TUNISIA TUESDAY

Team USA will take on Tunisia tonight at 5:15 p.m est.

I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about them.

Tunisia is brand new to men’s basketball in the Olympics; this is only their second game all-time (They lost to Nigeria on Sunday 60-56) Tunisia is ranked No. 32 in the world.

‘Lefty’, a bookmaker from Brooklyn has the Americans as a 55 point favorite.

The U.S. and Tunisia have met once before with the Red, White and Blue winning 92-57 at the 2010 world championships in Istanbul. In that game, USA led 39-33 at the half.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports on the LA Lakers, Kobe Bryant and ‘Fast’ Eddie Jordan. Seems like the Lakers are looking to change their offensive philosophy to the Princeton system. Good read. Love Kobe’s comments.

“From my experience, those types of principles – ball movement, changing sides on the floor, everybody being involved – those are championship principles. That’s championship DNA.”

This is great news. Ball and body movement are so important. Kids will watch and hopefully emulate the way the Lakers players move.

HOOPS135@HOTMAIL.COM

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore

BONJOUR

On Sunday morning I woke up at 7:30.

I made coffee, snatched the New York Times from my driveway and hopped on the couch to watch men’s Olympic basketball live from London.

Only basketball junkies get up this early in the summer to watch a great sport. What can I say, I need my fix.

In progress was Brazil and Australia.  At half-time of their game, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated was in studio for NBC.

Chris is a fine writer, I enjoy his work. He also covers boxing for SI.

“They are flawed,” Mannix said.

Huh?

Take a guess who he was talking about?

Reaching for my laptop, I logged onto Twitter and tweeted what Mannix said and asked him how do the opposing bigs defend USA on the perimeter?

It wasn’t long until I heard back from Mannix.  A few minutes after I tweeted about his comment he got back at me with the following, “You think it’s flawLESS?”

Do I think Team USA is flawless? Of course not Chris but the media wants to make us think that the Americans are the only team in this tournament that has flaws. The next negative comment I hear about a country other than America, will be the first. Are we to think that these countries are perfect?

One thing about the game of basketball, all teams have flaws. Another thing when discussing this particular team is someone out there will find some sort of weakness.

I’m tired of listening to people say the U.S.A. men’s Olympic basketball team is undersized.

That argument is tired.

I don’t care if it’s a journalist, sports talk show host, a fan, a coach, or a player.

Find something else, please!

We’ve been hearing about their lack of size since they announced this team.

Not being as tall as your opponent is not the problem. Since when did someone’s height determine the winner of a basketball game? There’s more to basketball than the size of your body. The size of your heart is a lot more relevant. The United States of America men’s basketball team have huge hearts!

What these so-called experts fail to realize is these big men they speak of from other countries are not Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon or Bill Walton.  And by the way, after their obvious point on how does USA defend opposing bigs in the post how come you never hear,  ”How do these bigs defend USA at the other end?”

Can you say match-up nightmare?

Can you imagine if we could listen to an opposing team scheduled to play the U.S. and hear what they tell their bigs when guarding LeBron or Carmelo Anthony on the wing?

Words like vulnerable and beatable are also in the conversation when discussing the Americans.  Yeah well of course, all basketball teams can lose one game. And last I checked Tyson Chandler and Kevin Love are the USA big men.  Are those guys chopped liver? Chandler was named defensive player of the year in the NBA this past season.

During the Brazil-Australia game a Brazilian player made an awful pass into the post from the right wing. The Aussie defender stepped in front of the post man and intercepted the pass leading to a fastbreak bucket at the other end.

Whenever American players make bad entry passes into the post color analysts are quick to point out how it is a lost art.

Is it me or do these analysts only criticize American players when something bad happens on the court?

As for the game between USA and France, the Americans were favored by 24.5; final score USA 98 France 71. Kevin Durant scored 22 points and pulled down 9 rebounds. James scored 9 points and dished out 8 assists. Love was a spark off the bench with 14 points for the Red, White and Blue.

Tony Parker, France’s fantastic point guard sported a pair of Goggles for the game and only managed to score 10 points.

Once again, USA’s depth and defense was the difference in this game. USA will wear teams down by applying relentless pressure on the ball. When the opposing team goes to their bench, USA counters with All-NBA players.

France tried to play a zone late in the first half and all the Americans did was score inside on a powerful dunk by James.

“We want to play the right way,” James said after the game.

And the Americans have shown that they play the right way. They share the ball (27 assists on 31 field goals) they defend and rebound. Plus, they are on all loose balls.

