Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The Greatest Game You Didn't (never) See
It was a classic showdown that gave you goose bumps from tip-off to the final buzzer.
As two country’s went at it for the chance to label themselves the best in the world in just one game, the incredible, out-of-your-seat action on the hardwood just barely exceeded the thunderous ovation from the sellout crowd in attendance.
And yet, it was a live event that many missed.
With the late 2:30 AM ET start in the Beijing summer Olympics Basketball final, team USA, or the redeem team as they call themselves, led by Kobe Bryant and their worthy counterparts in Spain, led by Pal Gasol, did something you will hardly ever see in an NBA game…hustle from start to finish.
No money, shoe contracts, bonuses and wagers from referees stood in the balance in the slugfest. It was just 40 minutes of who could outlast who to finally get to wear that golden piece of hardware around their neck—and it was worth watching every second of it.
Spain, with one of its best stars in NBA product Jose Calderon on the bench with an injury, mustered up the courage to hang with the powerful USA squad, racing out to an early lead and keeping it close through the entire first half, answering the ridiculous, hard-to-fathom shots the backcourt of Bryant, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade put up, and the earth-shaking power of Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh in the frontcourt.
The game was an explosion of offensive might, where each team got a chance to show off their finest moves and incredible finesse.
But despite the athletic abilities and fantastic offense on both sides, the real microcosm of the game came in the second quarter, when Gasol fell to the floor after the whistle and Bryant—who is a Laker teammate of Gasol—refused to help the big man up off the floor.
And as much as it seemed like a rude gesture, the game was that intense, and the stakes were that high.
The intensity from that moment on could be felt from Beijing to your cable box and in your living room at home.
With both teams on pace to set a record for the highest scoring affair in the history of men’s Olympic basketball finals, it was the redeem team who pulled out the mesmerizing stunts to end the first half up eight.
While most assumed the 22-point favorite team USA, who has averaged 30.3 points per game this Olympics would runaway with the show in the second half, Spain fired out with the help of future NBA product Rudy Fernandez and played “catch me if you can” with the redeem team all throughout the third and fourth quarter.
Razzle dazzle dunks from Lebron James and Carmello Anthony were answered by swift ally-oop jams from Fernandez to Pal and Marc Gasol. A Wade and-1 reverse layup on one end was answered by a ridiculous fadeaway three-pointer from Carlos Jimenez on the other end.
And with each team growing weary of each others offensive attacks, Spain would pull together and cut the game to a four point USA lead late in the fourth quarter thanks to the stylish give-and-go game they showcased all night long.
But a Bryant three-point shot and the bonus, followed by a Chris Paul steal and layup would lead to the ultimate demise of Spain, and what was probably one of the most intense, riveting basketball games seen in a very long time.
And while the redeem team finally…redeemed themselves of an embarrassing loss to Argentina four years ago, and receiving their first gold medals since 2000, it led me to ask one question: “why do we not get basketball from the pros like that here?”
Why does one wrong gesture lead to fighting the other team, or even the fans? And why don’t we get start-to-finish hustle despite the score or time of the game?
After all, you didn’t see Kobe hold out on team USA like he did with the Lakers, asking and pleading to be traded. You didn’t see stats being padded just so a triple-double could be secured. Nobody was thinking about what party to stir up trouble at after the game and Carmelo Anthony sure wasn’t getting DUI’s in Beijing on game nights.
These Olympics and this game in particular showed one thing, and that’s that even those with the worst of attitudes and lousy sportsmanship can put on their country’s colors and play with their hearts on their shirts for forty minutes.
That pride defeats any check no matter how many zeroes are on it.
That the energy and strength that every athlete has left is all exuded on the hardwood.
And that no matter what happens during the course of the game, the only thing that matters is getting that win, no matter how much blood, sweat and tears is invested in it.
Perhaps if the entire National Basketball Association watched the tape of this game, and learned how to think with their hearts instead of their checkbooks and mouths, then we would finally get to watch what real basketball is made of again.
