SU was able to stay up and watch last night’s gold medal men’s basketball game between the USA and France. Now, this Olympics’ US team was not comprised of all of the top players but you would think that they had enough talent to win gold easily. But they have struggled at times starting with the first exhibition games in Las Vegas and in most of the first halves of the Olympic games.

Durant has been the best player in the Olympic tournament and you would have to say, right now, is at the top of the NBA. Consider that he is coming back from an Achilles tendon tear when many questioned if he would be the same player as before. SU does not see a significant difference and credit to him for working hard to regain his full mobility. If he was not on this Olympic team, SU says that the US would have struggled to get a bronze medal. He was the best player in every game – incredibly consistent from game to game – and really had no one else consistently scoring in each game. In the 4th quarter last night, France but Batum on him and they started double teaming him tempting others to shoot – which of course as NBA players they were happy to do. Brick by brick. Lillard missed 2 fouls shots in the last 15 seconds and there was a turnover. The US came away with the gold but France had its opportunities down the stretch to make it even closer.

Also, how did the US put this roster together? Most of the teams had capable big men and the US was a team of guards and small forwards. Not following the thought process there.

Net fans must be salivating for this upcoming season. If Durant, Harden and Irving can all stay healthy (not a given), they are by far the best team no matter what the Lakers put together.

Boston has been choking earlier than usual – I mean it’s early August – but SU says they will right the ship. The Yankees have edged closer – 3 games behind now – but SU is not convinced that Boston will continue its slide and that the Yankees are a lock for the playoffs. Toronto is equally hot and Oakland won’t go away. The good news is that we will likely have meaningful games in September. No doubt Cashman is running daily computer models to anticipate the next player(s) to test positive for COVID.

And the Mets are out of 1st place! They need to find some offense and fast. Lindor’s return should help assuming he resembles something of his Indians’ type productivity but the Phillies are a loose and excited team with Girardi, Didi and Ronald Torreyes.

And finally, Mike Tauchmann was DFA’d by the Giants. SU was wrong on that one – he really regressed this year. He saved a couple of games with his defense stealing home runs over the fence but wasted every opportunity to play regularly on a hot team. Such is life.