USA Basketball: Chris Paul Assumes Leadership Role In Win Over Argentina
Once again the men’s USA basketball team went into their game against Argentina as favorites, but yet many people around the world viewed the game as one that the US could, and might lose. And, for the first two quarters of the game many people that had viewed this game as a possible loss for the US, looked to be right, that is until things all changed at halftime and the third quarter.
Heading into the half Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul began to try and get his teammates going. Paul took a few shots that, normally, he would of passed up, and he made them. At the half USA held a 60-59 lead, but many of the coaching staff and players were upset with their first-half performance. The US’ defense was horrible, and many players were gambling, and getting beat in the process.
So, while in the locker room Paul gathered his teammates around and implored them to pick up their pace on offense and defense, urging them to give a 110% effort. In the third quarter, they responded. Kevin Durant, and LeBron James came out in the third quarter and could not be stopped. Durant was hitting three’s left and right while James was imposing his will down low, driving to the hoop and any other way he could. With James’ size there is just no one in the world who can stop him, his combination of size, athleticism, and strength just makes him an absolutely unstoppable force, and one of the main reasons why he is the best player in the world, not just the NBA.
Anyway back to Paul, although Paul may not of been the one hitting deep three’s, or throwing down tomahawk dunks like the one Russell Westbrook over Argentina’s Juan Pedro Gutierrez. But his stellar play which, on a team like this consisting of high flyers like Westbrook and James, can sometimes go unnoticed, provided the groundwork for an absolutely outstanding showing in the second half by the US.
Paul demonstrated why he is one of the best, if not the best, point guards in the NBA. Being a great player is not always epitomized by your play, sometimes you need to be a leader, someone who can make other players around him better, and someone who can set an example for others. Paul, with his great effort of 17 points, 3 steals, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists, earned the right to head into the locker room at half, and let his teammates know that their play just wasn’t cutting it. Not just any player can do such a thing, if Anthony Davis had stepped up at halftime and told his elder, future foes, that they were playing horrible it may not have been taken so well. Luckily for the USA it was Paul who stepped into a leadership role against Argentina.
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