USA vs. Spain - Live Game Blog

1st Quarter

• Did Pau just flop on a jump ball?
• Spain strikes early and looks determined to make it a closer game than the previous matchup.
• Hmm, I'm shocked JC Navarro didn't last in the L. Most NBA teams love undersized shooting guard who can't play D. Just ask Chicago.
• Navarro for three? Nope.
• Who knew? Zack Efron plays point guard for Spain?
• Efron just made Kidd look foolish. How slow is Jason Kidd?
• Spain 21, USA 17. Coach K doesn't look happy.
• Gasol just got hit for the first time, and missed a layup. Maybe the U.S. should be a little more physical with him?
• This game is being played at Spain's pace. I don't like it.
• The U.S. makes a mini-run and takes the lead. You know the U.S. is focused when they start hitting free throws.
• Wade is EVERYWHERE. I haven't seen him play with this sort of tenacity since '06. Maybe I'll be a believer before this one's over.
• Spain is face-guarding Wade on the three point line. Did they not get the memo about his outside shooting?
• Most overused image of the Summer games: camera pans Lebron and Kobe chumming it up on the bench.
• Marc Gasol is a stud. Part of me thinks he could have helped the Lakers more than Pau in the long run.
• Tayshaun Prince sighting.
• Where is Rudy Fernandez?
• Did Wade just make a three?

End of 1st Quarter: USA 38, Spain 31

2nd Quarter

• 2nd quarter begins, and we get a chance to see Rudy.
• Kobe enters game, and abruptly drains a three.
• Dwight Howard flagrantly fouls Pau Gasol. Gasol misses BOTH free throws. Coincidence? I think not.
• Spain is getting a little testy -- they believe they can win this game.
• Fernandez for three.... splash.
• Efron beats Kidd to the basket again. Coach K?
• Kidd gets subbed by Paul. Finally.
• Wow, Paul delivers a perfect alley-oop from past halfcourt.
• JC Navarro hits an impossible one-handed floater. Those are the types of plays that have "upset" written all over them.
• Collins' sidekick just called the official a "Sting lookalike". I'm buying.
• Lebron did his best Walter Payton impression on the fast break and gets an and one opportunity.
• America is up 10, and the depth is taking its toll on the Spaniards. This could get ugly fast.
• Fernandez is a good passer... I had no idea.
• When Lebron and Wade start hitting threes, there is no way to stop this team.
• Fernandez for three... splash.
• Boozer still hasn't gotten in. Even Coach K knows how far he's fallen in the past 6 months.
• Fernandez step back for three... splash.
• Apparently the refs don't call moving screens, because Spain moves on every screen.
• Reyes looks pretty good -- why didn't he make it in the L?
• David Stern sighting. He must have been at the track & field events the past 4 days, because that tan is looking immaculate.

Halftime: U.S.A 69, Spain 61

Third Quarter

• The wife just called it a night, but I'm gonna stay up for this one.
• Spain comes out and hits a jumper to make it a 6-point game. The senior citizen quota minutes have already been met - K needs to sub Kidd.
• The famous pump-pump-pump-lunge into defender move fails Lebron. Maybe these international refs get it.
• Dwight Howard sighting. There is no reason Howard shouldn't get a double-double every game in this tourney.
• Kobe gets what appears to be a three-point play, only to be called for traveling. No way that gets called in the NBA.
• Pau makes an Olajuwon-esque jump hook. Time for the obligatory "Maul-a-Pau."
• Replay just showed Howard cheap-shotting Pau in the face after he hit the jump hook. Maybe Dwight is a smarter player than I give him credit for.
• Navarro with impossible one-handed floater #2.
• Howard dunks Gasol and the ball in one motion.
• Navarro hits impossible one-handed floater #3. Seriously?
• David Beckham sighting. Bet the wife wishes she stayed up now.
• With the U.S. up four, Kidd gets yanked in favor of CP3. Let's monitor the over/under with Kidd out of the game.
• Kobe forces a three. Will the selfish tendencies resurface?
• Kobe comes back with a tremendous assist -- so much for that theory.
• Lebron Earl Campbell's his way to another and-one. Nevermind, I forgot he can't hit free throws.
• Spain goes to the zone. I don't like America's current lineup against the zone.
• Michael Redd sighting? Nope.
• Wade is playing out of his skull.
• I'm retracting my opinion that Paul is a top-3 player in the NBA. He's looking pretty pedestrian tonight.
• Deron Williams with a gorgeous step back. I LOVE him in this tournament.
• Navarro with impossible one-handed floater #4? Nope.

End of the 3rd Quarter: U.S.A 91, Spain 82.

4th Quarter

• Deron Williams misses a sure layup. Put Kidd back in... kidding.
• Fernandez to Gasol for the alley-oop. 5 point game.
• Fernandez for three? Splash. This guy is going to be good in the L.
• Coach K signals for a timeout.
• The human momentum killer (Kobe) hits a desperation runner. I love it.
• After a Fernandez miss, Williams hits a huge three to put the U.S. up by 7 again.
• Howard dunks Gasol and the ball in one motion. Nine point game.
• Fernandez for three? Nope. Fernandez for three? Yep. Is anyone guarding him?
• Kobe with the retaliatory dagger three. Nine point game again.
• Fernandez with the and-one throwdown. What can't this kid do on the offensive end?
• Kobe circa 2005 fires a deep three early in the shot clock and comes up empty.
• Dwight Howard goes to the line up by eight. I just put my hard hat on.
• 1/2... I'll take it.
• The U.S. can't keep the Gasol brothers off the offensive glass.
• Pau stands in the lane for 5 seconds, Marc pushes an American to the floor, and Pau hits a jumper. Spain's within 5.
• In the biggest play of the game, Kobe hits a three AND gets fouled. On the same play, Fernandez fouls out.
• Who should NBC zoom in on after the biggest play of the game? David Beckham, of course.
• Navarro with impossible one-handed floater #4. Maybe he's doing this on purpose.
• Some guy named Jimenez hits a three to put Spain within 4.
• Wade hits a three to put it back to 7.
• After a Spain timeout, Kobe is jawing at JC Navarro. That's almost embarrassing.
• Bryant with yet another game-saving shot. Is there any debate about the iciest veins in the world?
• Zack Efron picks up a personal foul and a technical foul. Disney execs cringe after exhausting their PR budget last month on Miley Cyrus' provocative photos.
• Kobe hits both free throws. Game over.
• In one of the most awkward moments in sports history, Kobe pours a water bottle over Coach K's head and slaps him on the butt.

Game Final: U.S.A 118, Spain 107.