Olympics – Kobe Bryant leads Team USA over Lithuania
August 1, 2008 by James Edwards
Filed under NBA Basketball, Olympics, Team USA
NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.
Kobe Bryant was everywhere defending everyone
Kobe Bryant the defender.
Kobe Bryant the defender. Had to say that one twice.
You don’t often think about Kobe Bryant being a defender, but he is and he is a good one.
This time he was guarding Sarunas Jasikevicius who was unstoppable 4 years ago and mocked the US team.
Since joining the U.S. team last summer, Bryant has tried to defend the opponent’s best perimeter threat. On Friday, that meant Jasikevicius, who hit seven 3-pointers and scored 28 points in Lithuania’s 94-90 victory over the Americans during pool play in Athens.
“This is what I do,” Bryant said. “I knew prior to it and they reminded me of it. So, sic the Doberman on him.”
Team USA went on to win the game 120 – 84. A very nice exhibition win.
There were plenty of scorers for Team USA. Dwyane Wade 19, Dwight Howard 17, LeBron James 15, Carmelo Anthony 11, and Michael Redd with 16.
Kobe only had 13, but defense is what he prided himself on.
The Americans, who shot 64 percent, swept two games here and leave Saturday for Shanghai, where they will play European champion Russia and Australia.
Oh, and big star Sarunas Jasikevicius?
“Kobe locked him up. He got a couple of open shots throughout the course of the game, but when Kobe was on him, I don’t think he scored,” forward Carlos Boozer said. “I think he was actually a little tentative to shoot the ball when Kobe was on him.”
Be sure to check out all your Olympic news at NBCOlympics.com
As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.
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Kobe bryant is so cool.he is so good at both striker n defender.I hope that i can talk 2 Kobe n get some valueble skills from him.