The warm-ups are over.  The real games begin now for the Team USA.  It beat Angola easily 97-76 on Tuesday after taking care of host China 101-70 on Sunday.  Next up is Greece which beat the United States. two years ago in the world championships.  This version of Team USA however is a much deeper and much more cohesive bunch than back then.  The so-called “Redeem Team” has been on a mission to bring back the gold medal, and they have looked good so far against inferior

We have our first big trade of the draft season.  The Pacers will send talented but oft-injured big man Jermaine O’Neal to the Raptors for T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, and the 17^th pick in the draft.  Another veteran will be thrown in by Toronto to make the deal work (likely Maceo Baston).  The trade can’t be consummated until July 9 because of the NBA’s complicated salary cap rules so it is possible something could happen or the deal could expand, but that doesn