Team USA vs. China Thoughts

The United States cruised over China in it's first Olympic game early Sunday morning.

The USA somewhat got off to a sluggish start, but I guess you could say China got off to a rather 'hot' start. China was making nearly every outside shot in the first half despite Team USA winning 101-70.

The USA's defense looked very good the whole game, pressuring China's guards and making Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian earn their buckets. But as the game wore on that ball pressure got to China and they started making some costly turnovers and mistakes.

The USA finally pulled away in the early going of the second half. They were about average on shooting from the outside but in the second half they were nearly perfect it seemed. Dwayne Wade didn't miss a shot as he was 7-7 from the field and was 5-5 on free-throws.

Lebron lead the way with 18 points and dominated China with his sheer athleticism. His strength was too much for the Chinese to handle.

The USA looked great in the second half. Their defense picked up the intensity even more and that created some ease on the offensive end and got them some easy transition baskets.

They made their outside shots which will be vital if they want to come away with a gold medal.

I really think they need to utilize their inside presence a little more. With teams that play a zone on them they need to work inside out instead of outside in. I think Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh will be able to manhandle just about any other big man out there with their strength and pure talent.

But overall, this was a good test and good warm up game for when they have to face Spain, Greece, and Lithuania. They still get one more game against Angola to help them work some kinks out and get some jitters out of the way.

Go USA!

Come back for our first College Football Conference preview later in the day.

My NBA Draft Winners and Losers

WINNERS

Portland Trailblazers

So obviously they are huge winners in getting Oden but they really took it a step further. I absolutely love the deal they swung with the Knicks sending Zack Randolph out East for Steve Francis (once dubbed "Franchise") and Channing Frye. Francis will start at PG while Frye adds depth to the front court. Even though Randolph is a great player he was going to get logjammed with Aldridge and Oden so that was a great move. Portland's starting 5 will be young and tremendous next year and for years to come. This is what I'm looking at for their starting 5: Francis, Roy, Aldridge, Oden, and maybe Frye or Jack. Plus they'll have great youth on the bench with (like I said either Frye or Jack) plus Rudy Fernandez (like him), Taurian Green, and McRoberts. Basically I want to know if it is too late to be a Trailblazers fan?

Seattle Super Sonics

Once again they would be winners for the sole fact of just getting Durant. However, they got much much more. How they were able to ditch an aging and overpaid star in Ray Allen for Jeff Green, Wally Szerbiak, and Delante West is news to me. Durant and Green will be a great 1-2 punch and I think both will be stars. They've got a young, developing duo in Robert Swift and Chris Wilcox in the paint. Hopefully Green and Durant can get out in front and help Luke Ridnour push the tempo. Now that is an exciting team! There's going to be a lot of young and exciting things happening in the Pacific Northwest over the next 5 years as far as the NBA is concerned.

Minnesota Twolves

I think Brewer will wind up being the bets of the Florida bunch. I really wanted the Bucks to get him. He's going to be good. Now they need to figure out what they're going to do with KG... but for now they're winners.

Atlanta Hawks

Obviously it's tough to be a loser when you have the 3rd and 11th picks. I wasn't real high on the Hawks' picks but I thought they came out winners. Horford is a great player and would be a great pick for anyone at 3. The problem is that due to recent picks (Sheldon Williams and Josh Smith) the Hawks have a bit of a logjam. I also think Acie Law is a solid player, but won’t produce the same in the NBA as he did in college. If I’m the Hawks, I would have drafted Mike Conley Jr. at 3 -because they really need a solid PG-and Julian Wright at 11. Then I would play uptempo, like the Suns, and try to win the weak East by playing faster than everyone else.

LOSERS

Boston Celtics

Where to start... You are losers for losing so much last season. You are losers for not getting the first pick in the draft. For some reason you threw away the 5th pick in Jeff Green (a player who I think will be a star) and some fairly decent spare parts away for an aging and overpaid Ray Allen. You need to be building for the future. While Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are an above average duo they are not the long-term answer. Good luck making the playoffs next year. Terrible draft.

