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USA Basketball Scrimmage White Team: Harris, Durant, Mayo, Smith, and Oden owned today...

Devin Harris emerged as a leader....dude can direct traffic and showed good touch on his shot

Derrick Rose had a subpar day...D Harris was the best PG on the floor today at least

The players quickly took Triano's words to heart. Moments after the break in the action, Devin Harris launched himself into the air to chase down a loose ball. Greg Oden leveled Derrick Rose on his way to the rim and Andre Iguodala bounced his body off the floor in an effort to save the ball from going out of bounds.

Indeed, if anything can be gleaned from the first day of camp it's that the USA Basketball brass is looking for two things from the players they have assembled here: intensity and a willingness to defend on every possession. That's why a player like Harris was a Day 1 standout. Harris was considered one of the top defensive point guards in the Western Conference before he was traded to New Jersey, where his defense suffered last season as he took on a heavier offensive burden. He's also a tireless worker who on Thursday showcased his burgeoning leadership skills. When a play broke down on Harris's scrimmage team, Harris was quick to approach the offending player and explain where the play went wrong.

Yesterday, I wrote about the different positional battles I see here at camp, the biggest being Rose vs. Devin Harris for the third point guard spot on the roster for next year's World Championships.

And Harris wasn't afraid to admit to being very aware that there's a roster spot available with the (international) retirement of Jason Kidd.

"We know what's open and we know what's at stake," he said. "We definitely want to take the opportunity that we have here."

Brook Lopez was asked if it's cool again to play for your country (this is a common storyline amongst the media this week).

"I think so," Lopez responded. "I don't know if I'm the standard for 'cool,' but I think so."

Kevin Durant and Rose continue to be the best players here, although Durant started off the scrimmage with a bad, off-balance shot, which had me shaking my head.

The third scrimmage, however, went down to the wire. Harris gave the White a 22-21 lead with 10 seconds to go with a nice running bank shot, but Andre Iguodala immediately went coast to coast for an and-one with six seconds left.

Iguodala missed the free throw, but McGee fumbled the rebound out of bounds. Up one, the Blue team inbounded the ball to Rudy Gay, who, rather than taking a foul, saw a lane to the basket and converted a tough layup over McGee, putting his team up 25-22 with about four seconds left.

Harris pushed the ball up the floor quickly and got it to Gordon, but Gordon's three from the right wing missed at the buzzer.

Kevin Durant led the Blues with 20 points and 8 rebounds, and Brook Lopez chipped in with 18 points before 6,427 fans at the Thomas & Mack Center. Kyle Korver, Thaddeus Young and Anthony Randolph added a dozen points apiece for the Blues.

Mike Krzyzewski, USA Head Coach:
How about the bigs? Which of the bigs stood out to you today?

Actually I thought with (Greg) Oden being hurt for so often, he gave such a presence, then (Brook) Lopez gets I think 18 and did a really good job, and (JaVale) McGee, if he makes that one dunk then the Thomas & Mack roof would have come down. Even Jay Triano got up, he thought it was going to go.

Jay Triano:
Did anyone standout to you tonight?

Kevin Durant was very good. I thought that Rudy Gay put up great numbers and was very efficient with the basketball. Iguodala played well. If a couple guys surprised us, it was Brook Lopez. He just did a nice job of catching the ball, and keeping it high. Westbrook was very good too. Probably the same guys I thought played extremely well throughout the practices.

5. Devin Harris, PG, New Jersey
Showcase stats: DNP

Harris turned his left ankle on Friday and was held out of the Showcase for precautionary reasons, but it's relatively minor. Before the injury, he was right there with Rose in the first two days of practice and it wouldn't be a total shock if he beat out the Rookie of the Year for the third point guard spot next year. One of the real veterans among the group, he showed leadership all week.

9. Brook Lopez, C, New Jersey
Showcase stats: 18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal, 7-8 fg, 1-1 3pt, 3-4 ft

Until Saturday, none of the four centers in camp had really distinguished themselves. Greg Oden defended the rim well, but two steps behind offensively. JaVale McGee and Anthony Randolph showed flashes, but got pushed around by the bigger guys. And Lopez just never got a rhythm going. But he did in the Showcase, benefitting from the penetration of his teammates, rolling to the basket well and finishing strong (he had two and-ones). When he didn't play well earlier, it was often because he was hesitant with the ball.

vincecarter4pres wrote:Greg Oden at this point in his career isn't very good, at all. He's just really big with a serious knack for rebunding. He has the potential to get a lot better, but I wouldn't trade Brook for Oden and Batum, let alone Oden straight up. A lot of PDX fans literally still think they have the next big thing and that Oden is going to blossom into some sort of all world center, all time great. Quite frankly, I think that type of optomism/homerism is just a flatout joke.

LOOSH wrote:

vincecarter4pres wrote:Greg Oden at this point in his career isn't very good, at all. He's just really big with a serious knack for rebunding. He has the potential to get a lot better, but I wouldn't trade Brook for Oden and Batum, let alone Oden straight up. A lot of PDX fans literally still think they have the next big thing and that Oden is going to blossom into some sort of all world center, all time great. Quite frankly, I think that type of optomism/homerism is just a flatout joke.

With Greg, last year was a real kick in the nuts for Portland fans - I think the majority are very wary of him living up to the hype. At the same time I wouldn't make any absolute statements about him just yet. He started last season at 295 and ended up about 275. They want him to start the season this year at 260 and from the videos I saw from the USA camp he looks as good phsically as I've seen him in about 2 years. Reports were he was by far the best defensive big man in the camp and that's really all we want/need from him. It's seriously doubtful he ends up "the next Bill Russell" or whatever, but I think chances are high he'll have a very nice career.

Lopez is stud though, no doubt about it.