On the anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game, Joel Embiid took center stage and eclipsed one of the many NBA scoring records held by Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain.

Embiid scored 70 points in just 37 minutes on the court to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-123 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. It was the most points scored in a single game by a Sixer since Chamberlain scored 68 points on Dec. 16, 1967. Embiid, who also grabbed a personal-best 18 rebounds, made 24 of 41 field goals and 21 of 23 free throws. The reigning NBA MVP outdueled much-hyped Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, who scored 33 points in 29 minutes.

“My mindset is to attack, dominate offensively and defensively, so tonight was no different,” Embiid said after the game on the local TV broadcast. The Sixers center was surprised to hear afterwards that Wilt “The Stilt” never had a 65-point, 15-rebound, 5-assist game in his Sixers career.

“Wilt never never did this? I don’t believe that,” Embiid said with a smile. “Some of those world records, you know, we still gotta see. I’m sure Wilt has done it at some point.”

Embiid’s reaction to accomplishing something Chamberlain never did is a testament to the great career of the man they called The Big Dipper. The NBA record book begins and ends with Chamberlain. He still holds the single-game record with 100 points, a record that may never be touched. Wilt was playing for the Philadelphia Warriors when he set the mark. Kobe’s 81 points is the second-highest scoring game.

Prior to Embiid’s 70-point game, Chamberlain held three of the four best single-game scoring marks in 76ers history. Allen Iverson is only other Sixer besides Embiid and Chamberlain to score over 60 points. Iverson scored 62 in 2005.

Embiid had tied his career high of 59 points through three quarters and re-entered the contest with 6:38 left and Philadelphia ahead 118-104. With the record in sight, the 76ers were feeding him the ball at every opportunity.

“Obviously he can score in so many ways, just his sheer size gets him a lot of stuff around the basket, gets him a lot of free throws,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “The shooting touch is the skill part. The way he moves, the skill he has, the size he is, and he gets motivated like that, anything can happen I guess.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich joked before the game that the Spurs’ plan against Embiid was to “hammer” him. “I told Wemby to back him down over the rim and just throw him through the rim,” Popovich playfully told reporters.

But it was Embiid who backed down the young Frenchman to the hoop early and often. He had hit going early with 24 points on 8-for-12 shooting in the first quarter. Once Embiid got rolling, there was no stopping the big man.

The United States senior men’s national team enters the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup with the weight of the world on its shoulder.

Being the hunted is a familiar position for Team USA after being so dominant for nearly 20 years. But the rest of the world is catching up, and winning a gold medal is no longer a sure bet.

The 58-game winning streak for the Americans in FIBA and Olympic competition came to a crashing halt in 2019 when the Gregg Popovich-coached squad — headlined by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — finished seventh at the World Cup held in China. It was the worst finish by an American squad in an Olympic or World Cup tournament, and it was the first time the U.S. failed to medal in basketball’s biggest international stage since the 2002 debacle in Indianapolis. We still haven’t forgiven George Karl for that mess.

Popovich did find some redemption in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo as he coached the U.S. — led by Kevin Durant and Draymond Green — to a gold medal.

Durant and Green are sitting out this year’s World Cup. The 12-man unit USA Basketball is sending to the Philippines — which co-hosts this year’s tournament with Japan and Singapore — is untested and doesn’t have a single All-NBA performer.

“For us, we have a lot of young guys this year, so we all feel like we have something to prove,” point guard Tyrese Haliburton told ESPN’s Kendra Andrews during the NBA summer league in Vegas.

Haliburton is one of the many new faces on Team USA that may be short on name recognition and international experience but loaded with promise. Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) is one of three players on the national team who earned NBA All-Star nods this past year. The other two were shooting guard Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) and forward-center Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies).

The rest of the squad includes Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Josh Hart (New York Knicks), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Cameron Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks) and Austin Reaves (L.A. Lakers).

“I don’t think the expectations are what they usually are for USA Basketball, but that’s not changing for us guys who are playing,” Haliburton said. “We are really excited to get to it.

“It’s gonna be a lot of fun,” he added. “A lot of guys are around the same age as me.”

Even though expectations are a bit muted this time around, Haliburton said it doesn’t change the primary objective: bring home the gold and reestablish American dominance.

“All the young guys feel like we have something to prove on the national level and obviously on the world level as well,” Haliburton said.

Following the Tokyo Games, USA Basketball underwent a period of transition.

Grant Hill, the former Duke standout and No. 3 overall pick in the 1994 draft by the Detroit Pistons, took over for Jerry Colangelo as managing director of the U.S. senior men’s national team. Steve Kerr, the four-time NBA championship coach of the Golden State Warriors, took the baton from Popovich as the head coach. Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat), Ty Lue (L.A. Clippers) and Mark Few (Gonzaga) round out Kerr’s coaching staff.

Kerr is tasked with leading a group that is about as raw as they come in terms of international competition. Portis, 28, is the oldest player on the roster while Banchero, 20, is the youngest American to compete at a FIBA World Cup event since Dwight Howard in 2006. The average age on Team USA is 24, and the team is desperately searching for an alpha dog to take charge.

Kerr started with the combination of Brunson, Edwards, Bridges, Ingram, and Jackson Jr. in the exhibition game against Puerto Rico on Aug. 7 in Las Vegas. Barring injuries or a major surprise in camp, this will likely be the starting lineup for Team USA when it arrives in Manila to take on New Zealand in its World Cup opener on Aug. 26.

After what assistant coach Spoelstra described as a “sloppy” first half that kept the game close, the U.S. overwhelmed Puerto Rico in the second half en route to a dominant 117-74 victory in the first of five USA Basketball showcase games in preparation for the World Cup.

Brunson is the steady hand Kerr needs to run point, and he’s also emerged in training camp as the vocal leader. Haliburton came off the bench in the win over Puerto Rico and looked comfortable in that role. He may be better suited to be the secondary playmaker, with his ability to push the pace on the second unit.

