Jayson Tatum came to the 2024 Paris Olympics on an emotional high. He had just won his first NBA championship and the Boston Celtics rewarded their 26-year-old superstar with a supermax contract worth $315 million over five years. But when Tatum left Paris, he was feeling low despite winning his second Olympic gold medal.

Tatum played just 71 total minutes for Team USA, got two DNPs and appeared in just four games. USA Basketball head coach Steve Kerr benched Tatum in the Olympic opener against Serbia, and benched him again in the semifinals of the knockout round against the same Serbian squad.

The first game against Serbia was a blowout, but the same matchup was a nail-biter as Team USA needed ever bit of Steph Curry’s magical 36-point performance to advance to the gold medal game against host nation France.

Tatum did see some action against France, making one of three shots from the field and grabbing three rebounds in 11 minutes. Majority of Tatum’s minutes came in the first half as he rode the bench for much of the second half as Kerr rode Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Anthony Davis down the stretch.

Tatum finished the Olympics with averages he probably hasn’t seen since his AAU days. During the 2023-24 NBA season, Tatum averaged 26.9 points and 8.1 rebounds while earning All-NBA first team honors. During the Paris Olympics, Tatum averaged 5.3 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 38.1% from the field. He played fewer minutes than both of his Celtics teammates Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. Holiday, who started five of the six games, played 94 minutes while White played 79 minutes.

Despite winning gold, Tatum left Paris feeling empty. He told the Boston Globe that the Olympic experience was “challenging and humbling” at the same time, and he wouldn’t commit to playing for Team USA when the topic of the L.A. Olympics in 2028 came up.

“You feel like you deserve to play and the competitor in you wants to play,” Tatum told The Globe. “And [Steve Kerr] is the coach for a reason. He makes those decisions.”

Tatum tried to diffuse the situation by not making it about him. But his lack of playing time was one of the main storylines for Team USA. It was hard to ignore, and the narrative could spill into the 2024-25 season — especially when the Celtics play Kerr’s Golden State Warriors.

“I sacrificed and put a lot into this game and worked really, really hard,” Tatum said. “In the moment it is tough, so I’m not necessarily worried about fueling me for [for the season].”

Kerr absorbed much of the heat for the Tatum sideshow. His explanation was simple. It was a math problem. “It’s just hard to play 11 people, even in an NBA game,” Kerr told reporters.

To be fair, Kerr is absolute right. It’s uncommon to play 11 or 12 players in a 48-minute NBA game, yet alone a 40-minute FIBA-style competition. In the playoffs, rotations tighten even more to about seven or eight guys.

Kerr was dealt a bad hand by USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill, who was mainly responsible for constructing the 12-man squad. Hill used an old-style approach by loading the roster with a boatload of NBA All-Stars with the hope of overwhelming the competition instead of building on the team that competed in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Hill completely moved away from the highly successful “program” approach implemented by former USA Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski and former USAB head Jerry Colangelo.

As good as the U.S. roster was for the 2024 Summer Games — and it was pretty darn good with four MVPs wearing the Red, White and Blue — it was terribly flawed. There was too much duplication and not enough defined roles and floor balance. Outside of sharpshooters Curry and Booker, who were the only true floor spaces, the squad Hill created had too many iso-centric players more comfortable in one-on-one settings. LeBron and KD needed the ball in their hands to be effective, which in turn limited the touches for ball-dominant guys like Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Haliburton.

Despite the poorly constructed roster, Team USA escaped with the gold medal thanks to Curry’s heroics. Steph’s nine 3-pointers was the catalyst in the 17-point comeback against Serbia in the semifinals and his flurry of 3-pointers — four in the last three minutes to be exact — during crunch time against France sealed the gold medal.

Kerr won’t be around to coach the U.S. men’s national team for the next FIBA World Cup or the L.A. Olympics in 2028, but Hill will likely be the decision-maker again when it’s time to build a roster. Hopefully, Hill learned from his mistakes and bring back the program approach his former mentor Coach K and Colangelo flawlessly executed to avoid another Jayson Tatum situation.

Dennis Schroder came through in the clutch to lead Germany over Serbia in the gold medal game at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila, Philippines.

Schroder, who had a game-high 28 points in the championship game, was spectacular throughout the tournament, averaging 19.1 points and 6.1 assists en route to winning the FIBA World Cup MVP. The Toronto Raptors point guard headlined a star-studded all-World Cup squad, which included Bogdan Bogdanovic of Serbia, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Canada, Anthony Edwards from the United States, and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic.

Bogdanovic did all he could to push Serbia across the finish line, averaging 19.1 points and shooting 42% from 3-point range. The two-time FIBA World Cup silver medalists could have used reigning NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, who skipped this year’s World Cup after a taxing NBA season.

Behind Schroder’s steady hand at the point, the Germans passed every test in the tournament as they went undefeated en route to their first World Cup gold medal, besting the bronze medal in 2002 with Dirk Nowitzki as their leading man.

Schroder had plenty of support from a well-constructed roster headed by coach Gordon Herbert. Center Daniel Theis, shooting guard Andreas Obst, and the Wagner brothers, Franz and Moritz Wagner, all played a major role in helping Deutschland reach the top of the podium. Franz Wagner, who made the all-tournament second team, was huge in the gold medal game against Serbia, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Here are four observations from an incredible two weeks in Manila, Jakarta, and Okinawa.

Steve Kerr makes tactical mistake against Canada

Steve Kerr is a four-time NBA champion as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. It would be hard to question anything he does. But during the bronze medal game against Canada, Kerr decided to use a small-ball unit in the final five minutes and overtime. Kerr took out 6-10 Bobby Portis in favor of guard Josh Hart, who is generously listed at 6-5. Kerr rolled out a finishing lineup of Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Austin Reaves, Mikal Bridges, and Hart playing center. Bridges was the tallest man on the court for Team USA at 6-6. After Hart fouled in overtime, Kerr went with an ever smaller lineup by inserting 6-0 guard Jalen Brunson.

Playing small ball is a tactic Kerr often uses with the Warriors, with Hart playing the role of Draymond Green as the small-ball 5. However, Josh Hart is no Draymond Green.

The decision proved to be costly as the Americans got punished on the boards by the more physical Canadians. Dwight Powell (6-10, 240), Dillon Brooks (6-6, 225), Lugentz Dort (6-3, 215), RJ Barrett (6-6, 215), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (6-6, 180) were too much to handle as the Canadians dominated the offensive boards and got to several crucial loose balls down the stretch. Behind the superb playmaking of Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points) and improbable 3-point shooting from Brooks (39 points), Canada outlasted the U.S. in overtime, 127-118, to secure its first ever FIBA World Cup medal.

