SEVILLE, Spain: Hosts Spain and the rest of the field must believe they finally have a decent shot at knocking off the mighty United States as the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup tips off on Saturday.
The United States were clearly the better team at the 2012 Olympics when LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and company knocked off Spain in the final in London.
But at the 2014 World Cup, Spain bring back almost their entire team and are dying to get some revenge against an under-manned US team.
None of that Olympic trio is back for the Americans, who have not lost in their runs to the titles at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and the 2010 World Championship.
James and Bryant were not expected to play in Spain but the Oklahoma City superstar Durant pulled out of the team just three weeks before the start, citing exhaustion.
In addition to Paul George —who like Durant was expected to start for the Americans in Spain until the Indiana Pacers star broke his leg — US coach Mike Krzyzewski also has seen stars like Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard all withdraw for a variety of reasons.
While Krzyzewski still has great players like Derrick Rose, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, it’s a US team that is much weaker than past squads. And Spain have a motivated group which includes brothers Pau and Marc Gasol.
AFP