Jackson Jr. is the clear starting center and there’s a huge gap between him and his backups Portis, Banchero, and Kessler. Jackson Jr.’s ability to impact the game on both ends is what makes him an invaluable piece.

The surprise of training camp has been Reaves.

His inclusion on the squad raised a few eyebrows. But after a solid debut wearing the USA colors, those doubts were put to rest. Kerr called Reaves “a connector” and “enhances any lineup that he plays with.”

“He fits in wherever we put him. That’s the beauty of Austin,” Kerr told reporters about the L.A. Lakers guard, whose efficiency from 3-point range (40%) and effective play-making are two vital skills he can bring to the table. Reaves is a solid compliment to Edwards, who is more of a volume shooter and slasher.

Throughout the showcase games, it is becoming clear that Reaves is one of the five indispensable players on the squad. It’s a list that includes Brunson, Edwards, Jackson Jr., and Bridges. This is Reaves’ freshman season on the FIBA stage and he’s soaking in every moment.

“I didn’t play much AAU growing up, so I don’t really know many of [my USA Basketball teammates],” Reaves told Fox Sports. “But this is a cool opportunity for me to play with a bunch of guys that are really talented. A bunch of good guys, honestly.”

One position this squad has plenty of depth is at the wing. Bridges is the ideal 3-and-D forward while Ingram, who is more for a natural small forward, is the ideal 4-man in the world of FIBA. Johnson can play either forward position and Hart — the third member of the Villanova Boys on the squad — will bring plenty of hustle off the bench.

The exhibition game against Puerto Rico wasn’t much of a game, but it did give us a sense of what style of play Kerr wants this group will run. It’s the same pace-and-space philosophy Kerr employs as headmaster of the Warriors. He wants his point guards to push the pace and he wants ball movement and man movement off the ball.

Kerr is one of the brightest minds in basketball. He and his outstanding coaching staff will figure out how to make this untested group play the right way and compete for gold.

Prior to being traded to the Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant was asked about how the Brooklyn Nets were able to right the ship after a disastrous start. Durant had a simple explanation for the resurgence.

“What we did was simplify both ends of the basketball,” Durant said. “Shored up our roles individually. Coach shored up our roles, pretty much letting us know each day what he needs from us. I think that’s been a focus. It’s not like, man finally we got the noise out of our locker room and now we can play. We’ve always been locked in on basketball.”

The coach who shored up the Nets’ roles was Jacque Vaughn. It’s the same Jacque Vaughn who was viewed as a temporary solution until the team secured a deal for Ime Udoka. But the Band-Aid the Nets applied after Steve Nash was fired on Nov. 1 has become a permanent fix.

Vaughn has not only kept the Nets afloat amid this turbulent season, but he has managed to make them into a playoff contender by fixing a major weakness that dogged his predecessor — defense.

Through the first 17 games of the 2022-23 season, the Nets were averaging 111.6 points per game while shooting 49% from the field and 37% from 3-point range. They had a record of 8-9 and were on the outside of the playoff race. For the next 17 games, the Nets averaged 117.2 points per game while shooting 53% from the field and 41% from 3-point. They won 14 of their next 17 games and soared into upper tier of the Eastern Conference standings.

The Nets were on a serious roll until Durant suffered an MCL sprain on Jan. 9. Before the injury, which sidelined Durant for at least four weeks, the four-time NBA scoring champ was enjoying the most efficient offensive season of his career. He was shooting 55% from the field and a league-best 93.4% from the free throw line.

Just when the Nets were beginning to turn it all around and make a push for one of the top four seeds in the East, Kyrie dropped a bombshell on Feb. 3 when he requested for a trade. Two days later, the Nets shipped Irving to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and three draft picks.

The smoke from the Irving trade hadn’t cleared yet when the second bombshell dropped. The Nets and the Suns worked out a blockbuster deal, sending Durant to the Grand Canyon state for a package that included rising star Mikal Bridges, 3-and-D wing Cam Johnson, veteran forward Jae Crowder and four unprotected future first-round picks.

In less than a week, the Nets went from being title contenders to a team in rebuild. This latest challenge is nothing new for the 47-year-old Vaughn. He’s been able to steer the ship in the right direction in spite of rough waters the past four months since taking over for Nash. The Nets were able to secure the sixth spot in the East, earning a first-round date with No. 3 seed Philadelphia. Finishing in the top six was nearly implausible given all the off-court drama the Nets have endured for almost a full calendar year.

The implosion in Brooklyn started back in the summer when Durant demanded to be traded. The basketball world was turned upside down for a few weeks while the Nets entertained numerous offers for Durant. In the end, Nets general manager Sean Marks and owner Joe Tsai couldn’t find a deal that would satisfy all sides and Durant remained a Net.

Following the KD drama, Kyrie Irving found himself in hot water when he shared a link on an antisemitic film on social media. Kyrie’s actions resulted in team-imposed suspension.

“My approach is the train is going to keep moving. And that train of playing hard, playing together, being a team, that’s going to continue. And it’s going to be up to me to get our group to incorporate everybody. But the train is gonna keep moving,” Vaughn told reporters.

Irving’s nearly four-year stint with the Nets ended on Feb. 6 after the franchise traded him to the Dallas Mavericks. Irving requested to be traded and the Nets honored that request by shipping him to a playoff contender in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and draft picks.

“My interactions with Kai have always been positive,” Vaughn said about Kyrie, one day after the All-Star guard was traded.

“I enjoyed coaching him. I want him to succeed. I’ll keep it that simple,” Vaughn added. “We’ve had some ups and downs I guess along the way. I’ve also seen the young man score 60 points. I’ve also seen him bring his kids into the locker room.