Milwaukee Bucks

I'm ranking my Bucks as losers because I am a pessimist. I wanted the Bucks to address young talent at the 1 and the 3....instead they went with a 7footer. Yi might end up being great who knows? But, I didn't want them to take him. It's high risk and high reward. Now I find myself wondering what they're going to do. Yi's representatives are saying that he won't play in Milwaukee and will try to force a trade. The Bucks know it's an uphill battle, but felt he was the best talent left on the board and say they want to keep him. If they can find a way to keep him around and if he starts then they probably have Bogut, Villanueva, and Yi all in their starting 5. They'd certainly be tall I guess!

Philadelphia 76ers

Their draft sucked. Thaddeus Young is a ways from being NBA ready. The kid from Finland looked terrible and the announcers were even saying that he'll probably continue to play overseas for a while. Basically all they got was Josh Smith and even though he's 7'0 I'm not sold on him at all.

Chicago Bulls

Their draft wasn't bad. I'm about 50/50 on it. I think they are draft day losers for one reason and one reason only: They took Joakim Noah with their 1st pick. I never once thought that he was top10 pick material. He brings energy (screams like a retard) and knows how to win but I dont' really think he's that good and the Bulls need low post scoring. - Noah is not that.

Questions, comments and criticisms are welcome. Add a winner or a loser of your own.

Revised 2007 NBA Mock Draft

Here's my revised 2007 NBA Mock Draft. After the draft deadline and workouts, I have some changes from my last Mock Draft.

1. Portland Trail Blazers- Greg Oden, Ohio St.
Please Portland, take Oden. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to take a player with this caliber. Big men like this are hard to come by these days and believe me, he won't disappoint. It would be smart to take him over Kevin Durant.

2. Seattle Sonics- Kevin Durant, Texas
I bet the Sonics were jumping out of their pants when they heard they had the 2nd pick. Rashard Lewis will not be around anymore and Durant will be able to take his place immediately. He is a franchise type player and once he puts on some mass, he'll be an all star.

3. Atlanta Hawks- Al Horford, Florida

I am giving in. I decided to move up Horford a few spots. The Hawks will not waste another pick in drafting another versatile forward that they're loaded with already. The Hawks have many options here... they could use a PG in Mike Conley Jr. but I don't believe they will go that way with this high of a pick. Horford has been very impressive during the draft workouts and the Hawks need a post presence now.

4. Memphis Grizzlies- Yi Jianlian, China
The Grizz need another post presence to compliment Pau Gasol. Yi can play all over the floor as well. He can take you inside or step out and hit a 20' foot jumper. He has great ball handling skills and is very light on his feet for a 7' footer. Here's an older post I did on him in case you want to know more about him: So, just who is Yi Jianlian?

5. Boston Celtics- Corey Brewer, Florida
Boston is still a pretty young team. They need another defender and scorer and Brewer brings that to the table. Brewer showed his last 2 years of college ball that he is a force on both ends of the court and Danny Ainge will not look past that. But don't be surprised if the Celtics trade this pick either.

6. Milwaukee Bucks- Brandan Wright, UNC

After weighing in at a slim 200 pounds, teams are wondering how long it will take for Wright's body to catch up to his amazing talent. A lot may argue that the Bucks will pick a big man but they still have Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villaneuva; and at the SF position they have oldies in Charlie Bell and Ruben Patterson. Wright would fit in well for Milwaukee.

7. Minnesota T'Wolves- Mike Conley Jr., Ohio St.
The Wolves have desperately needed a PG over the years and now is their chance to get a great one. Conley is what you like to see in a PG... he thinks pass first, sees the court so well, and can get to basket whenever he needs too. Him and Garnett (if he isn't traded) could make a great tandem.

8. Charlotte Bobcats- Jeff Green, Georgetown

Green falls down a few notches after moving up Horford. Green is a type of player that can contribute right away. He has the skills and attributes of an NBA player and I feel he is ready. Gerald Wallace is set for free agency and Green will be able to fill in for him.

9. Chicago Bulls- Joakim Noah, Florida
The Bulls haven't been satisfied with Ben Wallace, and P.J. Brown will be retiring soon. This is a great opportunity for them to get a big man that will take them to the next level, and help out the great young talent they already have in Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and Tyrus Thomas.

10. Sacramento Kings- Julian Wright, Kansas
The Kings are in a rebuilding mode and could use Wright's athletic talent and potential. He is very unselfish which will make Mike Bibby and Ron Artest happy (if they both stay). Wright has a lot of strengths and will bring a lot to this organization.

11. Atlanta Hawks- Acie Law, Texas A&M

This is where I think the Hawks need to address their PG problems. I think the Hawks will make a long hard decision between Law and Javaris Crittenton (Complete Sports thinks it will be Crittenton). Both great overall PG's, but Law's experience playing 4 years at College Station and his leadership will be the main reasons the Hawks will take him.

12. Philadelphia 76ers- Al Thornton, FSU
This is where the Sixers will take the best available. Thornton could benefit a lot from playing behind a player like Andre Igoudala and his one on one skills are what the Sixers want in a forward.

13. New Orleans Hornets- Nick Young, USC
The Hornets could use a SG/SF and Young would probably be the best available at those positions. Young would be a great scorer to have off the bench. His athletic ability is tough to pass up on as well.

14. Los Angeles Clippers- Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech

The Clippers need a point guard badly. Sam Cassell is a year away from retirement and you can't rely on the health of Shaun Livingston. Crittenton has tons of talent and he is your typical NBA prototype PG.

15. Detroit Pistons- Spencer Hawes, Washington

The Pistons will need another big man sooner or later. So now is a great time to get a great talent in Spencer Hawes. I think Hawes could contribute right away. His passing ability and smart play fit in greatly in Detroit.

2007 NBA Mock Draft

Here's The Sports Flow's 2007 NBA Mock Draft:

1. Portland Trail Blazers- Greg Oden, Ohio St.

Please Portland, take Oden. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to take a player with this caliber. Big men like this are hard to come by these days and believe me, he won't disappoint. It would be smart to take him over Kevin Durant.

2. Seattle Sonics- Kevin Durant, Texas

I bet the Sonics were jumping out of their pants when they heard they had the 2nd pick. It looks like Rashard Lewis will not be sticking around much longer and Durant will be able to take his place. He is a franchise type player and once he puts on some mass, he'll be an all star.

3. Atlanta Hawks- Brandan Wright, UNC

The Hawks have many options here... they could use a PG in Mike Conley Jr. but I don't believe they will go that way with this high of a pick. They could use a center in Al Horford or Yi Jianlian as well. But I don't think they can pass on Wright even though they already have some good forwards. They seem to draft a forward every year so why not again?

4. Memphis Grizzlies- Yi Jianlian, China

The Grizz need another post presence to compliment Pau Gasol. Yi can play all over the floor as well. He can take you inside or step out and hit a 20' foot jumper. He has great ball handling skills and is very light on his feet for a 7' footer.

5. Boston Celtics- Corey Brewer, Florida

Boston is still a pretty young team. They need another defender and scorer and Brewer brings that to the table. Brewer showed his last 2 years of college ball that he is a force on both ends of the court and Danny Ainge will not look past that.

6. Milwaukee Bucks- Jeff Green, G-Town

Green is a type of player that can contribute right away. He has the skills and attributes of an NBA player and I feel he is ready. A lot may argue that the Bucks will pick a big man but they still have Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villaneuva; and at the SF position they have oldies in Charlie Bell and Ruben Patterson. Green would be a great fit in Milwaukee.

7. Minnesota T'Wolves- Mike Conley Jr., Ohio St.

The Wolves have desperately needed a PG over the years and now is their chance to get a great one. Conley is what you like to see in a PG... he thinks pass first, sees the court so well, and can get to basket whenever he needs too. Him and Garnett could make a great tandem.

8. Charlotte Bobcats- Al Horford, Florida

I do not like having Horford this low but I believe these other teams are more focused on fulfilling their needs before taking the best talent out there. Well, unless, your name is Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. But the draft is about a month away and I may reconsider but I think the Bobcats could use another big man and won't pass on Horford obviously if he is still available.

9. Chicago Bulls- Joakim Noah, Florida

The Bulls haven't been satisfied with Ben Wallace, and P.J. Brown will be retiring soon. This is a great opportunity for them to get a big man that will take them to the next level, and help out the great young talent they already have in Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and Tyrus Thomas.

10. Sacramento Kings- Julian Wright, Kansas

The Kings are in a rebuilding mode and could use Wright's athletic talent and potential. He is very unselfish which will make Mike Bibby and Ron Artest happy. Wright has a lot of strengths and will bring a lot to this organization.

11. Atlanta Hawks- Spencer Hawes, Washington

This is where I think the Hawks will address their post problems. They still need a PG, but I think Hawes could contribute right away. His passing ability and smart play is what the Hawks need.

12. Philadelphia 76ers- Al Thornton, FSU

This is where the Sixers will take the best available. Thornton could benefit a lot from playing behind a player like Andre Igoudala and his one on one skills are what the Sixers want in a forward.

13. New Orleans Hornets- Nick Young, USC

The Hornets could use a SG/SF and Young would probably be the best available at those positions. Young would be a great scorer to have off the bench. His athletic ability is tough to pass up on as well.

14. Los Angeles Clippers- Thaddeus Young, G-Tech

The Clips could use an athletic forward in Young. He is capable of becoming a great scorer and can hit from the outside. But it will take sometime, probably a few years to mold him into a true NBA player.

15. Detroit Pistons- Jason Smith, CSU
The Pistons will need another big man sooner or later. So now is a great time to get a great talent in Jason Smith out of CSU. Smith has great technique and mechanics for a post player, kind of similar to Rasheed Wallace. Detroit should like that.

So, just who is Yi Jianlian?

You're part of the coaching staff of an NBA team, it's June 28 and you're on the clock, looking to make the third overall pick in the NBA Draft. Wondering, should we take one of the amazingly smooth forwards out of UNC, Florida, or Georgetown or try to steal a center? You quickly remember that multi-dimensional centers are hard to come by these days in this guard dominated league. You look down the list and see the name Yi Jianlian and decide to take a chance with it.

From my perspective, good choice! You may have never heard of Yi Jianlian before, but now you have. We may have the next Yao Ming on our hands.

While much work is ahead for Yi, he especially needs to gain upper-body strength and build on-court intensity, but he has gained the NBA's interest with his height and athleticism and is expected to be picked in the high rounds of June's draft.

Yi is easily China's best prospect for the NBA. His American style of playing sets him apart from other Chinese players.

Yi is a raw talent; he already has a great basketball build with long arms, all in a 7-1 frame. His greatest attribute is his incredible coordination and athleticism for a seven footer. He is a natural athlete. Unlike many 7 footers, Yi is very smooth and fluid and does not move awkwardly.

What sets Yi apart from other raw athletic big men is his soft touch. Like Chinese NBA players Wang Zhi Zhi and Yao Ming, Yi has a very good shooting touch. He has range out to 20 feet, and can hit the mid range jumper with much consistency.

Yi is a great talent and would be a solid number 3 pick. Milwaukee, Charlotte, Seattle, hell even Phoenix could use this guy. Just imagine the Suns with this guy for next year.

I believe Jianlian will make an immediate impact next season and could help fill a void for many teams. I think he is the real deal and years down the road we may have another Yao Ming.