In Kerr’s defense, he didn’t have a lot of options at center. Starting center Jaren Jackson Jr. and his backup Paolo Banchero were both out with an illness. Walker Kessler (7-1, 245) was the last remaining big man on the roster, and he could only muster six points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes of action.

It’s back to the drawing board for Kerr and USA Basketball director Grant Hill after another disappointing World Cup. Team USA has failed to bring home a medal in the last two World Cups, finishing seventh in 2019 and fourth in 2023. Kerr and Hill have a year to retool the roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

USA Basketball definitely needs reinforcements

Team USA came into the World Cup with a roster short on senior international experience and short on big men. Those glaring weaknesses showed up in the meaningful rounds as the Americans lost three of their last four games. The U.S. defense, which had been solid in the showcase games and the first group stage, was shredded for 350 points (116.67 points per game) in losses to Lithuania, Germany, and Canada.

Steve Kerr and his coaching staff, which included Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and L.A. Clippers coach Ty Lue and Gonzaga coach Mark Few, had about a month to fully prepare and get the players familiar with the system. And it showed. The game plan was simple: wear down teams with depth and push the pace to create scoring opportunities. The plan worked against the lesser teams but against experienced squads with NBA-caliber talent, the all-too-simple formula got exposed.

Because the U.S. couldn’t create enough ball pressure against Germany and Canada, it left the team exposed on the back end. Starting U.S. center Jaren Jackson Jr. struggled staying on the court, averaging almost just as many fouls per game (2.7) as rebounds (2.9). The lack of rebounding from Jackson Jr. summed up Team USA’s troubles on defense. During the weighty moments in the semifinals and bronze medal game, the U.S. couldn’t get enough stops.

The quick fix would be to bring in the A Team. Kerr and Hill could convince Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant to rejoin Team USA. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have also expressed interest in rejoining the program in time for the Paris Olympics. Draymond and AD will certainly help fix the problems on defense.

NBA teams should look at Aleksa Avramovic, Andreas Obst, Arturs Zagars

After making the all-tournament second team, Latvia’s Arturs Zagars is reportedly generating interest from NBA teams. The 23-year-old point guard led Latvia to a fifth-place finish in the nation’s first World Cup appearance and set a tournament record 17 assists in Latvia’s game against Lithuania. Zagars, who averaged 12.4 points and 7.4 assists in 25 minutes a game, has played professionally in Europe since 2017, but injuries have derailed his career. After showing he can compete against the best in FIBA, he should be given a shot in the NBA.

Germany’s Andreas Obst is an absolute sniper. He delivered the dagger 3-point shot that sunk the U.S. in the semifinals and propelled Germany to the finals. The 27-year-old Obst, who currently competes in the Bundesliga and EuroLeague for Bayern Munich, is regarded as one of the best shooters in Europe. He certainly didn’t disappoint at the World Cup, making 44.7% of his 3-point shots. Any NBA team would love to have a shooting guard who makes nearly 45% of his 3-balls.

Serbia leaned on Atlanta Hawks standout Bogdan Bogdanovic for much of the tournament, but the team would have not have reached the finals without Aleksa Avramovic. Avramovic’s physical defense played a role in holding Okahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to just 15 points and 4-of-8 shooting from the field in Serbia’s win over Canada in the semifinals. In the finals against Germany, it was Avramovic’s offense that kept the Serbians in the game as he finished with a team-high 21 points, including 3-for-7 shooting from 3-point range. Avramovic, who plays professionally in Europe for Partizan Mozzart Bet, may not be viewed as an NBA starting guard, but he could potentially be a solid rotational player.

Basketball-crazed Filipinos embrace NBA stars

The FIBA World Cup games were held at three venues: Okinawa, Jakarta, and Manila.

With all due respect to the fans who attended games in Jakarta and Okinawa, the vibe from the games held at Philippine Arena, Araneta Coliseum, and Mall of Asia Arena was different. You could feel the passion and the love that Filipinos have for the game of basketball.

A record crowd of 38,115 filled Philippine Arena for the Aug. 25 opener between host nation Philippines and the Dominican Republic – easily the biggest crowd to see a World Cup game. The previous attendance record was 32,616, set in 1994 at SkyDome in Toronto.

Team USA played all their games at Mall of Asia Arena. The coaches and players were given the rock star treatment. The Americans were showered with adoration, especially fan favorite Austin Reaves. The L.A. Lakers guard generated the loudest cheers each time he made a play. “It’s special to me,” Reaves told BasketNews. “I knew coming out here, there’s a lot of Lakers fans which is lovely, and I love that, and I appreciate that.”

Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson represented his mother’s native country at the World Cup. After four tough losses in group stage, Clarkson gifted Filipino fans with an unforgettable performance for Gilas Pilipinas in a 96-75 win over China. The Utah Jazz guard exploded for 34 points, including a 24-point outburst in the third quarter where he splashed four straight 3-pointers that had the whole arena shaking. Clarkson credited the energy from the raucous crowd at the famed Araneta Coliseum — site of “The Thrilla in Manila” in 1975 — for boosting him and his Gilas teammates.

“When you start hearing that, as loud as it was, it’s kind of hard to calm me down at that time,” Clarkson told reporters. “I stayed hot. The crowd was just amazing. There was so much energy in there and we just really wanted to gift them with a win.”

It’s disappointing that some of the world’s best players such as Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry won’t be participating in basketball’s biggest international tournament. But their absence shouldn’t take away from the excitement and immense anticipation of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Jokic, the face of Serbia’s national team, decided to skip this year’s event as he recovers from a grueling season that culminated in his first NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets. Antetokounmpo had surgery on his left knee earlier this summer and is simply not ready to compete for Greece.

“Since the conclusion of my NBA season I have been pushing my body to the limits to be the player I need to be to help our team achieve the goals we set,” Antetokounmpo wrote on social media.

“But after months of work and multiple meetings with medical staff, it is clear that I am not ready to compete in the level that I need to be to participate in the World Cup,” he added. “This was not a choice, but my only option in ensuring I get back to the level of basketball I have worked so hard to achieve so far in my career. I am extremely disappointed in this outcome but this was a decision made with the medical staff.”

LeBron, Durant and Curry no longer have the appetite to play against international competition having already served their country at previous World Cups. This opens the door for fresh faces to proudly wear the USA colors.

Defending champion Spain enters the FIBA World Cup as the No. 1 ranked team in the world, with the United States at No. 2. Australia, Argentina, and France round out the top five.

OneManFastBreak.net predicts the eight winners of each group and the eight wild-card entries qualifying for the second round.

