zatoicchi
29.07.08, 10:58
MACAU, China (AP)—Loaded with star power but wary of complacency, the U.S. Olympic basketball team arrived in China on Monday with a word of caution from coach Mike Krzyzewski.
“We haven’t accomplished anything yet,” he said.
The team is taking its Olympic preparations to this southern Chinese casino enclave. LeBron James joined the squad’s first practice in Macau with his right ankle taped. He sat out the Americans’ first tuneup against Canada on Friday with a sprain.
“Every time we step onto the court, we know we have the talent and we know we have the strength to go out and be the best team on the court,” James said. “The chemistry right now is really good.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers star said he will play in upcoming exhibition games in Macau and Shanghai.
The U.S. has clearly underachieved in international competition the past eight years. It finished sixth in the 2002 world championships and won the bronze at the 2004 Olympics and 2006 world championships.
Krzyzewski expects the competition in Bejing to be better than ever because “world basketball has gotten to another level.”
Confident US arrives in China; James practices (http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/basketball/news?slug=ap-bko-usarrives&prov=ap&type=lgns)
“We haven’t accomplished anything yet,” he said.
The team is taking its Olympic preparations to this southern Chinese casino enclave. LeBron James joined the squad’s first practice in Macau with his right ankle taped. He sat out the Americans’ first tuneup against Canada on Friday with a sprain.
“Every time we step onto the court, we know we have the talent and we know we have the strength to go out and be the best team on the court,” James said. “The chemistry right now is really good.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers star said he will play in upcoming exhibition games in Macau and Shanghai.
The U.S. has clearly underachieved in international competition the past eight years. It finished sixth in the 2002 world championships and won the bronze at the 2004 Olympics and 2006 world championships.
Krzyzewski expects the competition in Bejing to be better than ever because “world basketball has gotten to another level.”
Confident US arrives in China; James practices (http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/basketball/news?slug=ap-bko-usarrives&prov=ap&type=lgns)