Wade and co. hammer Spain

In perhaps the first true test of legitimacy for the Redeem Team, Dwayne Wade put on yet another dazzling performance off the bench for the Americans in a 119-82 victory over Spain.

Wade, who entered the game for Kobe Bryant, proved once again that he is fully recovered (and then some) from the recent shoulder injury that he sustained while playing for the Heat in February. After subbing in midway through the second quarter, Wade immediately picked up two key steals and continued to exploit Spain's transition defense. He finished with 16 points on 8 of 12 shooting, adding 6 rebounds.

The combination of Rudy Fernandez and the large Spanish front line appeared to have a potential recipe for success against the US early on, as they came out with a 2-3 zone that forced them into the type of long range shots that they have struggled with throughout the tournament. That, plus the most polished offensive scheme (a high-low half court set) the Americans had seen thus far gave fans cause for concern throughout the first quarter. But in an act of defiance, as if to strut their newfound resiliency as a team, the long range success that had eluded the team came roaring back to the tune of 7 of 11 3pt shooting as a team in the first half. Among the culprits were a rejuvenated Carmelo Anthony and the "Little Flying Warrior", as Bryant is called in China.

Despite shooting 65% from the floor, Spain trailed by 12 with 5 minutes to go in the half. Yes, the American turnover bug bit the Spanish as well, as they had accumulated 13 turnovers in little more than 15 minutes of game time. That, plus the barrage of US threes sent the Spanish into submission, as they appeared to surrender the victory shortly after the halftime break. If this were a US team of the recent past, Lebron James and his crew would have surely followed suit and looked ahead to their game against Dirk Nowitzki and Germany. Not the Redeem Team. As if to shatter any remaining hope the Spanish had of beating the Americans, Coach Mike Krzyzewski ordered the team to continue to play a tight game, not letting the Spanish come away with even a moral victory. 

The cast of Spanish NBA and Euroleague players didn't know who to stop, as 8 Americans finished in double figure scoring. Lebron lead the team with 18 pts, but added 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals in a performance that proved once again how versatile he has been for the national team. Even veteran Jason Kidd got in on the scoring bonanza, attempting his first shot of the tournament on a fast break. If there's one thing that rival powers Spain, Argentina, and Lithuania didn't want to see out of the already talented Americans, it was that they could adapt as a team and spread the ball inside and out. Unfortunately for them, the US squad appeared to have finally grasped the team concept against the Spanish Saturday.

Story to watch: The team's Monday matchup against Germany will be a prime opportunity for Dwight Howard to rebound from his recent slump. Though Chris Bosh's surprising success in the opening round has enabled them to press on without skipping a beat in the front line, Howard has struggled in the past few games, missing free throws, failing to finish in the post, and on defensive assignments. Chris Kaman may be a successful NBA player but Germany better double team Howard if they want to prevent him from bouncing back with authority, which he is capable of.