USA’s defense is suffocating at times. When they trap the ball they are like piranha’s but it’s their rotation that makes it so effective.  Watch weakside defenders move on the pass and close out. USA gets deflections that lead to lose balls that leads to steals which lead to fast break points. France guard Nando de Colo received a taste of what his future job is going to be like when he suits up for Coach Pop next season in San Antonio. de Colo turned the ball over often and looked uncomfortable on the floor. USA’s defense will do that to a ball handler.

On offense USA beats their man off the dribble with ease but they must kick it out to the open shooter when the help comes. Forcing the issue in the lane will not get it done. A point guard’s job is to get into the lane, draw the defense and kick out.

This is a great United States team that Jerry Colangelo has put together. I enjoy watching them play. They are well coached and work very hard. Can they lose a game? Sure they can. If you have played basketball or coached it, you know anyone can beat anyone at anytime. Just ask Coach K about their game against Lehigh in the 2012 NCAA tournament.

I love the USA bench guys that get up and cheer for their teammates on the court.

France was awful from distance (2-21) and I thought they said the Americans can’t shoot the ball?

I was impressed with Doug Collins doing the color for NBC.

The San Antonio Spurs have six players participating in the olympics but add assistant coach Brett Brown who is running the show for Australia.

If Colangelo is looking for an ideal coaching staff for the 2016 USA mens team he should look at Tom Izzo, Doc Rivers, Mike Dunlap and Bob Hurley.

Hoops135@hotmail.com

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore

SATURDAY’S SCREEN-N-ROLL

How cool was the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics?

Geography was never my thing in school but last night I learned so much about countries that I never knew existed. Special thanks go to Social Studies teacher Matt Lauer.

I will not post up any athletes for not showing up and walking last night with their teammates (too long on their feet-too tiresome) but all I will say is that the entire USA men’s national basketball team was there enjoying the festivities. A former wrestler that I spoke to this morning said they are there to win.

Just thought you should know that the next time you or someone else feels the need to rip them.

I had someone on Facebook dog the team because they stay in a hotel and not in the olympic village during the games.  First off, the Dream Team stayed in a hotel in 1992.  Second, it’s for security reasons.  LeBron and Co. are the richest and most recognizable athletes at the olympics. It’s common sense to keep them away from the village.

I love this team. Sure they are small, but they are tough. Give me a tough, under-sized warrior over a soft big man any day. This team defends, shares the ball and has been shooting it well. In case you missed their last exhibition game, a game that a lot of people were picking Spain to win, USA trounced them 100-78. The Americans shot 13-23 from downtown.

Their depth, speed and experience will lead them to another Gold medal.

TV Schedule for Team USA

• Sunday, July 29, 2012 - USA vs. France – 9:30 a.m – NBC Sports Network, NBC Basketball Channel
• Tuesday, July 31, 2012 – Tunisia vs. USA - 5:15 p.m – NBC Sports Network, NBC Basketball Channel
• Thursday, August 2, 2012 - USA vs. Nigeria – 5:15 p.m – NBC Sports Network, NBC Basketball Channel
• Saturday, August 4, 2012 – Lithuania vs. USA - 9:30 a.m – NBC Sports Network, NBC Basketball Channel
• Monday, August 6, 2012 - USA vs. Argentina – 5:15 p.m – NBC Sports Network, NBC Basketball Channel

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO L-FRANK

Detroit Pistons head coach Lawrence Frank with his thoughts on coaching.

Competence: You have got to know what you’re doing.

Work Ethic: You have to bring it every day, just like the players.

Sincerity and honesty: Tell it the way it is.

Reliability: The players have to be able to count on you every day. Be prepared so you can put the players in a position to succeed. If you can help others succeed, your age means nothing. All players want to do is learn and succeed and they don’t care who gets them there.

(Taken from “The Ultimate Coaches’ Clinic” By Pat Williams)

HOOPS135@HOTMAIL.COM

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore

BACK PEDAL: THE NYC POINT GUARD

“A New York City point guard would give up his girlfriend and his gold before he gave up his dribble…”

-Ziggy, Brooklyn USA

The rosters of the The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets this coming season will have two outstanding point guards. Jason Kidd and Deron Williams will be running the show for their respective teams; Kidd at 33rd and 8th, Williams at Flatbush and Atlantic.

Both Kidd and Williams are two of the better point guards the game has seen in the past fifteen years.

Kidd is originally from California, Williams from Texas.

When I think of basketball in New York City, three things come to mind; school yards, Kareem Abdul-Jabber and the point guard.

As a long-time Brooklyn native who has coached at the AAU, high school and college level, I want to know, “what has happened to the New York City-born point guard?

Understand one thing though, I ask that question in all seriousness and do not mean any disrespect by it.