“I’ve also seen him grow as an individual and be a better teammate than when I first met him. So for me, I’m going to always look at the good in people and want the good in people. And I want him to succeed. He’s no longer with us, but I appreciate his time.”

Durant was also appreciative of his time with the Nets as he got emotional talking about his former squad during his introductory press conference in Phoenix.

“I built a family over there. They’re always going to be a part of my journey…I love those guys,” Durant said about the Nets organization, who stuck by him while he rehabbed his torn Achilles tendon.

“It was a lot of ups and downs, but I loved the grind. Everyone in Brooklyn loved the grind too, so I built a family over there,” he said. “They always gonna be a part of my journey. We didn’t accomplish what we wanted to accomplish as far as winning a championship, but I enjoyed the grind. Everybody there, we tried our hardest everyday regardless of what was going on in the media, what was going on with our teammates. Everybody who was in that gym, we grinded.”

Durant added: “So I love those guys. I get emotional talking about it because that was a special four years of my career coming off an Achilles. They helped me through a lot. It was terribly how some stuff went down, but at the end of the day I love the grind and we all loved the grind in Brooklyn. I wish them the best going forward, they got a bright future.”

Vaughn brings a calmness to the table. It’s a trait he’s always had dating back to his teenage years at Pasadena’s John Muir High School. When he was a freshman point guard for the Muir Mustangs, he would often be the calming influence on coach Rocky Moore’s overly animated bench. During one pivotal league game, a chaotic Muir sideline was trying to get the players’ attention when Vaughn put his hand up to tell his bench to chill. It was his way of saying: I got this. No need to panic.

In college, the 6-1 guard was the poised pointman for Roy Williams at Kansas University. He was a two-time GTE first-team Academic All-American was the Jayhawks’ all-time leader in assists when he left school and entered the NBA in 1997.

Vaughn ended his NBA career in 2009 after a three-year stint with the San Antonio Spurs. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gave Vaughn his first post-NBA gig when he offered him an opportunity to hang around the Spurs and watch the coaches work.

After a failed three-year head coaching stint with the Orlando Magic, Vaughn was hired to be Kenny Atkinson’s top assistant in 2016. Vaughn was promoted to interim head coach in March 2020 following Atkinson’s midseason departure. Vaughn gave the Nets a preview of what he can do when he coached the Nets to a 7-3 finish and a playoff berth inside the Disney World bubble. But the Nets weren’t convinced that Vaughn was the right guy to lead a headstrong squad and Marks decided to bring in Nash despite a lack of coaching experience. Marks cited Nash’s ability to build relationships was the key to crafting a winning culture. It turns out that the key to crafting the franchise’s winning culture was one spot down the bench.

Vaughn’s calm demeanor and quiet leadership are exactly what the Nets needed to turn their season around. The Nets management showed their confidence in Vaughn by extending his contract through the 2026-27 season.

“Jacque has made an immediate and immeasurable impact on our entire organization since assuming the role of head coach earlier this season,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said. “On the court, he’s clearly demonstrated his leadership through his ability to connect and communicate at a very high level while displaying tremendous instincts for the game. As a person, they don’t come any better than Jacque. His character is impeccable, and there is not a better representative for our team and our borough. We are thrilled to have Jacque lead the Nets for years to come.”

Center Nic Claxton, a second-round draft pick in 2019, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries from the coaching change. Vaughn installed Claxton as the team’s No. 1 center to anchor the defense. Claxton rewarded Vaughn with the best season of his four-year career year, leading the NBA in field-goal percentage (70.6%) and third in blocked shots (2.5). Claxton, who should get votes on the all-defensive team, filled the three biggest needs for the Nets: a rim protector, screen-and-roller who can finish in the paint, and rebounder (9.2).

Brooklyn has improved its defensive rating from 118 to 106, and rebounding the ball has been a point of emphasis. Vaughn demanded they become better rebounders and has turned them into better defenders. Vaughn began including “box out data” in team film sessions to highlight missed assignments on rebounds. It held players accountable and helped improve the team’s deficiencies on the defensive end.

“The thing about Jacque is that he doesn’t want the camera. He’s not going to seek attention. He’s a quiet dude but he’s very contemplative,” Popovich told the Associated Press. “He thinks things through and he’ll have a sort a peace about him and he engenders respect. He doesn’t do anything unnecessarily. He’ll have standards, he’ll hold them accountable and he knows what he’s doing.”

Boston Celtics first-year head coach Joe Mazzulla and Mike Brown of the Sacramento Kings are the front-runners to win NBA coach of the year. Vaughn should be added to that mix. He deserves his flowers for saving the Nets’ season.

Kevin Durant led Team USA to a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics. (Getty Images)

If there were any doubts that Kevin Durant was back near the top of list of best basketball players in the world, they were all extinguished during the 2021 NBA playoffs and the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo.

Durant was nothing short of spectacular during the men’s basketball tournament at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The baller known as the Slim Reaper put USA Basketball on his back, leading Team USA to an 87-82 victory over France in the gold-medal game.

It was Team USA’s fourth straight Olympic gold medal and its 16th gold medal in 19 Olympics. Durant joined Carmelo Anthony as the only three-time gold medalists in Olympic basketball history. Durant also became USA Basketball’s all-time leading scorer, passing Anthony. It could be argued that Durant is the best player to ever wear the Red, White, and Blue.

Throughout the Olympic tournament, Durant was the one constant positive force on a squad that was put together in a month. Head coach Gregg Popovich didn’t have his full complement of players up until the first game against France on July 25. Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Devin Booker flew into Tokyo just a couple of days after finishing a brutal six-game series in the NBA Finals. They barely had time to get to know their Olympic teammates, yet alone figure out Popovich’s game plan.

The Olympics started off on a bad note for the Americans, losing to France in the opener 83-76. It was the first loss by an American squad in the Olympics since 2004. The team went unbeaten under coach Mike Krzyzewski in 2008, 2012, and 2016 on their way to three straight golds.