GROUP A: Angola, Dominican Republic, Philippines, Italy
Prediction – Italy and Philippines advancing

The inclusion of Utah Jazz guard and former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson gave host nation Philippines a much-needed shot in the arm. Filipino fans are hungry for the country’s first real opportunity to compete for a medal since local legend Caloy Loyzaga powered the basketball-crazed Southeast Asian nation to a bronze medal finish in 1954. It remains the best World Cup finish for the Philippines in six appearances.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl Anthony-Towns will be donning the colors for the Dominican Republican for the first time in a decade, setting up a very intriguing matchup with Gilas Pilipinas on opening night on Aug. 25.

The 31-year-old Clarkson — who is Filipino-American — proudly represents his mother and grandmother’s native country. The Philippines’ game against Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan could draw close to 50,000 fans. The winner will most likely earn a ticket to the knockout round. The Dominicans have the speed and athleticism advantage, but homecourt advantage and Clarkson’s 3-point shooting may be enough for the Filipinos to pull off the major upset.

“A lot of our efforts are really poured into preparing for the Dominican Republic and Angola. Those are the two games we really have to get,” Philippines national coach Chot Reyes told Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The game between the Philippines and Angola on Aug. 27 will be held at the famed Araneta Coliseum, which has hosted some of the biggest events in the world including Muhammad Ali’s “Thrilla in Manila.”

Kai Sotto may be the second-most important player for coach Reyes. We all know what Clarkson brings to the table. There’s a bit of a mystery surrounding 21-year-old Sotto. The 7-2 center was recently medically cleared to play at the World Cup after he suffered back spasms while playing for the Orlando Magic’s summer league squad in Las Vegas. Sotto is a skilled big man who can be an effective pick-and-roll partner with Clarkson.

Flying under the radar are the Italians, led by Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio and New Orleans Pelicans forward Nico Melli. Italy is one of the hottest teams entering the World Cup as it swept the exhibition games in Athens, with impressive wins over Serbia and Greece. Expect the Italians to finish first in the group, and the Filipinos to take second.

GROUP B: China, Puerto Rico, Serbia, South Sudan
Prediction – Serbia and South Sudan advancing

Serbia’s gold medal chances took a massive hit when 2023 NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic decided to skip this year’s tournament. Despite no Joker in the lineup, the Serbians still have enough firepower to win arguably the easiest of the eight groups. The silver medalists from the 2014 World Cup have one of the best offenses in the tournament, beginning with Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. Bogdanovic, who averaged 22 points at the previous World Cup, will wear the captain’s arm band for Serbia and head coach Svetislav Pesic will call his number a lot.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson obtained his Chinese citizenship through naturalization in July and will represent China at the World Cup. The FIBA Basketball World Cup Twitter accounted posted this message on its feed: “Li Kai’er is coming.” Li Kai’er is Anderson’s Chinese name. Anderson’s versatility and veteran leadership should help China, but not enough to advance.

Keep an eye on South Sudan to pull off a stunner and finish second behind group winner Serbia. South Sudan is making its World Cup debut, and the young African nation is hungry to prove to the world that it is an emerging basketball nation. South Sudan is coached by former NBA player and current Houston Rockets assistant coach Royal Ivey. Ivey’s squad is led by former Baylor Bears forward Nuni Omot and recently added NBA veteran forward Wenyen Gabriel — who played with the L.A. Lakers during the 2022-23 season — to the roster.

GROUP C: Greece, Jordan, New Zealand, United States
Prediction – U.S. and Greece advancing

The road to the knockout stage got much easier for the Americans after Milwaukee Bucks star and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (aka the Greek Freak) opted out as he continues to rehab his knee. Team USA roster reloaded with an all-new lineup. It enters the tournament on a hot streak, having won all its exhibition games including wins over Spain and Slovenia. Under new head coach Steve Kerr, the young American squad has bought into Kerr’s philosophies and looked very much in sync despite only coming together in early August.

Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies) have been Kerr’s preferred starters in the showcase games and nothing indicates that’ll change. Per usual, the U.S. has an embarrassment of riches on its 12-man roster. Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) backs up Brunson — who has emerged as the team leader — at point while Austin Reaves (L.A. Lakers), Josh Hart (Knicks), Cam Johnson (Nets) are part of a solid rotation on the wings. Reaves has been a revelation at camp. Kerr calls him the team’s “connector” with his ability to seamless play any perimeter position. Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), and Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz) are the backup bigs.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup will be extra special for U.S. assistant coach Erik Spoelstra. The 52-year-old Miami Heat head coach has deep ties to the Philippines being a Filipino-American. Spoelstra was born in the U.S. and raised in the Portland area, but his mother is a native of Laguna and he has family members living in the Philippines.

Spoelstra told FIBA.com that it has been a “dream” to be part of USA Basketball, and being able to experience the World Cup in Manila is “very surreal.”

“I have great pride in being an American, and I have great pride in my heritage, being Filipino as well,” Spoelstra said. “I’m just really excited that the entire program will be able to see the enthusiasm, the spirit and fan base for the game in Manila.”

Thanasis Antetokounmpo is the only Antetokounmpo playing at the World Cup after his brothers, Giannis and Kostas, bowed out. The absence of Giannis will severely hamper Greece on the offensive end. You can’t easily replace a player who averages 30 points per game. Coach Dimitris Itoudis will employ a heavy dose of high pick-and-rolls and staggered screens to get some open looks. Olympiacos point guard Thomas Walkup, who played his college ball at Stephen F. Austin, will be tasked with running the offense. One of Walkup’s primary targets is 7-3 center Georgios Papagiannis (Fenerbahce).

After posting a disappointing seventh-place finish at the 2019 World Cup, don’t expect the Americans to take anyone lightly. The U.S. has a favorable schedule playing before a friendly crowd at Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. The Americans will be given the rock star treatment and should win every game in Group C by double digits.

GROUP D: Egypt, Mexico, Montenegro, Lithuania
Prediction – Lithuania and Montenegro advancing

Lithuania had dreams of rolling out a monster frontcourt, pairing 6-11 power forward Domantas Sabonis with 7-0 center Jonas Valanciunas.

Sabonis and Valanciunas are double-double machines in the NBA, and arguably two of the best rebounders in the world. However, those plans were derailed. According to Lithuania national team coach Kazys Maksvytis, Sabonis had surgery on his right thumb. The Sacramento Kings, however, disputed that claim and told the Sacramento Bee that the 27-year-old Sabonis — who is the son of Lithuanian legend Arvydas Sabonis — did not have surgery. Regardless if he had surgery or not, Sabonis won’t be playing for Lithuania at the World Cup. That leaves the 30-year-old Valanciunas, who averaged 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds for the New Orleans Pelicans last season, to shoulder much of the offensive load for Maksvytis.

Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic will be leading his home country of Montenegro, which is competing in its second World Cup appearance after qualifying for the event for the first time in 2019. The 6-11 Vucevic anchors a big Montenegro frontcourt that fields seven players 6-8 or taller. The size advantage for Lithuania and Montenegro will be too much to overcome for smaller Mexico and Egypt. Expect Lithuania to win the group, with Montenegro finishing second.

