Can Team USA get the Gold by playing small ball

TOKYO- Team USA Men’s Basketball team was announced a couple of days ago with lots of comments about them.

This team is loaded with very talented players from the NBA. The only downfall with this team is their height. They are stacked with guards and forwards. With Adebayo as your center standing 6’9, the paint is going to be difficult to score in.

Playing Small ball in the Olympics may not be the best move. With teams such as France having three seven footers including defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert at 7’1 and Spain having the Gasol brothers, this may be very difficult for Team USA. The paint will be where other countries will beat USA. Having Adebayo as a great shot blocker is great but Green at the four will create the small problem.

This team can and must outscore every country to win these games. Team USA has a lot of high scoring guards such as Beal and Lillard. Beal is one of the best scorers in the NBA alongside of his team USA teammate Durant.

Durant can get a bucket anywhere on the court. His long arms allow his shot to release from a high point most players can’t reach. Beal has been great this season creating his own shots and a great catch and shoot player. Lillard is one of the most clutch players in the NBA when it comes down to final shots and can get a bucket whenever he feels like it.

The rest of the squad can also get buckets. Tatum is one of the most exciting up and coming players in the NBA. He has developed very fast and gained that mamba mentality from his mentor, the late great Kobe Bryant. Lavine is a slashing guard, who can make these exciting dunks and plays on the offensive end. Grant is a bouncy forward who can provide a spark off the bench for this team.

You then have three of the 12 men on this roster competing for the NBA finals (Booker, Holliday, and Middleton). Booker has stole the nations' heart, as he showcased his growth during the the playoffs. Holliday, is the only true point guard on this team and will help spread the floor. Middleton has stepped up and proved haters wrong this year showing he can be a star in the league.

Scoring on this team is not an issue, they have some of the best scorers in the NBA on this squad. The only issue that can hold them back would be their height. This will be a very interesting team. It will be watched very closely how head coach Greg Popovich handles this disadvantage.

Here is the roster for Team USA

- Kevin Durant

- Kevin Love

- Damian Lillard

- Bam Adebayo

- Bradley Beal

- Jayson Tatum

- Zach Lavine

- Draymond Green

- Jrue Holliday

- Khris Middleton

- Jerami Grant

- Devin Booker