“There are more great players all over the world. That’s pretty obvious,” Popovich said prior to the start of the Tokyo Games. “There are more and more foreign players in the NBA. Every year they go back and play for their home countries as they should. It makes the competition even greater. Makes it more challenging for everybody, including us. But that’s a wonderful thing. Obviously the international has grown, and people love it.”

Popovich added, “When you have an opportunity like this, you respect the people you’re playing and you play as hard and as well as you can. But there’s no doubting that are more and more great players every single year around the globe.”

Despite Team USA’s lack of size and lack of cohesion, Popovich had one ace card he could always pull out whenever he needed. The ace card wore No. 7 in red, white, and blue colors.

Durant was absolutely brilliant. He cruised through pool play, allowing the other guys like Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Zach LaVine to get their shine. But once the knockout round began, KD put on the Captain America suit and saved the day — saved the entire USA Basketball program, actually. Anything less than a gold medal would have been considered a monumental disappointment and major setback for the USA Basketball program, which enjoyed a remarkable 12-year run under Coach K but endured a few stumbles under Popovich.

The U.S. failed to medal in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, and dropped two exhibition games heading into Tokyo.

“We went through some real adversity. We lost a game in the tournament. We lost two exhibition games. We had some unusual circumstances with COVID, guys playing in The Finals and coming in late. We just fought through everything,” Durant told NBC’s Maria Taylor after the U.S. completed the tournament with a 7-1 record.

“Two and half weeks again from our families. We’re basically in a bubble,” Durant said. “It was definitely different. I’m glad we finished the job.”

Whenever the U.S. fell behind in the knockout round, it was Durant who bailed them out. KD scored 29 points in the quarterfinals against Spain, the No. 2 ranked team in the workd and reigning world champs. KD scored 23 in the semifinals against Australia, the same squad that embarrassed the U.S. in Las Vegas. In the gold-medal game against France, Durant finished with a game-high 29 points. He made nine of 18 shots from the field and iced the game with two clutch free throws with 8.8 seconds left.

“France is a good team. They don’t quit. They play hard. They’re a big team,” Durant said of the silver medalists, which were led by Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, the NBA’s defensive player of the year.

“They presented a nice challenge for us,” Durant said. “But we wanted them again. We wanted to play them again, just like we wanted to play Australia again.”

Gobert and a defensive-minded French national team didn’t make it easy for the U.S. The game was up for grabs until late in the fourth quarter when the Americans were able to cobble enough winning plays, with timely baskets from Durant and Lillard and hustle plays from Holiday and Draymond Green.

“It’s winning time. It’s one game. It’s win or go home. I gotta give it my all every second I’m out there,” Durant said. “I’ve prepared the right way. I just gotta go out there and trust that work.”

Popovich called this version of Team USA a “high-character” and “high-spirited” group that worked very hard and understood the challenge. Those are nice compliments, but high character and high spirit might earn yourself a bronze. Czech Republic guard Tomas Satoransky, who played against the U.S. in pool play, said the Americans’ biggest strength was “anyone can light it up.”

“They are the best team in the world,” Satoransky said. “I think the gap is getting smaller between USA Basketball and the rest of the world, but obviously they have the most skilled players.”

The gap may be closing between the U.S. and the rest of the world, but there is only one Kevin Durant and USA Basketball was sure glad he made the trip to Tokyo.

To say that USA Basketball had a rocky training camp heading into the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo would be an understatement. The senior men’s national team lost its first two exhibition games in Las Vegas, had three players enter the health and safety COVID protocols, and two players dropped out.

Even head coach Gregg Popovich got off on the wrong foot with the media as he was involved in a testy exchange with a reporter after Team USA fell to Australia 91-83.

Popovich and his staff, which includes Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and former Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, have a gigantic task ahead of them. The 2021 squad has only been together for two weeks and have played just four exhibition games, going 2-2. It has already undergone multiple roster changes after Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love both left camp.

Beal’s exit was COVID-related, while Love was due to an injury. San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson and Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee were added to the 12-man roster. In addition to those moves, the team will need to absorb Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Milwaukee Bucks teammates Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton as all three just finished playing in the NBA Finals. So, we won’t be able to see all 12 players together on the court until the team’s opening game on July 25 against France.

Then there’s the large shadow of Mike Krzyzewski. The legendary college basketball coach had a remarkable 10-year run as head coach of USA Basketball, winning three Olympic gold medals and two FIBA World Cup titles and finishing with an astounding 60-1 record. That’s quite a tough act to follow for Popovich, who has already lost five games since taking over USAB’s senior men’s squad in 2017.

Under Popovich, Team USA hasn’t won a significant international tournament and had a disappointing outing in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, failing to medal and finishing seventh.

Coach Pop has two holdovers from Krzyzewski’s 2016 gold medal team in Rio: Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) and Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors).

He’ll lean on the former Warriors teammates to be the leaders of an inexperienced unit that has yet to forge an identity. Durant led Team USA in scoring (19.4) in Rio 2016, so he’ll be asked again to carry the load offensively and be the No. 1 option. Green is the ideal big man at the FIBA level. His versatility will be a huge asset, as well as his defensive acumen. Green and Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) will rotate at the center position, and could even see time together at certain points.

“We do have all the best players in the league, but these national teams have NBA players, too, who are now No. 1 options and they’re used to playing that role internationally,” Durant told Yahoo Sports.

Despite all its issues, the U.S. remains the favorite in Tokyo. But winning gold is no longer a foregone conclusion. The rest of the world has closed the gap and many international teams are not intimidated by the Stars and Stripes.

“There are more great players all over the world. That’s pretty obvious,” Popovich said. “There are more and more foreign players in the NBA. Every year they go back and play for their home countries as they should. It makes the competition even greater. Makes it more challenging for everybody, including us. But that’s a wonderful thing. Obviously the international has grown, and people love it.”