GROUP E: Australia, Finland, Germany, Japan
Prediction – Australia and Germany advancing

Most basketball observers felt Group C and Group H were the toughest after the initial draws were announced. But OMFB thinks Group E deserves the “group of death” title. The games will be held at Okinawa, giving host nation Japan homecourt edge. Japan has lost its last eight games in major international competition (five at the World Cup, three at the Olympics). Just how important this year’s event to Japanese flag bearer Yuta Watanabe? “No one, neither the players nor the spectators, wants to see us lose. If we end up with a string of defeats this time as well, I’m ready to take off the national team’s uniform. That’s how much I am committed to this World Cup,” the 28-year-old Phoenix Suns forward said.

Finland is ranked outside the top 20, but it has Lauri Markkannen (Utah Jazz). The reigning NBA’s Most Improved Player can single-handedly take over a game.

Australia (ranked No. 3) and Germany (No. 11) are on the short list of teams expected to give the U.S. and Spain a run for their money. Coached by veteran Brian Goorjian, whose father Ed was a legendary high school in California, Australia has a roster loaded with NBA players.

The Boomers have a mixture of young NBA studs in Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder), Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks) and Matisse Thybulle (Portland Trail Blazers), Dyson Daniels (New Orleans Pelicans) to go with proven NBA veterans such as Joe Ingles (Orlando Magic), Patty Mills (Atlanta Hawks) and Jock Landale (Houston Rockets). Ingles, Mills, and Landale were part of the Aussie squad that won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics. The Aussies have too much talent not to win this group.

Germany, led by team captain Dennis Schroder, returns 75% of the squad that captured bronze at the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket. Schroder, who recently signed with the Toronto Raptors, is the engine that powers the Germans’ offensive attack. He has plenty of help from brothers Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic) and Mo Wagner (Magic). Former Boston Celtics center Daniel Theis provides the Germans with some much needed muscle in the paint, doing all the dirty work and holding down the fort defensively. Germany gave Team USA its toughest game during the showcase series, leading by as much as 16 points before Anthony Edwards got hot and exploded for 34 points to help the U.S. escape with a 99-91 win.

Each game in Group E will be hotly contested, but two teams will leave Okinawa disappointed. It won’t be Australia or Germany. Both countries should advance out of the group phase and compete for a medal.

GROUP F: Cape Verde, Georgia, Slovenia, Venezuela
Prediction – Slovenia and Georgia advancing

Slovenia arrives in Japan with several question marks. Do they have enough rebounders? Can they defend the perimeter to keep teams out of the paint? These are major issues enough to sink any team. But Slovenian coach Aleksander Sekulic has an answer to all the team’s problems: Luka Doncic.

The brilliance of the Dallas Mavericks superstar covers up all of Slovenia’s warts. He is the sole reason why a nation of only 2.1 million people is a medal contender at the World Cup. Doncic leads Slovenia in points per game (25.0), assists (7.3), 3-point field goals (3.2), and second in rebounds (8.8). Doncic is feeling extra motivated these days. He’s motivated by the Mavericks’ failure to make the playoffs this past NBA season, and he’s motivated to avoid of a repeat of what happened at the Olympics in Tokyo when Slovenia finished fourth and missed the medal podium.

“When we are focused and doing what we need to do, we can be a very dangerous team,” Doncic told Sports Illustrated.

The Slovenians caught a break by landing in a group with two World Cup first-timers in Cape Verde and Georgia, and Venezuela is more of a baseball power. Virtus Bologna forward Tornike Shengelia — a second-round pick in the 2012 NBA draft — has an opportunity to reintroduce himself to basketball fans if he can lead his native country Georgia past the group stage.

Doncic shouldn’t have to extend himself during pool play. His B-plus game should be good enough to push the Slovenians into the next round where they will need his A-plus game.

GROUP G: Brazil, Cote d’Ivoire, Iran, Spain
Prediction – Spain and Brazil advancing

Defending World Cup champion and EuroBasket world champion Spain was dealt a significant blow when veteran point guard Ricky Rubio announced that he was taking a break from basketball to focus on his mental health.

The 32-year-old Rubio was the MVP of the 2019 World Cup in China, leading the Spaniards to an 8-0 record. He’s been one of the main cogs of Spanish basketball for nearly two decades. After leading Spain to a gold medal four years ago, Rubio has had a rough last few years. He has been traded three times and missed the majority of the past two seasons while recovering from a torn left ACL. He served as backup for 33 games last season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Without Rubio, Spanish head coach Sergio Scariolo has had to make several adjustments. He has shifted point guard duties to 29-year-old Alberto Diaz and 19-year-old Juan Nunez. Both guards saw action in a 98-88 loss to the U.S. in a showcase game in Malaga, Spain on Aug. 13. Scariolo, widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the world, treated the much-anticipated game against the U.S. as a feel-out game. He’ll likely have a different game plan if the two basketball powerhouses meet in Manila.

Spain’s superb sibling lineage continues with Willy Hernangomez (FC Barcelona) and Juancho Hernangomez (Panathinaikos) taking the baton from Pau and Marc Gasol. The Hernangomez brothers, along with Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Usman Garuba, arm Scariolo with four highly skilled big men capable of playing any style.

Aldama, 22, and Garuba, 21, represent the new wave of talent on the Spanish national team, while Rudy Fernandez represents the old guard. Fernandez, now 38, is past his prime but still regarded as one of the best 3-point shooters in FIBA.

Scariolo won’t be coaching his best squad in terms of NBA talent, but the Spaniards remain dangerous and can beat any team, including the U.S.

Brazil, which enters the tournament ranked 13th in FIBA, will rely on power forward Bruno Caboclo and the three-guard rotation of Raul Neto, Marcelinho Huertas, and Yago Santos. Caboclo was a former first-round draft pick by the Toronto Raptors in 2014. Neto and Huertas have played on several NBA teams, while Santos has experience playing in the Adriatic League and EuroLeague.

Brazil is the only real threat to Spain in a weak group. Spain should win every game in Jakarta. And don’t be surprised if Spain is one of the last four teams standing.

GROUP H: Canada, Latvia, Lebanon, France
Prediction – France and Canada advancing

The path to the knockout round got a little easier for France and Canada after Latvia’s Kristaps Porzingis (Boston Celtics) opted out of the tournament.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert anchors a deep and talented French squad that boasts several current and former NBA players, including the core group that brought home silver at the Olympics in Tokyo two years ago and lost to Spain at the EuroBasket final last year. French coach Vincent Collet thought he’d have the services of 2023 NBA No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama, but Wemby decided to skip the World Cup to focus on preparing for his first season with the San Antonio Spurs.

