Magic Says Team USA Is Familiar

LAS VEGAS — The celebrated basketball godfather sat at a courtside table surveying his descendants proudly and analytically. Earvin “Magic” Johnson watched as the latest edition of the USA national team demonstrated superiority over an international opponent, and then paid the current team the ultimate compliment.

“They remind me of us,” Johnson said.

A favorable comparison to the Dream Team would seem to be wonderful news for the beleaguered national team that has been humiliated in the last two World Championships and the 2004 Olympics. The U.S. had two bronze medals and a sixth place finish in those events despite the presence of 12 All-Star level players on each team. The Americans discovered that the old basketball cliché — great teams beat great individuals — is not a hackneyed saying.

This is a different group, however. Only three players — LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard — played on the 2006 team that lost in the World Championship semifinals to Greece. The additions of Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups have been profound and have elevated this team to at least be mentioned in a conversation about the only true Dream Team in history – the 1992 group that was basketball’s version of John, Paul, George and Ringo.

On the basketball planet, Magic, Michael and Larry were every bit as familiar as their famous counterparts were in the music world. Charles went from being well-known to a one-name cultural phenomenon. And the Dream Team was so dynamic and legendary that opponents enjoyed getting their autographs as much as competing with them.

But the world that Magic, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, John Stockton, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Clyde Drexler and Chris Mullin competed against has changed.

The new world plays to win. That was evident again Thursday night when Argentina, the defending Olympic gold medalist, was missing five key players – including Manu Ginobili – yet played the U.S. evenly for the last three quarters of the game. The U.S. led by 15 after one quarter and won the game 91-76.

Still, the U.S. was never seriously threatened. And Magic sat at courtside, nodding his head at good plays and standing for exciting ones, like a LeBron dunk in the third quarter.

click for more details

source : star-telegram.com