Players ready for games, but work remains first for coach Mike Krzyzewski and US team

By BRIAN MAHONEY, Associated Press

Last update: July 29, 2008 - 8:11 AM

MACAU - The practice plan coach Mike Krzyzewski detailed was extensive: Situational halfcourt defensive and offensive sets in a "controlled type of scrimmaging." Assistant coaches Nate McMillan handling the defense and Mike D'Antoni monitoring the offense.

Krzyzewski knew the guys loosening up behind him would've rather been doing something else.

"Our guys want to play games and they know, though, that they have to prepare, we still have to prepare. This being our third year together, the preparation that we're doing right now is preparation that we never had an opportunity to do," Krzyzewski said Tuesday, comparing his team's readiness to an NBA club in the last third of its regular season.

"We know each other that well. But they know we still have to put in more, there's no question."

Besides, Krzyzewski still has plenty of his own work left. He's got only four exhibition games to decide how to best use his top four perimeter reserves in the Olympics.

Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Michael Redd are all perhaps the top players on their NBA teams. The best that one of them can hope for right now with the United States is to be the sixth man.

"The challenge that he's facing is to find what combination works best with what, at what time in the game," starting guard Kobe Bryant said of Krzyzewski. "It's a position that I certainly don't envy."

The Americans' starting lineup is set, with Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Dwight Howard holding those spots since last summer with the undefeated team in the Olympic qualifier. The rest could take a little while to decide.

"I'm sure it'd be hard to manage minutes on this whole team," Williams said. "You've got guys, any of them could be playing 40 minutes a game. But that's what's good about our team, that we're so deep nobody has to play many minutes, so we're always going to be fresh ... keep the energy level up, keep the defensive intensity up."

All four played well in the Americans' first exhibition, a 120-65 rout of Canada on Friday in Las Vegas. Wade and Redd each scored 20 points, Williams finished with 14, and Paul had 11 points and eight assists. Krzyzewski said following the game that the team's strength was its perimeter play.

Wade started because James was resting a sprained ankle, but he's headed back to the bench with James practicing again. Krzyzewski seemed to indicate Wade would be the first reserve, as he was two years ago in the world championships, with James or Anthony sliding to the power forward spot if need be.

But a sluggish start could mean Paul, because his speed makes him a perfect change-of-pace option after Kidd. Or a poor start from the perimeter could mean Redd, one of the best outside shooters in the NBA who went 6-of-8 from behind the arc on Friday.

Williams and Paul played together in the backcourt in that game, something Williams said he expected to be recurring with this team.

Things will start to get sorted out this week, with games here Thursday against Turkey, and Friday against Lithuania. Then it's on to Shanghai, and only two more chances for Krzyzewski to find his rotation answers.

"That's always a tough thing as a coach, no matter where you are. It's always hard to try to find guys a spot to play, especially with this team," reserve Chris Bosh said. "Everybody's so equally talented, and we're all together trying to accomplish one goal, but that's the part about being a coach. I'm sure he'll figure it out and go with who's playing the best at that particular point in time."

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