Amid concerns about health, security and logistical problems at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, the US basketball players are staying afloat – literally.
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The HOC has sent a team of 97 to Rio for the first Games to be held in South America. “It doesn’t matter what anybody says, I got nothing but confidence in everybody here, and I feel as though we have a great chance to do something special”. “This is business for us”. And, going in, what we want to expect from one another.
Team USA enters the Olympic men’s basketball competition as the overwhelming favorite not only because of their success in Beijing and London, but as well as their dominant campaign throughout their buildup heading to Rio.
Plenty of platitudes and praise were being handed out but no medals:Those will be awarded on the final day of the Rio Olympics on Aug 21 when United States players are expected, as they have at 14-of-17 Summer Games, to bring home the gold.
“We are pushing each other”, she said.
“You’re part of something special in sport as all of the countries come together for something greater than just a tennis tournament and so I think that is why the Olympics has become special for tennis players”.
Team USA will play five group stage games against five different national teams.
When the USA faced China in an exhibition game at Oracle Arena on July 26, Krzyzewski started Durant, Draymond Green, and DeMarcus Cousins in the frontcourt, with Klay Thompson and Irving in the backcourt.
But Carmelo Anthony, a 32-year-old New York Knicks forward whose Olympic debut ended with that loss to Argentina, said the team will take nothing for granted. “Every team is here for a reason”. “As players, guys who can get hot like that, you can see that from a mile away”. There are some disadvantages of staying on the ship.
Since 1936, U.S. has appeared in every single Olympic basketball tournament, winning Gold all but four times.
“It’s not so much about us being and staying on a boat”. It’s not like we’re cruising around.
The most awaited sports event of the year, the Rio Olympics, is upon us and the hype has just got real. Anthony continues to explain that there are only small beds and small rooms. The Americans may have seemed vulnerable when James, Curry and a number of other superstars declined to play, but the players who did accept invites have had a few weeks to work on getting better on the court and getting along off it.
“We want to win, we want to send a message to the rest of the world we are here on business”, said Carmelo Anthony, a four-time Olympian in basketball. “We’re going to do the best job with the guys here, and hopefully, get a gold”, Harrison Barnes said.
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Anthony is actually 32, and his first Olympic experience 12 years ago was a mostly miserable one. “I don’t know that it is that insane in the United States, but since this is basketball, it takes on that kind of significance”.
