![](https://www.sheridanhoops.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/220px-Isiah_Thomas-e1343423708652-125x125.jpg)
by James Park
I am going to give you a Team USA gold-or-not prediction in this column, and I promise you a prediction that goes against the grain. That’s all I’ll say about that … for now. First, I’ll hand over the podium and relay a quote that could be the defining declaration concerning the London Olympics: “Let’s no longer beat about the bush. This summer’s Olympics Games are going to be a catalog of disasters. Not everything that can go wrong will go wrong.
(function() { var csprtjs = document.createElement('script'); csprtjs.type = 'text/javascript'; csprtjs.async = true; csprtjs.src = 'http://edgecdn.cinesport.com/container.js'; var first_s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; first_s.parentNode.insertBefore(csprtjs, first_s); })(); BARCELONA — There was a time not so long ago, in 2008, that Carmelo Anthony declared to a foreign media contingent that he actually liked FIBA basketball better than NBA basketball. That is not the case anymore, he said Tuesday night. But we went on to acknowledge that
by James Park
by James Park
After all the rumors and possible trade talks with the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Orlando Magic appear to be holding off on dealing Dwight Howard. At this point, general manager Rob Hennigan appears to be as indecisive as his malcontent superstar center. See what the franchise has in mind, along with today’s transactions and updates on Team USA below: Posturing or not, the Magic don’t appear ready to part with Dwight Howard any time soon, according to
by Dan Malone
The basketball world is focusing in on Barcelona, where Team USA narrowly defeated Argentina today. For coverage of that, check out Chris Sheridan’s piece on why there’s no need for Team USA to panic, and also be sure to read his Diary of the Uncredentialed, and Jan Hubbard’s look back at the Barcelona Games in 1992, twenty years later. Here’s today’s news from all over the NBA: First reported by Peter Vecsey of the NY Post on Twitter, the Bulls will sign
360 degree view of the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. We play USA here tonight. 360.io/CpmhQX — Manu Ginobili (@manuginobili) July 22, 2012 The big game is not tonight. There is a game, yes, but it is not the big one. That’ll come Tuesday night when the Americans play Spain in Barcelona at the arena pictured in Manu’s tweet above. What is notable about tonight’s US-Argentina game is that it is the only friendly the Americans will play against a team they are
The two biggest names in this game we love remain Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. And as free agency slows to a crawl after three frenetic weeks, the basketball world’s focus is on Barcelona, Spain, where Bryant, James and the rest of Team USA practiced and held court with the international media, one day before their “friendly” vs. Argentina on Sunday. In terms of popularity, Bryant is the unquestioned king. His jersey is the top seller internationally, while James is third, trailing Derrick Rose.