Team USA opens the World Cup with Finland on Aug. 30. Also, can the Americans go 5-0 in group play?
Seemingly destined for a finals matchup with host nation Spain, Team USA must first advance through the group stage. Drawn into group C, the Americans will face Finland, Turkey, Dominican Republic, New Zealand and Ukraine over the next week. Can Team USA put together a convincing performance in the group stage and be declared the favorite?
The Roster
Projected Starters:
Kyrie Irving- Irving, who played for Mike Krzyzewski during his only year at Duke, takes the reigns as Team USA’s lead guard. The primary ball-handler for the team, Irving is a more-than capable perimeter shooter, and the best defender among the starting guards. He will be looked upon to defend the other team’s point guard, and get the team out early into transition.
Stephen Curry- Teams who zone team USA: Beware! Curry may be the best outside shooter in the entire tournament, and will look to let it rain from 3-point range early and often in the tournament. Playing as a secondary point guard option, look for Coach K to run Curry off of screens and use him in the pick and roll game with Anthony Davis.
James Harden- Harden has been criticized for poor defensive play against elite opponents, though none can argue that he is one of the most versatile offensive guards in the tournament. Playing on the wing, Harden will be looked upon for outside shooting and slashing, at which he is among the best on the United States’ roster. He will not have to defend the opponent’s best player, and should be able to expend most of his energy on the offensive side of the ball.
Kenneth Faried- Perhaps the least sexiest pick on the team outside of Mason Plumlee, Faried’s relentless motor on the defensive side of the ball earns him the starting nod. A terrific rebounder in the NBA (8.6 rpg last season for Denver), Faried will crash the offensive glass hard. He picked up five offensive boards in the exhibition victory over Goran Dragic-led Slovenia, and could have a field day on the boards against some of the lesser opponents in group C.
Anthony Davis- Without any doubt, Davis is the most important player on Team USA’s roster. The best shot-blocker in the tournament, Davis can score efficiently out to 18-feet, and use his long arms to control the glass, in the tandem with Faried. Davis’ athleticism in the post exceeds that of most other big men in the tournament, which will lead to a plethora of attempts from the free-throw line, where he shot nearly 80 percent for New Orleans last season.
The Bench:
Derrick Rose- The former NBA MVP will likely be used as the team’s top scoring option off the bench. Rumored to have had sore knees in the tournament’s lead-up games, Rose will have his minutes monitored, as the tournament marks his first competitive appearance since his knee injury against Portland last November. Rose is the best passer among the USA guards, and should average at least four assists per game off the pine.
Klay Thompson- If Curry is not the best shooter in the tournament, it may as well be Thompson. The “Splash Brothers” from Golden State should see the floor together often, and form one of the team’s best duos. While Thompson’s shooting is his primary asset to Team USA, he offers defensive versatility with his 6-7 frame. It may not be ridiculous to think he could see time playing as a stretch-4, especially when facing a zone.
DeMarcus Cousins- The first of the two Sacramento Kings on the roster, Cousins will likely be the first big man off the bench. Boogie is known for his emotional play and offensive skill, though his defense will be what keeps him on the court for the US. With so many talented offensive players on the team, Cousins will never be more than a third scoring option, and will instead be looked upon for smart defense in the post and a high rebound rate.
Rudy Gay- A small forward in the NBA, Gay likely sees more time at the four spot in the FIBA World Cup. One of the best athletes in the NBA, Gay should be a top option when scoring in transition, which the team will look to do as often as possible. Gay is a capable outside shooter and defender who will need to give similar energy to the bench that Faried will give the starters.
DeMar DeRozan- Another athletic guard, the Toronto Raptors franchise player fits in as the final backcourt option on the roster. DeRozan will see time on the court, particularly in blowout games, but his inability to shoot the ball, when compared to the other backcourt players on the roster, will keep him sidelined more often. He could be looked upon for spot stretches of defense on the opponents’ top wing scorer.
Andre Drummond- Supposedly the last inclusion for the USA roster, Drummond will back up Davis and Cousins at center. One of the best shot-blockers and rebounders in the NBA, Drummond has the ability to control the glass and the opponents best post player, but his lack of scoring touch (including from the free throw line) could leave him on the bench in the fourth quarter.
Mason Plumlee- Plumlee is no lock to start for Brooklyn next year (may sit behind Garnett and Brook Lopez), but he finds a spot on the roster as a high-energy defensive specialist. His inclusion on the roster in junction with Drummond was perplexing, though his familiarity with Coach K from his four years at Duke helped him make the roster. Plumlee will see time in the group stage, but likely see his minutes drop off dramatically against the highest-ranked opponents.
The Matchups
USA vs. Finland (Aug. 30)- Playing in Bilbao, in northern Spain, the Americans see their first competition against the vastly inferior Finland. Finland boasts a pair of NBA Draft choices on the roster in Petteri Koponen (2007 No. 30) and Erik Murphy (2013 No. 49). Finland cannot match up with Team USA’s size and athleticism, and looks to be among the weakest teams in group C. Team USA should win, BIG.
USA vs. Turkey (Aug. 31)- Turkey is a better opponent than Finland, and is led by New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik. Other former NBA Draft choices on the team are Furkan Aldemir (2012 No. 53), Emir Preldzic (2009 No. 57) and Cenk Akyol (2005 No. 59). Aldemir likely fills the frontcourt rotation with Asik, and may be the only team in the group that can bully the Americans in the rebounding battle. The key to the game will be efficient guard scoring, which Team USA has a significant advantage in. If the Turks catch fire from three-point range, this game could be closer than anticipated.
USA vs. New Zealand (Sept. 2)- New Zealand finished second at the FIBA Oceania Championships in 2013, though face a greatly superior USA team in this matchup. Team USA has the advantage at every position, particularly inside, and should put the game out of reach early. Steven Adams is the best player to come out of New Zealand, though he does not appear on the roster after withdrawing from consideration. Viewers should expect to see plenty of Mason Plumlee in this one.
USA vs. Dominican Republic (Sept. 3)- The Dominican Republic qualified for the FIBA World Cup for the first time since 1978, and faces a tough test against the Yanks. Incoming Kentucky freshman center Karl Towns Jr. would have been the most intriguing Dominican prospect, but he did not make the final roster. Unfortunately for the Dominican Republic, the only player on the roster with NBA experience is only Francisco Garcia. With a Garcia and Edgar Sosa led backcourt, the Dominican could score in bunches, but it will not be enough against team USA.
USA vs. Ukraine (Sept. 4)- If there is any team who could potentially upset Team USA in group C it is Ukraine. After losing by eight points against Spain on Aug. 21, the Mike Fratello-led team showed they can compete against top competition The team is led by former University of Portland guard Eugene “Pooh” Jeter and former Phoenix Suns center Slava Kravstov. The biggest strength for Ukraine against the US is its ability to match-up adequately at each position. Sergey Gladyr (2009 No. 49), Oleksandr Lypovyy and incoming Kansas phenom Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk can all score and defend from the wings, which could make for an interesting game.
The Outcome
While Ukraine will test Team USA, expect the Americans to breeze through the group stage with a 5-0 record, followed next by Ukraine and Turkey. Advancing out of the group leads to the round of 16, where group C is paired with group D, which is led by Lithuania and Slovenia.
All signs point to a USA-Spain finale, though there are plenty of teams that could potentially shake up the favored results. ESPN will cover Team USA throughout the tournament, with the first game occurring on Aug. 30 at 3:30 pm against Finland.
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