Maybe I’m dreaming, but I think the league can redeem themselves.
As two country’s went at it for the chance to label themselves the best in the world in just one game, the incredible, out-of-your-seat action on the hardwood just barely exceeded the thunderous ovation from the sellout crowd in attendance.
And yet, it was a live event that many missed.
With the late 2:30 AM ET start in the Beijing summer Olympics Basketball final, team USA, or the redeem team as they call themselves, led by Kobe Bryant and their worthy counterparts in Spain, led by Pal Gasol, did something you will hardly ever see in an NBA game…hustle from start to finish.
No money, shoe contracts, bonuses and wagers from referees stood in the balance in the slugfest. It was just 40 minutes of who could outlast who to finally get to wear that golden piece of hardware around their neck—and it was worth watching every second of it.
Spain, with one of its best stars in NBA product Jose Calderon on the bench with an injury, mustered up the courage to hang with the powerful USA squad, racing out to an early lead and keeping it close through the entire first half, answering the ridiculous, hard-to-fathom shots the backcourt of Bryant, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade put up, and the earth-shaking power of Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh in the frontcourt.
The game was an explosion of offensive might, where each team got a chance to show off their finest moves and incredible finesse.
But despite the athletic abilities and fantastic offense on both sides, the real microcosm of the game came in the second quarter, when Gasol fell to the floor after the whistle and Bryant—who is a Laker teammate of Gasol—refused to help the big man up off the floor.
And as much as it seemed like a rude gesture, the game was that intense, and the stakes were that high.
The intensity from that moment on could be felt from Beijing to your cable box and in your living room at home.
With both teams on pace to set a record for the highest scoring affair in the history of men’s Olympic basketball finals, it was the redeem team who pulled out the mesmerizing stunts to end the first half up eight.
While most assumed the 22-point favorite team USA, who has averaged 30.3 points per game this Olympics would runaway with the show in the second half, Spain fired out with the help of future NBA product Rudy Fernandez and played “catch me if you can” with the redeem team all throughout the third and fourth quarter.
Razzle dazzle dunks from Lebron James and Carmello Anthony were answered by swift ally-oop jams from Fernandez to Pal and Marc Gasol. A Wade and-1 reverse layup on one end was answered by a ridiculous fadeaway three-pointer from Carlos Jimenez on the other end.
And with each team growing weary of each others offensive attacks, Spain would pull together and cut the game to a four point USA lead late in the fourth quarter thanks to the stylish give-and-go game they showcased all night long.
But a Bryant three-point shot and the bonus, followed by a Chris Paul steal and layup would lead to the ultimate demise of Spain, and what was probably one of the most intense, riveting basketball games seen in a very long time.
And while the redeem team finally…redeemed themselves of an embarrassing loss to Argentina four years ago, and receiving their first gold medals since 2000, it led me to ask one question: “why do we not get basketball from the pros like that here?”
Why does one wrong gesture lead to fighting the other team, or even the fans? And why don’t we get start-to-finish hustle despite the score or time of the game?
After all, you didn’t see Kobe hold out on team USA like he did with the Lakers, asking and pleading to be traded. You didn’t see stats being padded just so a triple-double could be secured. Nobody was thinking about what party to stir up trouble at after the game and Carmelo Anthony sure wasn’t getting DUI’s in Beijing on game nights.
These Olympics and this game in particular showed one thing, and that’s that even those with the worst of attitudes and lousy sportsmanship can put on their country’s colors and play with their hearts on their shirts for forty minutes.
That pride defeats any check no matter how many zeroes are on it.
That the energy and strength that every athlete has left is all exuded on the hardwood.
And that no matter what happens during the course of the game, the only thing that matters is getting that win, no matter how much blood, sweat and tears is invested in it.
Perhaps if the entire National Basketball Association watched the tape of this game, and learned how to think with their hearts instead of their checkbooks and mouths, then we would finally get to watch what real basketball is made of again.
Maybe I’m dreaming, but I think the league can redeem themselves.
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