Collet will once again rely on 7-1 Gobert to be the catalyst on defense. The three-time NBA defensive player of the year provides a towering presence in the paint, which allows perimeter defenders such as Nic Batum (L.A. Clippers) to play more aggressively. This is likely Batum’s last World Cup appearance as he is planning to retire after the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

France’s backcourt is about as steady as they come. Former San Antonio Spurs point guard Nando De Colo, 36, and current New York Knicks shooting guard Evan Fournier, 30, have a boatload of international experience.

The Canadians are sending their best team to the World Cup, despite news that Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is skipping the competition. Spearheaded by rising NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and New York Knicks starting wing RJ Barrett, Team Canada has a legitimate shot to reach the podium.

Gilgeous-Alexander continues his accent into elite status in the basketball world after impressive performances in tune-up games. The Hamilton (Ontario) native had 26 points and six steals against New Zealand. He put on a show with 25 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in a 113-112 overtime win over Germany. SGA shined again in Canada’s 85-80 overtime win over Spain, finishing with 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

“He’s showing leadership and you can lead in so many different ways and him in his own way. He’s bringing this group together,” Canada head coach Jordi Hernandez said about Shai.

The Canadians are also armed with two outstanding wing defenders in Luguentz Dort (OKC Thunder) and Dillon Brooks (Houston Rockets). If there’s a weakness it may be up front as Kelly Olynyk (Utah Jazz) and Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks) have trouble against physical big men.

We shall find out fast which nation will win Group H as France and Canada face off in the opener on Aug. 25 in Jakarta. Les Bleus has too much international experience for the talented but untested Canadians. France wins the group, with Canada close behind at second.

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.

For the past eight seasons, no one has been able to solve the Golden State Warriors’ perplexing puzzle. Until now.

The four-time NBA champions were finally dethroned as the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the Warriors in six games in the 2023 Western Conference semifinals. The Lakers became the first Western Conference team to beat the Warriors in a playoff series since Steve Kerr was hired in 2014. The size and length of the Lakers were simply too much for the small-ball Warriors, and the catalyst for the NBA’s top-rated defense was Anthony Davis.

The Lakers’ versatile center was nothing short of sensational against the defending NBA champs. Davis was able to roam freely because the Warriors don’t have a big man who requires AD’s constant attention. The Lakers’ suffocating defense forced the Warriors to play inside the 3-point line and limited their shot attempts by securing defensive rebounds.

First-year coach Darvin Ham brought to L.A. many of the defensive principles he learned from his time with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. But the scheme only works if it has a defensive stud patrolling every inch of the hardwood.

Davis is the chess piece Ham frequently uses to check every opponent’s best move.

“The Lakers have a great defense,” said Golden State coach Steve Kerr, whose team was held to 10 points below their season average. “Davis at the rim was a huge obstacle. Not only a shot blocker but a guy who takes up a lot of space and cuts down a lot of passing lanes.”

The Warriors struggled from the field in the close-out game, shooting just 37.9% from the field and making just 13 of 48 3-pointers. Davis attempted only nine shots in Game 6 and finished with 17 points, but his imprint was all over the court. He pulled down 20 rebounds, had two blocks and two steals. His presence was felt throughout the series.

“To me the series came down to games 1 and 4,” Kerr said. “The Lakers outplayed us in key stretches in both games. That’s really the difference. The better team won.”

If one sequence summarized Golden State’s struggles against Davis and the Lakers, look no further than the final frantic minute of Game 4 in L.A. With the Warriors down by a point at 102-101 with 36 seconds left in Game 4, Steph was isolated against AD at the top of the circle with 36 seconds on the game clock. It was only fitting the game would come down to the game’s best shooter against the best defensive center in basketball. You couldn’t have scripted it any better.

Curry was ready to seize the moment, like has for the better part of the decade as the ring leader of the Warriors, but Davis was more than up to the task.

Curry starts the play with a few crossover dribbles. Davis pokes the ball to disrupt Steph’s rhythm and the Warriors guard was forced to retrieve the loose ball and restart the play. Curry then drove left, but AD cuts him off. Curry resets and tries to drive to his right. AD cuts him off again, and forces Curry to take a difficult one-legged, step-back jumper contested by the 7-foot-6 wingspan of Davis. The shot rattled off the rim.

“I pride myself on defense,” David told Spectrum SportsNet reporter Mike Trudell.

“They wanted, obviously, the switch with me and I took that personally,” he continued. “I know what he gets to like his stepback 3 and I just wanted to move my puppies. As my man, coach would say, I just wanted to move them puppies and keep him in front and make him take a tough shot and that’s what I did.

“He’s a helluva player, there’s no shot that he can’t make. He takes all the tough shots and he makes them. I just wanted to make it tough on him and make him shoot over a contested hand and pray that he missed, cuz he’ll make those. And he missed, got it back, and I just wanted to defend again and make him miss again and we ended up getting the rebound. Big time defense from me, but big time rebounding from our guys.”

The Warriors would get another opportunity with 26 seconds left after Draymond Green secures the offensive rebound. He fires the ball back to Steph, who gets another shot at shaking Davis. This time, Curry settles for a 30-foot 3-pointer that he had to put extra arc because of Davis’ length. The shot fell short, bouncing off the front of the rim. Lonnie Walker IV, who had a huge fourth quarter for the Lakers coming off the bench, grabs the rebound and gets fouled. Walker made both free throws, setting up for the final Davis defensive stand.

Down 104-101 and needing a 3-pointer, Golden State coach Steve Kerr called for the “hammer play” to free up a 3-pointer shooter in the corner. The play was a staple of the San Antonio Spurs offense during the Tim Duncan era, and it’s a play the Warriors have run many times. Unfortunately for Kerr and the Warriors, AD and LeBron James were familiar with the play as well. As soon as AD realized what the play was, he peeled off his man and jumped Klay Thompson’s corner route and intercepted Draymond Green’s pass.

Even though the Warriors would get another short possession after Curry grabbed a loose ball off a jump ball, but inexplicably threw the ball away with a time-out left in his pocket, the Lakers grabbed full control of the series thanks to their superstar center wearing No. 3.

“That’s a big part of the series for sure. Davis is dominant,” Kerr said about the Lakers’ big man.

Davis has been an absolute monster on defense during the 2023 playoffs. He leads all players in the postseason in every major statistical category on defense. He’s No. 1 in blocks (3.3) and rebounds (14.1), and has contested the most 2-point shots through the first two rounds of the postseason. He is also the only center who ranks in the top five on deflections.

AD’s disruptive hands are a big reason why the Lakers own the best defensive rating since the All-Star break. The addition of forwards Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura have afforded L.A. more athleticism and size up front to go with Davis’ unique ability to guard one through five.

Despite his defensive credentials, Davis remains an easy target for critics. He still doesn’t get the respect he richly deserves from the media and pundits.