The point guard in basketball, also known as the “1″ is usually the player who brings the ball up the court and runs the show.  They are the one who gets the team into the offense and pushes the ball up the court in transition.   It’s arguably the most important position on the floor. Some call the point guard the quarterback.

Solid point guards are hard to come by.  They don’t grow on trees. It takes a special player to become a good point guard.  The point guard is an extension of the coach on the floor.  He or she is under control, alert, usually possess a high basketball I.Q. and not afraid to be the team leader. They are selfless and sacrifice part of their game for the good of the team.

Over the years playmakers like Dick McGuire, Bob Cousy, Lenny Wilkins, Dean Meminger, Nate Archibald, Butch Lee, Mark Jackson, Kenny Smith, Rod Strickland, Stephon Marbury and Kenny Anderson have all played on the concrete battlegrounds across New York City. The schoolyard was the breeding ground for a city player.  It was in the school yards where you learned how to compete. Race, class, and age do not matter the minute you walk through the chain-link fence. If you come in peace and are there to play ball, it’ll be a wonderful experience.

“Put ten point guards out on the court and you can tell which one’s are from New York City,” Mark Jackson said.

A free education in basketball was going up against the older players. I’m not so sure kids do that anymore; “playing up” is what my guy Herb Welling calls it.

In New York City, when you play pick-up ball, you become part of a special group; it’s a connection to the game. It’s you, the ball, the court and your teammates.

The Big Apple has produced tough point guards that could lead a team, score, break a press and of course, share the pill. Scanning the NBA rosters and watching college basketball around the country, the number of high quality point guards from the city has gone down.

I never saw Bob Cousy play in person but I have read so much about him and have watched many highlights. Cousy played at Andrew Jackson High School in Queens where he made the all-city team and took his talents to Holy Cross College where he became a three-time All-American. Cousy went on to earn all-NBA honors for thirteen years while playing on six NBA championship teams.

Wilkens didn’t begin playing on the varsity team at Boys High School in Brooklyn until his senior year and he wasn’t even the best player on that team!  The left-hander played his college ball at Providence and later went on to nine NBA all-star appearances. Wilkens became a coach in the NBA, winning a championship with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979.

Steve Hobbs, a Prep School basketball coach has been around the game a long time, “I think a lot of has to do with the NBA. These hybrid scoring point guards are so marketed. It is not cool to be a point guard to lead and run the team. Now, this doesn’t just affect NYC, but it has definitely infiltrated NYC.”

In 1973, Archibald led the NBA in scoring and assists. Archibald went to Arizona Western College before transferring to UTEP, where he averaged 20.0 points in three seasons playing for Don Haskins. “Nate the Skate” won a ring with the Boston Celtics.

From 1986 to 1988 we saw Mark Jackson, Kenny Smith, Kenny Hutchinson, Pearl Washington and Rod Strickland all come out of the city.  Jackson had a great high school career at Bishop Loughlin and later went on to St. John’s University.  After 17 years in the NBA he is currently the head coach of the Golden State Warriors. Smith excelled at Archbishop Molloy, was a teammate of Michael Jordan at North Carolina and won two NBA championships with the Houston Rockets. Pearl’s NBA career never progressed. In high school at Boys High, this guy did it all. He dribbled the ball like it was a yo-yo.

The scouting report on a NYC point guard was to back off them and let them shoot from the outside; in the city, playing outdoors, the wind was always blowing so guys took the ball to the rack.

Strickland, a native of the Boogie Down and currently on John Calipari’s coaching staff at Kentucky, played 17 years in the NBA and had an outstanding college career at DePaul in which he was a two-time All-American.

Stephon Marbury had many good seasons in the NBA. If you saw him at Lincoln high school you know what I’m talking about. Marbury is from Coney Island where he is a legend. His cousin, Sebastian Telfair, was a celebrated high school point guard who currently plays in the NBA. Marbury was hailed as the next great NYC floor general from a young age, when he earned the nickname “Starbury”.

Work ethic, attitude, outside shooting, defense, being coachable, and making the right decisions are vital to a point guards success. Behaving “off the court” is also critical.

Do New York City guards still want to “thread the needle”? Do they still want to “set the table”? Do they want to make their four teammates better? Do they want to lead? How about working on their dribbling? Watching the past point guards of the past and learning how to run the show?

Despite having a gift, being the most talented on your high school team, one must work harder than any other. A point guard must have determination, they must be tough and have unshakable confidence.

Is the NYC point guard a dying breed?

A thing of the past?

“We (NYC) have suffered the last ten years,” said Mark Jackson.

HOOPS135@HOTMAIL.COM

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore