#3 Weakness: Team chemistry
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Just having a collection of all-stars does not make a team, just as the 2004 team which failed to win a gold medal learned the hard way. Good team chemistry can be a fleeting mixture, disturbed at the slightest provocation. One of the biggest weaknesses of Team USA in any year can arise from the fact that they don't spend as much time playing together as the other teams do. The players come from different teams which spend more time competing against each other.
Establishing priorities on offense and roles on defense can be difficult when you are hastily putting together a program. And then there is the issue of rivalries within the team.
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We recently saw DeAndre Jordan and Kevin Durant collide mid-air to snatch an open defensive rebound in a match against Argentina, and the resulting scrimmage ended in a turnover for Team USA. There is no love lost between a Clipper and a Thunder-turned-Warrior. One wonders if these issues can be suppressed or will they come back to bite them.
Team USA comprises of players who are used to a certain pecking order. They are usually the alpha dogs on their teams and have a clearly defined role. It can take time for a team to find its identity, by the time that happens one may end up holding a silver medal. In the past, no matter the number of stars on the team, it was clear who the alpha dog was. In dire straits, the team turned collectively towards Kobe Bryant. His legendary work ethic and primacy will be missed this time around.
Critics have slammed the superstars for skipping the Olympics, and some are deriding Team USA as being more of a B Team than a Dream Team, or Less-than-Dreamy Team. All this only serves as motivation for the most talented squad in the Olympics to put on a show. Should they fail the criticism will be brutal.
