Been perusing the FIBA basketball website during this tournament and the European basketball fans still are hatin' on Team USA. They think they have a chance because the Redeem Teamers are watching this one from the comfort of their couches back in the States and presume they have caught up to the USA in basketball ability.
Dream on. The team they love to hate is just three tantalizing wins away from the FIBA title.
Team USA sent a message that you sleep on us at your peril by not expending much labor on Labor Day racing out to a 33-13 first quarter lead, having 11 of the twelve USA players score in the first half, playing in your draws defense and shooting lights out from FIBA three land as they annihilated Angola 121-66 to move to the FIBA World Championships quarterfinals.
Kevin Durant scored all 17 of his points in the first half with 'old man' Chauncey Billups contributing 16 of his game high 19 point in the first two stanzas as well. Eric Gordon and Rudy Gay chipped in 17 points as well.
Team USA shot 18 for 59 from three point range, barely missing the FIBA record of 19, only turned the ball over 5 times, and dished out 30 assists. "This is what we all sacrificed our summers for," Billups said of trying to win the Americans' first world title since 1994. "Right now we're on the right path."
It won't be as easy from now on. Next up after they get two more days off is a September 9 showdown with Russia, who knocked off New Zealand 78-56.
But if they keep playing like they did against Angola today, FIBA world, you're in big trouble.
