Saturday, January 19, 2008

2008 Beijing Olympic Power Rankings

1. United States- Plain and simple, the best team in the world. And boy does it feel good to be able to say that again! Jerry Colangelo has done a great job of putting together a TEAM rather than a group of superstars. This is the first American team in a few years that appears to be comfortable within the international style of play. I feel like I can honestly say that poor shooting is no longer as issue for Team USA. Teams can no longer sit back in a tight 2-3 zone, not with the likes of Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies) and Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks). It's hard to imagine Kobe Bryant(L.A. Lakers), Lebron James (Cleavland Cavaliers), and Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) playing better than usual, but with J Kidd (New Jersey Nets), running the point, he has the ability of making everyone better, including man child Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic). I could go on and on about this team, but unfortunately their are other countries in the world. Look for an upcoming article on Team USA in the next few days. This team has the opportunity to reestablish USA's basketball prowess. However, anything less than gold with this roster, and as much as it pains me, I will admit team USA is no longer dominant.... I HIGHLY doubt it comes to that.

2. Argentina- It's been nearly four years, but the gold medal still goes through Argentina. Just ask Manu Ginobli, he was the heart and soul of their 2004 gold medal team. The good news for Argentina is that the core of their team remains the same. They have six legitimate NBA players on their roster and many other talented players as well. They are very similar to the top European teams in the sense that they have high basketball IQ's and are very fundamentally sound. Not to mention they have played together for a while now, much longer than just about any other team that will be in the Olympics. If you aren't very familiar with this team, you may recognize some of these names: Luis Scola,(Houston Rockets) Andres Nocioni,(Chicago Bulls) Fabricio Oberto,(San Antonio Spurs) Walter Hermann,(Detroit Pistons) and Carlos Delfino(Toronto Raptors). Still doesn't ring a bell? Just wait until the Olympics role around, this team is one to be reckoned with. There experience and ability to play as a team make them a serious contender for the gold in Beijing!

3. Spain- Do NOT let the Eurobasket fool you, this is still the best team in Europe. Sure everyone wants to talk about Pau Gasol, and rightfully so. However, Jorge Garbajosa (Toronto Raptors) and Juan Carlos Navarro (Memphis Grizzlies) are equally important to the team. It seems like these three play better together every year, a scary thought for opponents. And with Jose Calderon (Toronto Raptors) running the point, they are capable of staying with anyone, even on an off night. Calderon is a very fundamentally sound guard and is deceptively quick and has a nice handle too. Think Spain doesn't have a chip on their shoulder? They were the laughing stock of Europe after falling to Russia in the finals of the Eurobasket. Trust me, this is a team that is going to come out with something to prove.

4. Greece- Somebody stop the PICK AND ROLL!!! Ironically, this group of "no namers" made quite the name for themselves when they defeated team USA in the 2006 FIBA World Championships on way to capturing the silver medal before losing to European power Spain. This team does not have a single NBA player on their roster. They have no business beating Team USA right? Don't tell Theodoros Papaloukas (CSKA Moscow) that. He has been the main reason for their success. Another reason? Team Chemistry. Greece has five players that play for Panathinaikos, the number one rated team in all of Europe. They also have two players on CSKA Moscow (Papaloukas and Nikos Zisis) the number two ranked team in Europe. Make no mistake, this is a team with a very high basketball IQ and they play extremely well together. However, they desperately lack athleticism. None the less, their skill and team chemistry got them the number four spot in the power rankings.

5. Lithuania- Sarunas! Sarunas! Sarunas! Of course...we're referring to former NBA player Sarunas Jasikevicius, now playing with Panathinaikos out of Greece, you know, the number one ranked team in Europe that we just mentioned. Do not think he made a mistake by leaving the NBA, he is treated like a god over there, and trust me, he is getting PAID. Anyways, just how far Jasikevicius can lead them is yet to be seen. He is the heart and soul of this team, and like the mighty Spaniards, he and his team have a lot to prove. Jasikevicius has a decent supporting cast in Darius Songaila (Washington Wizards) and Linas Kleiza (Denver Nuggets). They are definitely medal contenders, but if they want a shot at gold they are going to have to play nearly flawless basketball.

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