When the NBA announced its All-Defensive Teams, there was one glaring omission. Where’s Anthony Davis?

The first team was comprised of Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez, Chicago’s Alex Caruso, and Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday. All of them were bounced from the playoffs either in the first round or in the play-in tournament. Jackson Jr., the 2023 NBA defensive player of the year, was matched up with AD in the first round and it was a landslide. Davis was the more superior defender and far more impactful than Triple J.

LeBron let the world know who he thinks in the NBA’s best defender. “He’s the best defensive player in the league,” LeBron told TNT’s Chris Haynes.

“I think the league knows it,” LeBron said. “There aren’t many guys who can protect the rim at all costs and switch out on point guards like Steph [Curry]. We trust AD guarding anybody in the league.”

Steph Curry plays with a lot of emotion, but it is extremely rare to see him cry on the court.

That’s what happened in the final moments of Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals in Boston. The Golden State Warriors were seconds away from winning their fourth NBA championship in eight seasons and Curry let it all out. Tears came down his face after hugging his dad Dell Curry, who was standing under the basket getting ready to celebrate with his son. Steph was so overcome with emotion that he fell to the floor with still 2.7 seconds left on the game clock.

Former NBA player and current TV analyst Grant Hill asked Curry about his moment vulnerability and in classic Curry fashion, he gave a very candid and thoughtful response.

“Any time you’re trying to sustain anything at this level, there’s just so much emotional baggage and the physical nature of what we do. It’s hard,” said Curry, who took home the Bill Russell award as the MVP of the 2022 NBA Finals after leading the Golden State Warriors to a hard-fought victory over the Boston Celtics in a grueling six-game series.

Curry was a unanimous choice as MVP of The Finals after averaging 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in the series. And he did most of his damage while being guarded by the reigning defensive player of the year in Celtics guard Marcus Smart.

The 34-year-old sharpshooter finished with 34 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in the clincher, giving him 30 or more in three straight games at Boston’s TD Garden. The signature moment came in Game 4 when Curry dropped 43 points and hit seven 3-pointers in a 107-97 win that tied the series at 2. Boston didn’t win another game in the series after that Curry flurry.

“To go to five straight Finals — like I said after going through these last two years — and try to maintain that belief and carry that every single day,” Curry said. “Every time we come into the gym and practice. Every time you come into game. Every time you step into a locker room. You understand that leadership. You have to carry that. Whether guys believe it or not, or you’re gonna end up in the finish line or not, I let all that out at the end of the game. This one definitely feels different.”

This Warriors’ championship run was certainly different. It was sweeter. It always feels sweet to prove people wrong. The Dubs were left for dead after missing the playoffs the last two seasons. They heard all the negative chatter. The dynasty was done. Klay Thompson may never be the same after ACL and Achilles surgeries. They can’t win a title without Kevin Durant. Draymond Green is getting old.

But the Warriors found a way to build it back up, and now they’re back at the top of the NBA mountain.

“What we’ve been through over these last two years have been a lot,” Curry said. “To be able to just let all that out, especially in this building [TD Garden Arena in Boston], it’s a historic building. I was just thinking about all that.”

He added, “Just proud of everybody that played a part in making this a reality.”

Seth Curry, Steph’s younger brother, celebrated with him on the court. Steph said his brother asked this rhetorical question: “What are they gonna say now?”

What are the talking heads and critics going to say? Absolutely nothing. Nada. Zip. As Warriors defensive stalwart Draymond Green put it, Curry left no doubt that he’s an all-time great. Steph cemented his place on basketball’s King’s Landing after winning a fourth title and a Finals MVP.

“Without [Steph], none of this happens,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Curry. “That’s not taking anything away from Joe [Lacob] and Peter’s [Gruber] ownership. They built an incredible organization. Bob Myers is a helluva GM. We’ve had so many great players. But Steph ultimately is why this run has happened.”

Kerr was asked if this was the least talented Warriors squad to win a title. Kerr wasn’t in full agreement with that assessment, saying the 2022 Warriors may not have the same offensive firepower as the previous Golden State champs but they’re just as talented especially defensively.

“We had Kevin Durant for three years with this core group. We’re untouchable,” Kerr said. “This [2022 team] has been compared to our first championship team in 2015. Maybe there are some similarities. But this is still a talented group of players.”

He continued: “Our defense was spectacular in this series, especially the last three games. The Celtics had the best defense in the league but we were right behind them. What made this group really special besides the obvious with Steph was the defensive intensity and versatility.”

It’s laughable to think that there are still people, including basketball pundits, who question Curry’s place among the game’s all-time greats. Draymond calls those questioning Curry’s legacy as “garbage.”

“He’s still Steph Curry. He’s still an all-time great. To add [a Finals MVP] to your resume, as a competitor, you want that. For him, well deserved. It’s been a long time in the making. He left no doubt.”

Andre Iguodala gave Golden State a big boost in Game 4 of NBA Finals. (GETTY IMAGES)

When the Golden State Warriors were trailing 2-1 in the 2015 NBA Finals and all the momentum seemingly on the side of the Cleveland Cavaliers, first-year head coach Steve Kerr went to his go-to guy to stop the bleeding. And that’s exactly what do-it-all forward Andre Iguodala did.

Iguodala scored 22 points, made eight of his 15 field goals, knocked down four 3-pointers, and grabbed eight rebounds in 39 minutes in his first starting assignment of the season. He also helped the Warriors harass LeBron James into his worst shooting performance in The Finals: 20 points (he was averaging 41 through three games) and 7-for-22 from the field.

The Warriors went on to win Game 4 and never lost again in The Finals.

With Iguodala in the starting lineup, the small-ball unit accomplished two key things: it increased the tempo on offense and made the Warriors more active on defense. Cavaliers 7-foot center Timofey Mozgov was stuck guarding Iguodala and the 6-8 wingman took advantage of the space Mozgov gave him on offense by knocking down jumper after jumper.

Iguodala was arguably the Warriors’ best player in the series and deserved to be named Finals MVP. Not bad for someone who didn’t start in the regular season and is regarded as the Warriors’ fifth-best player behind Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes.

“Guarding LeBron James has to be the hardest job in basketball. After the first three games we decided to start Andre because he was by far doing the best job on LeBron, but he was also contributing in so many ways,” Kerr said. “[Cleveland’s] plan was to take Steph away and take Klay away and force Draymond and Andre to beat them, and Andre did.”

Kerr said you can argue that the Finals MVP should have gone to Curry or LeBron, but Andre winning the award was a fitting ending for Golden State squad that has prided itself in team ball and sacrifices.