Team USA point guard Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) is well aware of the talent outside the U.S. He recently faced one of them in the 2021 NBA playoffs in Facundo Campazzo. The Argentine guard played a huge role in helping the Nuggets eliminate the Blazers in the NBA playoffs.

“These teams are experienced. They’ve spent a lot of time together,” Lillard said. “We are working at becoming a team, still getting our legs under us, getting in shape. We’re not just gonna come out, roll the ball out, and beat these teams. We gotta play the right way … compete. We gotta play to win and give ourselves our best chance. If we don’t, we can get beat.”

Here are six teams that could beat Team USA in Tokyo.

Australia
NBA veteran Joe Ingles wasn’t surprised when his Aussies defeated the U.S. in an exhibition game in Las Vegas. In fact, Ingles said Australia expected to win the game. The Aussies have every right to be confident because they have one of the most talented rosters in the Summer Games. Head coach Brian Goorjian has seven players with NBA experience, including Ingles (Utah Jazz), Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs), Matisse Thybulle (Philadelphia 76ers), and Aron Baynes (Toronto Raptors). NBA fans know Mills as a role player with the Spurs, but whenever he puts on the Australian national colors he turns into Allen Iverson. Thybulle is a lockdown defender who can “shut off water” in a hurry. Most basketball fans are not familiar with Jock Landale, but they’ll know who he is after Tokyo. Landale, 25, is a well-rounded center armed with a 3-point shot. Landale, who currently plays for Melbourne United in the NBL, would like nothing more than prove to the basketball world that he deserves a shot at the NBA. After finishing fourth in the last two major international competitions, this might be the year the Aussies (ranked No. 3 in FIBA) finally take home a medal.

Spain
Reigning FIBA World Cup champions and No. 2 ranked team Spain possesses the best group of centers and pure point guards in the Olympics. Brothers Marc and Pau Gasol anchor a big Spanish frontcourt that could present plenty of problems for teams in Tokyo. Pau, 41, is playing in his fifth Olympics and would love to finish his decorated career on the national team with a gold medal around his neck. Marc, 36, will be participating in his third Olympics. He won silver in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Pau and Marc are not the only pair of brothers playing for Spain. Juancho Hernangomez (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Willy Hernangomez (New Orleans Pelicans) give Spain four quality big men who could wear teams down. Spain also has good depth at point guard with Ricky Rubio (Minnesota Timberwolves), Sergio Rodriguez, and Sergio Llull. All three are capable of running the show. It seems like Rubio has been around the international stage for decades, but he’s only 30 and still in the prime of his basketball life. Llull is one of the top players in the Euroleague and could easily run an NBA offense. At 36 years old, Rudy Fernandez no longer has the legs to attack the rim but he is still an excellent 3-point shooter.

Slovenia
Charles Barkley often refers to ordinary players as JAGs, which stands for Just A Guy. Luka Doncic might the only active player in the world, other than LeBron James, who could take a bunch of JAGs and win a major tournament. Doncic pulled off a stunner during the Olympic qualifying round when he put an entire nation on his back and carried it to its first trip to the Olympic Games. The 22-year-old Dallas Mavericks superstar dropped a triple-double (31 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists) in the win over Lithuania, sending his home country of Slovenia to Tokyo. “I don’t care about the MVP,” Doncic said. “We won here. We’re going to the Olympics, the first time in our country. It’s amazing. I think every kid dreams about being in the Olympics. I did too. So, here we are. We fought really, really hard, and I think we deserve to be here.” Slovenia may not be a medal favorite, but anything is possible as long as Luka is on the court.

France
Les Bleus returns seven players from its bronze-medal team in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. One of those returning players is three-time NBA defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert. The 7-1 center powered the Utah Jazz to the best record in the NBA and a second-round appearance in the playoffs. Gobert anchors a French squad sprinkled with NBA talent: Nicolas Batum (Los Angeles Clippers), Evan Fournier (Boston Celtics), Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot (Brooklyn Nets), Frank Ntilikina (New York Knicks). With Gobert protecting the paint and Batum and Ntilikina smothering perimeter players, France will have one of the best defenses in the Olympics. The problem will come on the offensive end. Scoring could be an issue, especially if Fournier struggles from the field.

Argentina
Luis Scola is the last remaining member of the golden age of Argentina basketball. Scola won a gold medal with Argentina — a squad spearheaded by San Antonio Spurs superstar Manu Ginobili — in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Those glory days a long gone for both Argentina and Scola, but the 41-year-old power forward remains one of the craftiest low-post scorers in FIBA despite having logged thousands of minutes in his basketball career. Scola is surrounded by a talented group of Argentines, including feisty point guard Facundo Campazzo (Denver Nuggets) and 20-year-old sensation Leandro Bolmaro. Bolmaro starred on FC Barcelona in the Euroleague and his draft rights are owned by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Nigeria
Nigeria stunned the basketball world when it defeated the U.S. 90-87 in an exhibition game in Las Vegas. Then, the Nigerians dominated Argentina in the same Vegas tuneup event. The blowout against Argentina proved that the win over Team USA wasn’t a fluke. The Nigerians are for real and poised to make noise in Tokyo. Head coach Mike Brown — currently an assistant with the Golden State Warriors — is building a formidable program, utilizing the same principles that made the Warriors successful. They share the ball and have some 3-point snipers to space the floor. Three Miami Heat players are on the Nigerian roster: Precious Achiuwa, Chikezie “KZ” Okpala, Nnamdi Vincent. Guard Caleb Agada, who plays in the Israeli league, made a name for himself in Vegas as he lit up Team USA for 17 points. Agada will be on the Denver Nuggets summer league squad.

