HoopsHype.com Rumors

KC Johnson: Durant on facing Argentina in semis: "It’s going to be a chippy game. We’re a physical team as well." #London2012 Twitter

Kevin Durant, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics 

Carmelo Anthony, who’s 6-8, rose for a long jumper, and 5-10 Argentine point guard Facundo Campazzo hit him in the groin. Melo mellowed out on the floor in agony. That’s cheap. That’s cheesy. U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said of Anthony’s drop to the hardwood as if poleaxed, ‘‘He wasn’t celebrating the shot.’’ It was an angry moment in a hard-fought game, and the ensuing scrum put even more fever into the Americans’ goal of winning every game in London by as much as possible. ‘‘It was wrong,’’ Kobe Bryant (11 points in 21 minutes) said angrily of the jab. ‘‘We told him, ‘You don’t do that.’ ’’ Chicago Sun-Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, USA Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski, Argentina, Olympics, Facundo Campazzo 

It would also be a rematch of the matchup between the United States and Russia in the 2010 World Championships in Turkey, a game whose buildup was made spicier when Blatt and U.S. Coach Mike Krzyzewski had dueling press conference exchanges. Blatt had said then that, after watching a documentary on the controversial game, he'd come to believe that the Soviets had won the game fairly. NBA.com

Coaching, Russia, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics, David Blatt 

Told of Blatt's comments, Krzyzewski first said that Blatt had that viewpoint because Blatt was Russian (he isn't), and then said that the '72 game would always be a negative memory for Americans and "somewhat of a positive for those who believe in fairy tales." NBA.com

Coaching, Russia, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics, David Blatt 

"I've known him for many, many years," Blatt said. "He coached against my Princeton team at the Aloha Classic in Hawaii in 1980. He was a rookie coach for Army, and I was playing for Princeton. I've known this guy forever. It cleared up as soon as it was over. A lot of it was grandstanding between the two of us -- moreso on his part. I was coming from a place where my message, I had hoped, was that the world changes and we view history a little bit differently when you have perspective. And Coach K jumped on it as a motivating factor for his team. OK. He was doing what he had to do for his unit. But no, we haven't had any problem. Hell, I talked to him this summer about players ... we're fine." NBA.com

Coaching, Russia, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics, David Blatt 

Every member of the U.S. team is part of the Nike family, except for Kevin Love, who has a deal with Chinese shoe company 361 Degrees, but still wears Nikes on the court. Nike also sponsors the overall team, as well as its coach Mike Kryzewski. The earnings of Team USA are split almost evenly between salary and endorsements, thanks to the large sponsorship portfolios of James, Bryant and Kevin Durant. Forbes.com

LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, USA Basketball, Kevin Love, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics 

Jeff Zillgitt: Mike Krzyzewski: "We’re ready for the final week. Our guys are anxious. ... I think they’ll play their best basketball this week." Twitter

USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics 

USA head coach Mike Kryzewski was also genuine in his praise for Lithuania. "They were quick as a unit, they played as one seemlessly. I thought their veterans led the way," he said. "Kleiza was particularly outstanding and Pocius played great. We had to make big plays to win." FIBA.com

Linas Kleiza, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics, Lithuania, Martynas Pocius 

"I don't know why he takes a beating about his game at any time," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "Carmelo is one of the better international players. He's one of the best players, but it doesn't always translate to being that good internationally." USA Today

New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, USA Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics 

Yes, even Mike Krzyzewski was overwhelmed on a night USA Basketball barely needed LeBron James, "We just shot better than any team in a game that I have ever coached. Our guys just couldn’t miss." Sulia

USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics 

We didn't play LeBron [James] and Kobe [Bryant] in the second half, and with Carmelo (Anthony) shooting like that, we benched him," Krzyzewski said after Anthony scored a U.S. Olympic record of 37 points in 14 minutes and 29 seconds. "We didn't take any fast breaks in the fourth quarter, and we played all zone. You have to take a shot every 24 seconds, and the shots we took happened to be hit. “I take offense to this question because there’s no way in the world that our program in the United States sets out to humiliate anymore.” New York Daily News

USA Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics, Nigeria 

A question in the postgame news conference about the U.S. running up the score stiffened Krzyzewski, inspiring him to respond with marked defiance. "We didn't play LeBron [James] and Kobe [Bryant] in the second half, and with Carmelo shooting like that, we benched him," Krzyzewski said. "We didn't take any fast breaks in the fourth quarter, and we played all zone. You have to take a shot every 24 seconds, and the shots we took happened to be hit. I take offense to this question because there's no way in the world that our program in the United States sets out to humiliate anyone." Yahoo! Sports

USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics 

Adrian Wojnarowski: For the second straight off day, Krzyzewski has cancelled practice for Friday in London. Team USA plays Lithuania on Saturday. Twitter

USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics 

“You never know who might help you win a gold medal,’’ he said, pointing out that reserve Tayshawn Prince, because of foul trouble, played a key role in the 2008 gold-medal game vs. Spain. “If you don’t give them that length of experience, they may not be ready for those minutes.’’ New York Post

USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics, Tayshawn Prince 

Mike Krzyzewski experienced his 2012 Olympic highlight during a postgame, post-midnight press conference. Following Team USA’s 47-point victory over Tunisia, a Polish journalist began to ask a question but was interrupted after uttering the coach’s last name. “You’re the first person to ever pronounce my name right,” Krzyzewski said, beaming. New York Post

USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics 

The U.S. men’s basketball coach invited the Polish journalist to take a picture with him on the podium after the press conference. It was the perfect, light Olympic moment. New York Post

USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics 

Krzyzewski, before the splash of figurative sun, was inevitably asked about what's missing from this group, compared to the Dream Teamers, that would allow it to be exposed to a 13-12 deficit with 2:49 to go in the opening quarter an 0-for-8 start from 3-point range. "Michael Jordan, probably," Krzyzewski said. "I would start there." ESPN.com

Michael Jordan, USA Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski 

When a Polish reporter at the postgame news conference pronounced Mike Krzyzewski's name with a proficiency no one else in the room could touch, Team USA's coach could scarcely contain his approval. "You brought sunshine to my day," Krzyzewski said to the man. ESPN.com

USA Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski 

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich deserves the foremost consideration, but that will never happen with Jerry Colangelo running USA Basketball and Mike Krzyzewski staying on in some kind of emeritus role. It's a shame, because Popovich has a peerless NBA and international coaching resumé. If a mutual distaste with Colangelo won't allow Popovich the opportunity, Rivers deserves close examination. Yahoo! Sports

San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Jerry Colangelo, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski 

Jerry Colangelo will see if he can persuade Mike Krzyzewski to return as U.S. men's Olympic basketball coach. Krzyzewski has said he believes the London Games will be his last time coaching the national team. Colangelo says he thinks that is probably true, however, the USA Basketball chairman adds that he's "not 100 percent sure myself that he's done." ESPN.com

Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski