U.S. squad still has plenty of ammunition, even against Spain

Either that, or yellow fever will permanently close Serge Ibaka’s mouth and render him useless.

I can’t see it, can’t concede the doom-and-gloom forecast of Olympic troubles some believe the U.S. basketball team could face in London if matched against Spain.

Which, if you accept what some are saying, will offer frontcourt players taller than any redwood standing in a forest.

It goes both ways. For all the issues people believe the U.S. might have rebounding with and defending Ibaka and the Gasols (Pau and Marc) should such a matchup occur in the medal round, the guys who probably grew up dancing the flamenco at weekly fiestas will struggle stopping quicker, faster, more versatile and athletic players such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

It’s not to say Spain couldn’t give the U.S. a scare the size of the Royal Palace, which it did four years ago in Beijing. The Americans won a gold-medal game 118-107 that it led by just four with 2:25 remaining, won it because they had too much skill, too much balance, too much offense.

Too much of what it still has.

It doesn’t have Dwight Howard, who is recovering from back surgery while probably scheming on how to get another coach and general manager fired. It doesn’t have Chris Bosh and his strained abdominal muscle or Andrew Bynum and his creaky knees.

It still has more than enough.

“Right now, this is who we are, and we have to maximize all of our strengths,” U.S. assistant coach Mike D’Antoni said. “The biggest difference between now and (Beijing) is that guys like LeBron and Chris Paul and Deron Williams and Carmelo Anthony were just getting into their careers. Now, they’re seasoned vets but still 100 percent full of juice. That’s the big thing. They’re better players now.”

I’m not sure Kobe Bryant is, but he still will be the best starting two-guard at the games. Paul will be the best point guard. Durant will be the best small forward. James will be the best small forward playing power forward and possibly center at times. Tyson Chandler will be as good defensively as any other center, including Serge “They are just like us” Ibaka.

Just like Spain?

If I need three guys to take a quiz on the Spanish Inquisition, Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy Fernandez and Jose Calderon get my vote.

If I need three to shut down Bryant, Durant and James, I’m not liking their chances.

The U.S. plays an exhibition against the Dominican Republic tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center, where the team from a Caribbean nation will be coached by John Calipari and include, oh, six or seven fewer NBA players than he annually has at Kentucky.

It could go the way most games will once the Americans arrive in London, where their six-team pool will consist of matchups against the likes of Tunisia and Nigeria.

I can hear Charles Barkley now: “All I know about Tunisia is Tunisia’s in trouble.”

The U.S. won by an average of 30 points in Beijing before its gold-medal game against Spain, and nothing suggests the script will play out any differently this time when London welcomes the world in two weeks. The Americans will press and trap and run and disrupt. They will play havoc with any rhythm an opponent manages to create.

“They’re NBA players who are used to adapting on a nightly basis,” U.S. assistant coach Nate McMillan said. “I don’t think (size) will be an issue for us. We don’t have Howard. We don’t have Bosh. But we have speed and athleticism and are going to beat people to the ball. These guys know what to expect. They know the style of play in an (Olympics). This is not the first time around for most of them.

“Spain and us are different teams now than in (2008). But our guys are versatile and can play a lot of spots. If we rebound collectively, we’ll be in very good shape.”

Spain could pose some problems. Things could get tight as they did four years ago. Ibaka and a Gasol or two could rule the key for stretches.

But in the end, like way back in 1898, I like the guys with the better navy.

Or, in this case, players.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on “Gridlock,” ESPN 1100 and 98.9 FM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.