Jaylen Brown and Gregg Popovich had a rough FIBA World Cup. (Getty Images)

Gregg Popovich became Papa-vich almost immediately after Team USA’s win over Poland on the final day of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

What should have been the culmination of another USA dominance at the World Cup turned into a sad post-mortem following the worst finish by an American squad in an Olympic or World Cup tournament. For the first time since the 2002 debacle in Indianapolis when the U.S. finished sixth, the red, white, and blue failed to win a medal in a major international tournament. Team USA were removed from medal contention after losing to Rudy Gobert’s French squad in the quarterfinals. A few days later, Team USA lost to Nikola Jokic’s Serbia squad in a consolation-bracket game. After that game, the Serbs didn’t even celebrate. They just walked off the court as if they expected to win.

Serbia was likely disappointed as well for not winning gold as it was one of the favorites entering the tournament. Spain — the No. 2 team in the world and led by NBA veterans Ricky Rubio and Marc Gasol — went home with the gold medal after defeating Argentina in the final. Rubio was named MVP of the tournament. France defeated Australia to claim bronze.

The U.S. played out the tournament by beating Poland 87-74 in a meaningless seventh-place game. Afterwards, Popovich went off on critics while praised the players who sacrificed their offseason for an opportunity to represent the red, white and blue on the international stage. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Popovich said anyone who thinks the team should be ashamed for not winning a medal is “immature” and “arrogant.”

“Some people want to play the blame game. There’s no blame to be placed anywhere,” Popovich said. “They want to play the shame game, like we should be ashamed because we didn’t win a gold medal? That’s a ridiculous attitude. It’s immature, it’s arrogant, and it shows that whoever thinks that doesn’t respect all the other teams in the world and doesn’t respect that these guys did the best they could.”

He added: “Their effort was fantastic. They allowed us to coach them. You give people credit for what they did, and that’s it. But it’s not a blame and shame game. That’s ridiculous.”

Popovich should be commended for his fatherly move to help ease the pain of the team’s failure. But there’s no silver lining in the team’s performance. It was awful.

The team was poorly coached and poorly constructed. USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo can criticize the NBA superstars for skipping the tournament, but it doesn’t hide the fact that this team was not built to compete for gold. Sometimes is amiss when you have four members of the Boston Celtics (Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart) and Mason Plumlee on the roster. Only Walker was worth of a roster spot and fit the mold of a FIBA-type player. Brown and Tatum are good NBA players but their games don’t translate well to the FIBA game. They thrive in isolations. The FIBA game is more about ball and man movement, and offense is created with passing and outside shooting. Tatum ended up getting hurt and missed the final games.

Smart was a curious choice as well. You can make an argument that Pop kept Smart for his defense, in case the U.S. runs into Greece. Well, it did run into Greece and Smart locked up Giannis Antetokounmpo. But outside of that game, Smart was basically useless. He’s not a good shooter and not a true point. He was a liability on offense.

Speaking of liability, Plumlee’s inclusion on the squad was the biggest headscratcher. We get it that he’s a legacy player from the Mike Krzyzewski regime. But Plumlee had no business being on the roster. He’s barely an NBA player. Team USA would have been better off keeping Kyle Kuzma, whose game is suited for FIBA and can play center in a pinch.

About the only good news to come out of this World Cup was the fact that Team USA qualified for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Pop and Colangelo have 10 months to regroup and try to piece back together a fractured program.

Gregg Popovich and the Spurs were eliminated by the Clippers in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. (GETTY IMAGES)

Ask any basketball reporter and they will tell you their two greatest fears are being denied a free pregame meal and interviewing Gregg Popovich.

Popovich is undeniably one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. He helped build a model franchise in San Antonio, and he’ll likely find himself in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame some day.

Sure, he can be surly with the media because, let’s face it, winning five championships affords him that luxury.

Pop can play the role of Tywin Lannister better than anyone in the league. One bad question and you’re quickly sent to the chopping block. Just ask poor TNT sideline reporter Jaime Maggio when she had the unenviable task of trying to get more than five words out of the San Antonio Spurs coach.

In their in-game interviews, Maggio seemed like she couldn’t wait to get it over with as much as Pop.

Pop likes to poke the media for bad questions, and the media — for whatever reason — doesn’t poke him back even when Pop makes bad coaching decisions.

Pop isn’t immune to questionable moves. Remember Game 6 in the 2013 NBA Finals when he inexplicably took out Tim Duncan late in the game that allowed Chris Bosh to grab an offensive rebound and flip the ball to Ray Allen for a game-tying 3-pointer. The Heat went on to win Game 6 and eventually Game 7 to win back-to-back titles.

The poor-coaching bug hit Pop again in this year’s playoffs when he made several head-scratchers in the first-round series with the L.A. Clippers.

Let’s start with the hack-a-DeAndre-Jordan strategy.

It’s not a bad strategy to deploy, and it’s a momentum killer — we get it. But you can’t overuse it. It’s a get-out-of-jail card, which can only be good one time. Pop called for the hack-a-Jordan so many times TNT analyst Reggie Miller started shortening it to “hacka.”

Pop has repeatedly said he doesn’t like using the strategy, but it’s allowed in the rules so he’ll take full advantage until someone in the league decides to amend it. You can make a case either way whether the strategy works or not. Proponents say it works because you’re putting a sub-50 percent free throw shooter at the line and you remove the threat of the 3-point shot, especially when you’re ahead. However, opponents say the fouling strategy puts teams in the bonus a lot quicker, making it tougher to play defense without fouling. And it also stymies your own flow on offense.

What Pop and the Spurs coaching staff fell asleep on was the poor decision to use some of Tim Duncan’s fouls on hack-a-Jordan. Duncan is the most valuable Spur, so you don’t want to waste his fouls on silly fouls. But yet there was Duncan, hugging Jordan time after time, putting him in foul trouble in at least three of the seven games in the series. Why not send Matt Bonner or Aron Baynes to commit hack-a-Jordan?