“He sacrificed his starting role from the first game in the season. He had never come off the bench once in his entire career. And he sacrificed that job to make Harrison better and make our bench better, and that set the tone for our whole season. An All-Star and an Olympian said ‘OK, I’ll come off the bench.’ ”

Coming off the bench wasn’t an easy adjustment for Iguodala, who has spent the majority of his 11-year NBA career (eight in Philadelphia and one in Denver) as a starter.But when Kerr got the Warriors coaching gig he decided that what’s best for the team is for Iguodala take a back seat.

“He was the focal point [in Philadelphia]. It’s a different role for him here,” Kerr said of his fellow Arizona Wildcat. “In this series he looks like the 76ers version of Andre because he’s taking on a bigger role. He’s playing more minutes, he’s guarding LeBron, he’s also been good offensively. I just think Andre is one of those guys who rises to the occasion and embraces the challenge. He’s having a great series.”

Iguodala said not being a starter is “a lot harder than it looks,” and finding a flow coming off the bench has been the most difficult adjustment. “This is a lot different,” he said. “It took me a while to find it. I’m still trying to figure it out right now.”

Iguodala adds a different dimension to the Warriors. His versatility makes the Warriors unpredictable on offense, and his playmaking abilities from the forward spot allows Curry to play off the ball.

“That’s kinda been my game pretty much my whole life,” Iguodala said. “From a kid I was probably the tallest on the floor but never wanted to play center. I’ve always wanted to play point guard. My favorite players were Scottie Pippen, Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill. Those guys have similar games. That’s just something I saw and try to do from age 6-7 years old.”

Golden State has been rotating different bodies on LeBron to try to wear down the Cavs superstar. Iguodala, Barnes, Green and Thompson have been matched up with the four-time MVP on various stages of the game, but Iguodala has easily been the most successful at holding down King James.

Iguodala has some familiarity with LeBron’s game from his time with Team USA during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He uses his length to bother LeBron’s sight line and he is strong enough to make it tough for ‘Bron to get to his post-up game. And when LeBron goes to his patented forays to the left side of the lane, Iguodala beats him to the spot and forces him to tough, contested step-back jumpers.

LeBron had a chance to win games 1 and 2 at Oracle Arena in the final seconds of regulation, but both times Iguodala stepped up and made crucial defensive stops. He forced LeBron into a difficult step-back jumper that bounced off the rim Game 1 and then he forced LeBron to miss a left-handed layup in Game 2.

“You gotta be mentally prepared more than anything,” Iguodala said of guarding James. “Not to overreact to certain things. I think that’s key. We have a scheme in place and in order for the scheme to work overall picture is 48 minutes. In the grand scheme of things you try to break him down, you try to force your will upon him, and it’s gonna take the whole game. Mentally you gotta be with it the whole night.”

“A guy like LeBron who can pass the ball, you have to see where his eyes are. He can see the whole floor. It’s just about being smart and more importantly communicate because if I can hear a guy double team I know where to funnel. We know how to rotate out of it, and it usually works for us.”

Iguodala capped his phenomenal playoff run with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in Game 6 to close out the Cavaliers and end the 40-year NBA title drought in the Bay Area.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are struggling against the Cavs in the NBA Finals. (GETTY IMAGES)

You can analyze or overanalyze basketball games with all types of fancy analytics and metrics, but teams that win championships follow two basic formulas: score easy baskets and don’t give up easy baskets.

Basically, to speak in the language so millennials can understand, you want to score in the paint and protect the paint (if your hardwood court has a painted area, of course).

Conventional basketball has always been built on scoring inside, meaning dump the ball inside your biggest or tallest player. Aside from getting an easy hoop, this serves two purposes: 1) collapse the defense and open shots for other players, and 2) rewards big men for all the hard work they do inside. Remember the old Shaquille O’Neal line: “Feed the big dog if you want the big dog to protect the yard.”

It’s a proven fact that big men will work harder if they get their touches on offense, and it will inspire them to protect the basket on the other end of the court.

Shaq subscribes to the inside-out theory because that’s the way NBA championships were won. George Mikan’s Minneapolis Lakers played that way. Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics played that way. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s L.A. Lakers played that way. Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston Rockets played that way.

In the post-Michael Jordan era, the NBA Finals have been dominated by two big men: Shaq and Tim Duncan.

O’Neal and Duncan have been a part of The Finals in 11 of the last 16 seasons, winning a combined nine titles.

There were a few exceptions to the rule. Jordan’s Chicago Bulls teams were mainly a jump-shooting team. But in the triangle offense, otherwise known as the triple post, Jordan was the post-up player. He didn’t post up in the traditional way, as in planting himself on the low block, but he posted up on the elbows or the pinch post. Dirk Nowitzki’s Dallas Mavericks 2011 championship team used the same concept. When the Mavs needed a bucket, they went to Dirk on the pinch post. And LeBron James didn’t start winning titles until he developed a post-up game when he was in Miami.

This bring us to the Golden State Warriors, the 2014-15 NBA champions.

The Warriors are a basketball anomaly. They are bucking the conventional thinking that you can’t win a NBA title primarily by shooting jump shots. Charles Barkley has repeated said on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” that jump shooting teams don’t win titles. Barkley should know this because his high-octane, 3-shooting teams in Phoenix lived and died by the jump shot in the playoffs.

Golden State’s offense is very similar to Barkley’s Suns. They’re built around the long-range shooting skills of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson — also known as The Splash Brothers. They don’t even have a pinch-post player. Everything flows through Curry and Thompson out in the perimeter.

But these Warriors are a different breed. Sure, they win games by shooting lights out from behind the 3-point line and running teams out of the gym. But what made them a 67-win juggernaut during the regular season was defense.

“I know there’s been all this talk this year, especially about the 3-point shot. Can you win shooting it?” Warriors first-year head coach Steve Kerr said. “There’s a lot of different styles that can work. You have to base it on your own personnel.”

Kerr added: “What really wins is a combination of great offense and great defense. We have the No. 1 defense in the league. We had the highest scoring team in the league. We were No. 1 in assists. We were No. 1 in field-goal percentage defense. When you get that combination then you’re going to be pretty good. Whether you’re shooting threes or twos it’s about the balance. To win a title you have to be able to make stops. You’ve got to string together stops at crucial times and you gotta find ways to score. With our depth and our talent we were able to do that and it turned into a special season as a result.”

Golden State arguably has three of the 10 best defensive players in the league. Thompson is an elite perimeter defender, Andrew Bogut is a beast in front of the rim, and Draymond Green finished second to Kawhi Leonard as the defensive player of the year. Add Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala into the mix and you can see why teams struggle to score against them.

Kerr has taken what Mark Jackson built and improved it. The Warriors have largely used a predominantly perimeter attack on offense and a switching defense on their way to the 2015 NBA Finals, using the same concepts installed by Jackson. Kerr has modified a few things here and there, but the Warriors have stayed true to form. They share the ball on offense and they use their speed and quickness to recover on defense. It’s a similar approach that powered the San Antonio Spurs to their fifth NBA title in 2014 with one huge difference. The Warriors don’t have a Tim Duncan controlling the paint on both ends.

