks agrees.
"The hardest thing is every position is so long and so fast and they take up so much space on the court," Nash said. "You cannot compare it to playing any other team or game in the world."
As expected, the exhibition quickly became an execution yesterday at the Stan Sheriff Center.
But the execution -- and the intensity -- remained at a high level throughout as the USA Men's Senior National Team pounded Canada, 99-70, in the first tuneup for both as they prepare for Sydney in 17 days.
The USA should get a stiffer test from a team of bonafide college stars tomorrow. Maybe they'll win by only 20. Wake up, this is the Dream Team."We expect every team we play to be tough," said Mourning. "Until we blow them out."
Forget that the team Canada put on the floor might have had a hard time with a five from yesterday's crowd of 7,355 (Clyde Drexler, Joe Dumars, Lisa Leslie, Ruthie Bolton-Holifield and Lenny Wilkens).
USA coach Rudy Tomjanovich insisted on tip-off-to-buzzer intensity from his superstars, and he got it.
"I'm very satisfied with the way we were focused and played together with only five days of practice to get the foundations of our offense and defense in," Tomjanovich said.
Canada actually led, very briefly. Rowan Barrett opened the scoring with the first of his 22 points, but the former St. John's player couldn't keep up with Carter and Ray Allen.
Carter scored a game-high 29 points in just 19 minutes. Allen dropped in 18, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers.Mourning hit three consecutive baskets and two free throws to fuel a 16-0 first-half run, and Canada was done.
Though they are definitely locked in on the gold, the Dream Teamers managed to have some fun in the second half.
How can you not when you're so loaded you've got Mourning and Carter coming off the bench, and your coach has the wisdom to spread the minutes out equally?
Carter turned in the biggest crowd-pleaser off an alley-oop from Jason Kidd (another "sub") with about seven minutes left and the issue long decided.
"I saw some flashes of MJ," Mourning said, comparing the Toronto Raptors' rising star to Michael Jordan. "He's a treat to watch."
So was Mourning, the Miami Heat center who drew the biggest ovation when he entered the game.He got more when he followed the Kidd-Carter aerial show with a short hook off a spinning baseline move.
Mourning finished with 13 points in 13 minutes.
According to Kidd, USA is far from full throttle.
"On a 1-to-10, we're about a four right now," the Phoenix Suns point guard said. "Our job is to rev it up, and when we get to 10, keep it there,"
Five or six would probably be enough to take care of China, Italy, Lithuania and the rest.
But no one's taking any chances.
"On Oct. 1, when we stand on the podium ... that's when we win," Carter said.
Canada (0-1) USA 99, Canada 70
fg fga ft fta min reb a tp Barrett 7 10 6 8 26 3 1 22 Guarasci 3 6 5 6 23 5 0 11 Meeks 2 7 4 6 25 2 1 10 Nash 1 8 0 0 33 4 6 2 Hamilton 1 6 0 0 24 2 2 2 Mavis 1 3 0 0 14 1 0 2 MacCulloch 6 9 2 3 21 3 0 14 Newton 0 1 0 0 9 1 1 0 Swords 1 3 2 2 13 1 1 4 Daniels 0 2 0 0 7 0 0 0 Francis 1 2 0 0 3 0 0 3 Hinrichsen 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 Team 12 Totals 23 57 19 25 200 35 12 70 USA (1-0)
fg fga ft fta min reb a tp Houston 3 6 0 0 18 2 1 8 Garnett 5 9 0 2 20 7 0 10 Baker 2 3 0 0 14 0 1 4 Payton 0 4 1 2 19 4 6 1 Allen 5 8 4 4 18 1 2 18 Abdur-Rahim 2 4 2 2 14 1 2 6 Kidd 0 2 0 0 15 3 4 0 Mourning 5 7 3 4 14 4 0 13 Hardaway 1 4 0 1 16 1 4 2 Carter 7 9 11 12 19 1 0 29 McDyess 3 4 1 3 19 6 0 7 Smith 0 2 1 2 14 2 0 1 Team 11 Totals 33 62 23 32 200 43 20 99 Key--fg: field goals; fga: field goals attempted; ft: free throws; fta: free throws attempted; min: minutes; reb: rebounds; a: assists; tp: total points.
Halftime score-USA 47, Canada 25
3-point goals-Canada 5-16 (Barrett 2-3, Meeks 2-4, Nash 0-1, Hamilton 0-3, Swords 0-1, Daniels 0-2, Francis 1-2), USA 10-22 (Houston 2-4, Payton 0-1, Allen 4-6, Abdur-Rahim 0-1, Hardaway 0-3, Carter 4-6, Smith 0-1). Personal fouls-Canada 27, USA 22. Fouled out-none. Steals-Canada 8 (Barrett 2, Guarasci, Nash 3, Hamilton, Mavis), USA 16 (Garnett 5, Baker, Allen, Abdur-Rahim, Kidd 2, Mourning, Hardaway 2, McDyess 2, Smith). Blocked shots-Canada 2 (Meeks, MacCulloch), USA 5 (Baker, Allen, Abdur-Rahim, McDyess, Smith). Turnovers-Canada 21 (Barrett 2, Guarasci 5, Meeks, Nash 7, Hamilton, Mavis 2, Newton 2, Daniels), USA 16 (Houston 2, Baker 2, Payton 4, Allen 2, Kidd, Mourning 3, Smith 2). Technicals-none. Officials-Rush, DeRosa. A-7,355.
Sydney 2000 Olympics