USA Basketball Wins Gold

The headline isn't surprising, but how it happened might be. The United States won 107-100 over Spain in the Gold Medal game. Before I break down how it happened, I must first say that if Pau Gasol plays like this in the NBA next season the Lakers will be unbeatable. Gasol played one of the most amazing games I have ever seen, but as always America comes out on top. Now, how it happened....

Do not underestimate Mike Kryzewski's influence on this team. He has now delivered to gold medals for Team USA and gets a little credit, but not much. Kryzewki had these guys playing team ball when it mattered most and made the proper adjustments throughout the game. Don't forget who was coaching this team in 2004 before these two great performances. The 2004 team had LeBron, Wade, and even Tim Duncan in his prime, but was coached by Larry Brown. Do not underestimate how much a better coaching job Kryzewski has done in the last two Olympics over Brown. That 2004 team was loaded. However, Brown let Allen Iverson do his ball hogging and while leading the team to the bronze. They didn't play as a team and they didn't take advantage of the matchups (mainly that nobody could cover Duncan at the time). Kryzewski though took advantage of matchups and got Marc Gasol into foul trouble early. Great job by Coach K.

The passion and excellence brought to Team USA by Coach K will be hard to duplicate. This guy is a true professional eventhough he coaches college athletes. There is no man better for the job and he will surely be missed. The team truly loves him too and you can easily tell. 2016 will be a much more difficult task without Coach K. He will be more difficult to replace than any player on this team, but one.

Watching this game today, you noticed two things about one player. Chris Paul is the most important piece on this team, and he is clearly the best point guard in the NBA. Nobody can convince me that there was a player who played better than Paul today. The guy was lights out. Paul had that amazing drive to the basket at the end of the game that even Coach K went nuts over. I have never seen Coach K jump up and down like that. This guy is the key to the US repeating in 2016. What an amazing job by CP3.

Chris Paul helped lead this team to the promised land. He led them to the gold medal. Paul only had 11 points, but he made key plays. He got clutch baskets. He excited his teammates and coach. This guy started the runs and made the plays. CP3 didn't care about personal glory or being the guy that everybody gives praise to. Paul let James and Durant take all the praise. All Chris Paul wanted to do was make sure the USA got a gold medal. That is exactly what he did.

-Noland