Bogut starts at center but he rarely plays more than 20 minutes a game, and Kerr likes to play a smaller lineup down the stretch with Iguodala, Barnes and Green in the frontcourt to go along with Curry and Thompson in the backcourt. This makes the Warriors unique. It’s a style of basketball that court influence a whole generation of coaches and players. It’s comparable to the European League in which the focus is on dribble handoffs and pick-and-pops, and frontcourt players spend most of their time above the free throw line.

Before we crown Golden State as the next NBA dynasty, it needs to sustain this historic run. The Warriors were able to avoid the San Antonio Spurs and L.A. Clippers in the Western Conference, and they ran into a short-handed Cleveland team in The Finals.

The Cavs are a no-nonsense, gritty team that plays defense as if their lives depended on it. If they had Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, it would have been a totally different series.

Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov punished the Warriors on the boards whenever Kerr went to his small lineup. And then there is LeBron. The four-time MVP averaged nearly 40 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in The Finals, and he did all this while playing nearly 48 minutes a game.

The Warriors were able to end the Bay Area’s 40-year championship drought. Now, it’s about keeping that No. 1 ranking.

Stephen Curry ranks in the top 10 in five statistical categories. (GETTY IMAGES)

The race for the most valuable player in the NBA is too close to call. You can’t go wrong with LeBron James, James Harden, Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook. But when it comes to Fantasy hoops, there is no contest.

Steph Curry doesn’t look anything like an assassin, but he has become one of the most feared players in basketball and is the favorite to claim the NBA MVP award. Curry, known as the Baby Face Assassin, is posting video game-type numbers. Statistically speaking, he’s the best player on the league’s best squad. An absolute deadly combination.

The 27-year-old All-Star for the Golden State Warriors is the new breed of point guard. He’s a scorer as well as a playmaker, cut from the same cloth as former NBA greats Mark Price and Steve Nash. The scouting report on Curry coming out of Davidson was “he’ll  likely to do a lot of his damage in spot-up situations, and he’s not going to be used a lot in one-on-one possessions.” Someone’s scouting department missed the boat on Curry.

To Curry’s credit, he diligently worked on his ball-handling skills and made himself into a triple-threat. When he’s rolling, he is nearly unguardable.

If you back off him, he’ll pull up from 25-feet and drill a 3-pointer from anywhere on the floor. If you charge at him and make him put the ball on the deck, he’s quick enough to take the ball all the way to the basket. And forget about fouling him because he shoots 91% from the free throw line.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr paid Steph a huge compliment when he compared him to future Hall-of-Famer Steve Nash. Kerr should know because he was the general manager with the Phoenix Suns when Nash played there.

“I first saw it when I was in Phoenix and I scouted Steph when he was at Davidson. I think he was a sophomore. We walked away going, ‘That’s the next Nash,’ ” Kerr told the Contra Costa Times.

“The combination of the ball-handling, the shooting, anticipation, feel — very similar skill set,” Kerr said. “Very different approach, though. Steve was really a pass-first point guard, a reluctant shooter in some ways. Steph is just an assassin out there with his shot. He’s looking to shoot first and set the game up with his passing and moving the ball and creating offense for others.”

Curry is the only player in the Association who ranks in the top 10 in points (23.4), assists (7.9), free-throw percentage (91.4%), 3-point field goals (3.4), and steals (2.1). He is an absolute beast in most nine-category Fantasy leagues. He can fill up all the boxes on a stat sheet with the exception of blocks. Only New Orleans Pelicans star forward Anthony Davis — ranked No. 1 in Yahoo Fantasy hoops — is the closest player in terms of Fantasy numbers. But the biggest difference is Curry, currently ranked No. 2 in Yahoo, has stayed relatively healthy for the last three seasons, while Davis has yet to play more than 70 games in his first three years.

And when it comes to shooting 3-pointers (considered Fantasy gold), no one has been more prolific than Steph. He set the NBA record for 3-pointers made in the season with 272 in the 2012-13 season. He followed that up with 261 in 2013-14, and he is on pace to get close to those marks this season.

If you are one of the lucky ones to own Curry, there is no reason you shouldn’t be playing for a Fantasy League championship.

LeBron James and the Miami Heat fell to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. (GETTY IMAGES)

Everyone seems to have an opinion about LeBron James these days. From TV analysts to NBA owners (ahem! Dan Gilbert) to current and former NBA players, there’s been an avalanche of criticism laid down at the feet of LeBron.

Former player and current TNT analyst Steve Kerr offered his opinion of the Miami Heat star, and it wasn’t exactly uplifting. Kerr compared LeBron to Scottie Pippen as a shooter, which is not a compliment by any means, and examined what is wrong with James’ overall game.

“Phil Jackson used to call Scottie a ‘sometimes shooter.’ Sometimes they would go in, sometimes they wouldn’t. That’s how it is with LeBron,” Kerr said. “He’s a great talent and a great player but you can see his flaws as a basketball player.

“He doesn’t have an offensive game that he can rely on: no low-post game, no mid-range jump shot so when the game really gets tough he has a hard time finding easy baskets and getting himself going. That’s what Michael did in his sleep so that’s why the comparison is wrong.”

Kerr is on point with his critique of LeBron’s offensive game. The reason why Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle was able to put small guards such as Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and even J.J. Barea on James was because he didn’t think the self-proclaimed king can exploit that mismatch in the low post. And he didn’t. At 6-8, 265 pounds, LeBron can be an unstoppable force in the paint if he ever develops a low-post game, something Michael Jordan did seamlessly in the latter part of his career.

Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki were able to expand their games in the low block, saving their legs from having to constantly beat guys off the dribble drive. Even Dwyane Wade has a post-up game, which he turns to from time to time when he sees an advantage. If LeBron is going to evolve as an offensive force, Kerr is absolutely right. He needs to develop a post-up game.

Kerr says Jordan certainly benefited from playing three years under the great Dean Smith at North Carolina, polishing his understanding of how to play with a structured offensive system. LeBron came into the league when he was 18, so he never got rid of some bad habits he picked up in high school and at the AAU level.

“Michael had three years at North Carolina with Dean Smith. That makes a big difference,” Kerr said. “I think he was brought up at a time when there was probably better development at a young age in terms of coaching. I think LeBron is a product of the AAU system where you rely on your athleticism, you go and play 100 games a year but maybe you don’t focus on your weaknesses and what you need to lock in on.

“As a result, fundamentally and technically, LeBron has some flaws. He has to address those. If I were him I would spend all summer down on the low block shooting jump hooks and turnaround jump shots – the entire summer.”