The U.S. basketball betting team arrives in Beijing with a clear and unambiguous goal: winning the Olympic gold.
"We're here to win gold and is a serious matter," said the Los Angeles Lakers star, Kobe Bryant, a little of the Games debut in the U.S. compared to China on Sunday, a clash which could attend to the American president George W. Bush.
"The key for us is simply that we must continue to improve. Every day the team tries to advance to be a better basketball team, "added Bryant.
United States, regardless of their stars was called in every edition of the Games as "Dream Team" (Dream Team) in Barcelona since the'92 NBA big names were able to participate in the Olympic festival, does not win the golden presea a great event in Sydney since 2000 and seeks vindication.
To achieve this, their big names should assimilate sense of team and adapt as quickly as possible to somewhat different rules governing the sport outside the NBA betting .
"I'm involved in international competition since I have six years. The rules are easy for me, "said Bryant, enough.
Meanwhile, the U.S. coach, Mike Krzyzewski, recalled that, despite being the big favourites to take the tournament, his players should not underestimate China and less to their great respect, Yao Ming, Houston Rockets idol.
"I think the Chinese are a very good team. His basketball has grown tremendously, I know personally Yao Ming and China could not have a representative largest for the country. Playing at a level this incredible match and we will face this as everyone else: with dignity and respect. "
Failures consummate successively in the Indianapolis World 2002, in the 2004 Athens Games and the 2006 World Japan not to worry KRZYZEWSKI. The technician does not have the feeling that the added pressure group.
"It's a global game, not the U.S. game. It's something we understand. Over 30 percent of NBA Odds players are now foreign. Over the past three years we have tried to learn the international game because it is different. Beautiful, but different. "
The coach outlined a self-criticism, which he hoped would bear fruit immediately: "I think in the past to pretend that people bring to us and that's not going to happen. This is what we talked about respect. Us need to adjust how it is played. "
While many occupy a place in the Olympic spirit of the current NBA , the current group of players seems to have taken up the hunger of yesteryear.
The star of the Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James called the Olympics "the greatest event" sports and not opened the umbrella before rain: "We have a task and a goal: winning the gold medal."