Speaking of Baynes, Popovich’s decision to assign him to Clippers All-Star forward Blake Griffin in Game 1 led to a Clipper blowout. Griffin dunked on Baynes so hard twice the Spurs backup center lost an “r” in his first name. Baynes never saw Griffin again for the rest of the series.

But Popovich saved his most egregious error in the final moments of Game 7 when he chose to have Danny Green guard Chris Paul instead of Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard. As it played out, Paul beat Green going to his right and banked in the game-winning shot with one second left to eliminate the Spurs in the playoffs.

Green is a capable defender, and he’s had some success against CP3. But when you have the best one-on-one defender in the NBA, don’t you want to stick him on Chris Paul? Would love to find an answer from Pop, but the media is too scared to ask him that question.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker led the Spurs to the franchise’s fifth NBA title in 2014. (GETTY IMAGES)

For almost two decades, the San Antonio Spurs have accumulated an impressive collection of rings, bronze hardware and gold trophies.

Between future Hall-of-Famers Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, and head coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs have combined for 18 NBA championship rings, three most valuable player awards, three Coach of the Year awards and two Sixth Man of the Year awards.

But there is still one box left unchecked on their impressive basketball resumes.

Throughout basketball history, all the great teams repeated as champions. Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics did it, the Los Angeles Lakers with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it, Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston Rockets did it, Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls did it, and the Lakers again with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal did it. Even LeBron James pulled off the back-to-back feat for the Miami Heat.

“Obviously, it’s back-to-back. It’s the last thing we want to accomplish with Coach Pop and the Big 3. It’s a big motivation for us,” Parker said on NBA TV’s “Game Time.”

For all the great things Duncan, Ginobili and Parker have accomplished in their soon-to-be-Hall-of-Fame careers, they’ve never repeated as champs. And this is not sitting well with this very proud group.

Parker knows he doesn’t have much time left with Duncan (38) and Ginobili (37). Even Popovich can’t coach forever. The 65-year-old coach has flirted with the idea of spending more time traveling the world than traveling in NBA cities. Those brutal winter trips to Chicago, Minnesota and Cleveland can certainly wear you down.

“We don’t know how long it’s gonna last,” Parker said. “Timmy, it might be his last year; Manu, it might be his last year. And we don’t know how long Pop is gonna do it. I know he wants to travel the world and drink wine. We need to take advantage right now.”

Parker added: “We understand that, and we’re approaching it like it’s our last one. Just because of that it’s great motivation for us. We want to try one more time.”

Repeating as champs will be a tall order for these Spurs, especially in the ultra-competitive Western Conference where at least six teams have a shot at reaching the NBA Finals.

But these Spurs are more than up for the challenge. They have a good mix of veterans to go with some young studs, such as Kawhi Leonard (23), Danny Green (27), Patty Mills (26) and Corey Joseph (23). Leonard is a budding star who could eventually be the face of the franchise when the Big 3 hangs up the sneakers. Leonard had his coming-out party last season when he was named NBA Finals MVP.

Pop has been able to rest his older players and lean on his bench during the regular season. When the playoffs start, he’ll call on the Big 3 for one more championship run. A sixth title would vault Duncan into an exclusive club. With the exception of Russell’s Celtics teams, only Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Kareem and Robert Horry have won at least six rings.

“The West is a beast. A lot of great teams,” Parker said. “It’s a long season, we just want to make sure we stay healthy. It’s the biggest key for us. It doesn’t matter where we finish in the rankings.”

The Spurs will begin their arduous climb back to the top as the sixth-seeded team in the Western Conference playoffs. History won’t be on their side because only one team — the 1995 Houston Rockets — were able to win the title as a sixth seed.

Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard is named the 2014 NBA Finals MVP. (GETTY IMAGES)

When San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich unleashed Kawhi Leonard, the 2014 NBA Finals turned into a one-sided contest.

Leonard looked like a different player after a disappointing Game 2. He scored a playoff-career high 29 points in Game 3 and followed that up with a 20-point, 14-rebound effort in Game 4. The Spurs won both games in Miami to put a stranglehold on the series, and completed the demolition of the two-time champion Heat with a 104-87 win in Game 5 to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy for a fifth time in franchise history.

Once Leonard — who scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the series clincher — became a bigger part of the Spurs’ offense, the Heat had no response. A team can only game plan for so many players, and the Spurs already have three of the best in Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. When Leonard got cooking, the Heat were toast.

“He’s very efficient,” LeBron James said of Leonard, who guarded him for most of the series.

“First two games he didn’t play so well,” James said. “I thought he attacked more in the last three games. He shot the ball extremely well. Every year he gained more and more confidence.”

LeBron posted LeBron-type numbers during The Finals, but he had to work for every basket thanks to Leonard’s defense. Anyone who didn’t vote for Leonard on the all-NBA first-team defense should have their credentials revoked. This young man is one of the five best one-on-one defenders in the league, and he should be on the all-defense team for the rest of his career. Mark it down.

“Just coming into the series I just focusing in on guarding LeBron. But I got in foul trouble. I just got aggressive in Game 3 and got in a rhythm,” said the third-year pro, who just keeps getting better and better each time he steps on the court.

He definitely got better and better with each Finals game. He shot the ball well over 60 percent from the field and averaged 23 points in the last three games.

“It’s just a good progression for me,” Leonard said. “I just believe in all the hard work that I put in.”

Whatever Popovich told Kawhi after Game 2, it worked.

“We have conversations throughout the year. Mostly one way because Kawhi is a quiet young man. But he listens and he’s a great learner. And he’s super competitive. He has the drive to be the best. He walks the walk,” Popovich said of his 22-year-old budding star, who started his career as a post-up forward in college and turned himself into a solid wing player in the NBA.

