After five exhibition games, the USA men's basketball team officially begins a gold-medal quest Saturday, opening its Olympic docket against China's national squad.
Since there are no secrets among friends, we won't mince words or try burying reality: The United States is supposed to win big—just like it did during the warm-up performances.
Team USA throttled China by 49 and 50 points, respectively, through two rehearsal matchups. That was with some of the nation's finest basketball brains playing at roughly quarter-speed. The script isn't supposed to change now when there are actual stakes.
Still, Carmelo Anthony, the old head on the United States' roster, cautions against this presumptive bravado.