International Rules Seen As Biggest Challenge

LAS VEGAS -- The three-point line and games will be shorter and officials will operate under international rules.

In recent years, that has been a bad combination for NBA players used to getting calls to go their way as Team USA has failed to win a gold medal in its last four world competitions since the 2000 Olympics.

The differences between the NBA and international play "sounds so trite but it's big because you're going to work the same way every day and then all of the sudden, there's a roadblock: You are not as familiar with," Team USA Coach Mike Krzyzewski said about the challenges of this year's FIBA Americas Championship, which begin Wednesday at Nevada Las Vegas' Thomas & Mack Center,

"It takes adjustments," Krzyzewski added. ". . . when you add all the little things together, it's big and that's what we're trying to get across.For players such as Amare Stoudemire, an athletic big man who excels playing the NBA style, adapting to the international game takes time.

"The physical play is different and the no three-second rule in the paint defensively, those two are the main two changes for me," said Stoudemire, who played on the 2004 USA Olympic team but did not compete in last year's World Championships because of a knee injury.

"You are so used to getting out of the paint because you're afraid of the three-second call. But in the European game, you can stand in there as long as you want."

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source : latimes.com