“He’s there early, he’s there late. He wants me and the coaches to push him,” Popovich said. “I just talked to him about not being in that defer sort of stage. The hell with Tony. The hell with Timmy. The hell with Manu. You play the game. You are the man. You’re part of the engine that makes us go. And it starts with his defense and his rebounding. I haven’t called a play for him the whole playoffs. I do not call his number. Everything he did was out of emotion.

“In the future, obviously we’ll use him a lot more on an individual basis. But it’s not really our style, and he appreciates that.”

Leonard shows very little emotion on the court, which makes him a perfect fit in San Antonio. You’ll never hear him complain about not getting enough touches and he always compliments his teammates and coaches. But don’t let the soft tone and California cool demeanor fool you. He’s a quiet assassin.

When the Spurs traded for Leonard in the 2011 draft, giving up then promising guard George Hill, some questioned the move. But Popovich and RC Buford knew what they were getting in Leonard. They got a Bruce Bowen-type perimeter defender who also has the potential to be a very good offensive player.

Leonard is the only Finals MVP who hasn’t made an All-Star team. That should change after what he did in this year’s playoffs.

“He just played free. You could tell [after Game 2] his teammates came up to him and told him, ‘Just play basketball.’ And he not only took what the defense gave him he took what he wanted at times as well,” Dwyane Wade said.

“He’s a young player who is growing up in this league,” Wade said. “Everyone knows what Pop says that he’s the future of this team.”

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Tim Duncan drives past Chris Bosh. (GETTY IMAGES)

You can see the disappointment in Tim Duncan’s face. You can hear the frustration in Manu Ginobili’s voice.

When members of the 2012-13 San Antonio Spurs look back at this season they will play the “what if” game. What if we made our free throws down the stretch? What if we grabbed two more defensive rebounds? What if we didn’t turn the ball over in the final minute of the game? What if … what if … what if …

One free throw. One rebound. One turnover. That’s how close the Spurs were from winning their fifth NBA championship as a franchise. These proud Spurs — a collection of discarded players who complemented three Hall-of-Famers — left Miami’s American Airlines Arena hanging their heads and staring down on the floor filled with championship confetti after the Heat celebrated a 4-3 series win in the NBA Finals to defend their crown.

The Spurs gave everything they had in Game 7 but just couldn’t overcome LeBron James’ 37 points and their execution failed them down the stretch. And when their valiant fight fell just short, losing 95-88 in Game 7, they couldn’t stop thinking about the title they gave away two nights earlier.

”Being so close and feeling that you are about to grab that trophy and then seeing it vanish is very hard,” Ginobili said. ”I think that if we would’ve lost both games like this, I would be a little more up. But it’s a tough feeling.”

The Spurs had two chances in Miami to win one game, and they failed both times in spectacular fashion.

Ginobili points to the Spurs’ Game 6 meltdown as the dagger in their hearts.

The Spurs had a five-point lead with 28 seconds left and found a way to lose in overtime. The play that will stick with Ginobili and the rest of the Spurs forever is the unfortunate bounce at end of regulation when Chris Bosh grabbed LeBron James’ missed 3-point shot and flipped the ball to Ray Allen who buried the game-tying 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left.

If the Spurs grab that rebound, they win the title. If Allen misses that 3-pointer, the Spurs win the title.

”It’s such a fine line between celebrating and having a great summer with now feeling like crap and just so disappointed,” Ginobili said.

Speaking of “feeling like crap,” Duncan was almost inconsolable after Game 7. The greatest power forward in NBA history came up small with under a minute left to play in final game of the series when his short, running jump hook over Shane Battier bounced out and his tip-in missed as well. The normally stoic Duncan ran down the court disgusted, slapping the floor with his right hand. During a timeout, Duncan had a towel over his head and was so upset with himself he couldn’t figure out whether to throw the towel or bite it.

“For me, no. Game 7, missing a layup to tie the game,” Duncan said in his postgame press conference. “Making a bad decision down the stretch. Just unable to stop Dwyane [Wade] and LeBron [James]. Probably, for me, Game 7 is always going to haunt me.”

 Hard to fault Duncan for the loss because up to that point he was authoring a MVP-type performance. His 24 points and 12 rebounds were a huge reason the Spurs were even close to the Heat in Game 7.

”To be at this point with this team in this situation, where people every year continue to count us out, is a great accomplishment,” said Duncan, his voice quivering in a rare show of emotion. ”To be in a game 7 or be in a game 6 and up one with two chances to win an NBA championship, that’s tough to swallow.”

Duncan wasn’t alone in terms of coming up empty when it mattered most. Ginobili was both brilliant and awful in Game 7 with his 18 points and four turnovers — all in the fourth quarter. His final turnover with 21 seconds left in the game basically sealed the deal for Miami.

Parker, who had been spectacular through the first five games of the series, was a no-show in games 6 and 7. Parker struggled with just 10 points on 3-for-12 shooting and was benched late in the game. He won’t use his bad hamstring as an excuse, but it was clear he wasn’t the same player after suffering the injury.

Once again, the Spurs will face proclamations of their demise this offseason. Only this time, it may be harder to hold those off.

Duncan is 37, but coming off an All-NBA First Team season and a vintage performance in the finals. The 31-year-old Parker is nearing his apex after one of his finest seasons. But Ginobili will turn 36 next month and will be a free agent, perhaps marking the end of the three-person core that helped put the Alamo City on the NBA map, and keep it there for 10 years.

”I couldn’t love our guys more,” said Gregg Popovich, who also faces a decision this summer if he wants to return as coach. ”What they accomplished this year was something nobody ever expected. They showed a lot of mental toughness and a lot of good play to get where they got. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

The questions begin now. Will Ginobili return? Can Duncan keep turning back the clock? And does the 64-year-old Popovich have another year left in him?

Parker chafed when asked if he thought this was the last run with this group. ”I can’t believe you’re asking that question,” he said. ”It’s been five, six years you saying we’re too old, so I’m not going to answer that.”