There are a myriad of reasons for fans to be excited for the upcoming NBA season. Lebron’s impact in Cleveland. The Heat’s response to his departure. The return of Derrick Rose. And so much more… But basketball fans have plenty of reason to be excited right now. USA Basketball and the 2014 FIBA tournament has been phenomenal (as expected), all without the likes of stars LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Tony Parker.
So what’s going on with the FIBA tournament that’s taking place in Spain right now? Well, group play finished a week ago and so did the round of 16, with the US about to play its quarterfinal game tomorrow against Slovenia. Here are several take-away points from international play this summer:
- The Kenneth Faried Show: Undersized and lacking a consistent jumpshot, Faried is not on most people’s choices for any starting five. However, Coach K thinks otherwise. He has been an integral part of Team USA’s success at the tournament, averaging 12.8 points per game, second only to Anthony Davis’ scoring dominance. Of course, 12 points may seem low, but that number greatly undermines the true impact Faried has had. His energy, rebounding, and defense have been invaluable to the point that it might have even saved them from losing to Turkey. Running after loose balls, putting back missed shots, and cutting to the basket at the most precise times, the Manimal continues to show game after game that he can contribute without a scoring ability. Now, imagine when he develops that midrange game and some decent post moves…Denver will have a future All-Star in its grasps.
- Where is Derrick Rose? Rose has been the single most non-factor through 6 games and went 0-5 shooting with 3 turnovers in the round of 16 game against Mexico. This brings up two points. First, is Rose just rusty or is he displaying signs of a more permanent post-injury collapse of his game? Most analysts agree that Rose will return to form, evidenced by signs of his trademark finishes and dunks. No doubt, Rose will return to his MVP style of play. But secondly, was his selection over Damian Lillard and John Wall justified? Conspiracy theories aside, Coach K opted to go with Rose rather than the more polished Lillard and Wall, and there seems to be no excuse for that. People suspect assistant coach and Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau as a key factor in wanting to get the rustiness out of Rose before the season starts, along with the pressure from fans to see some action from the player as well. Unless Rose comes back next game, Team USA will surely miss Lillard’s shooting and overall scoring abilities and Wall’s athleticism and defense.
- International Stars Aplenty: There are a lot of NBA players out there, excluding the Americans. No Joakim Noah, no Tony Parker, but there’s still quality players in the quarterfinal stages, all of whom represent nations looking to upstage the USA. Pau Gasol has been exceptional, playing like he did when the Lakers won back-to-back championships. The Bulls have plenty of reason to be excited when he teams up with Joakim Noah to form a scary frontcourt for opposing teams. Brazil, like Spain, fields three big men in Nene, Tiago Splitter, and Anderson Varejao, something Team USA will worry about if matched up. Slovenia and Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic continues to pick up from last season’s campaign, when he barely missed the All-Star team. He is averaging 16.5 points and 4.3 assists in just under 25 minutes of action. Crazy. And that’s not to mention Lithuania’s Jonas Valanciunas, France’s Nicolas Batum, and Greece’s own Giannis Antetokounmpo. Oh yeah, and nothing’s complete without Filipino (but really American) star Andray Blatche.
So if you have time, don’t let the offseason bore you! Tune into ESPN at 12 p.m. PT tomorrow (Tuesday, September 9) to watch Team USA square off against Goran Dragic and Slovenia.