But I couldn’t disagree more with Jaime Roberto. The analysis of U.S. losses in international competition in 2002 and 2004 from the U.S. most coach most familiar with international rules — Mike D’Antoni — didn’t cite Europeans’ superior intangibles and sophisticated play and appreciation of defense. (International players are conspicuously absent from NBA all-defense teams.)

Instead, D’Antoni blamed 1) the lack of intensity of defense, particularly in switching to cover open outside shooters, traditionally an international strength and more valuable in international play because of a closer 3-point line and because of the trapezoidal key, which gets wider the closer you are to the rim and devalues “power” players; 2) the lack of U.S. outside shooters and the overemphasis of the U.S. on inside play that is more difficult in the international game because of the trapezoidal key.

So what happened in 2007 and 2008 when the U.S. cruised in qualifying and the Olympics itself? Kryzsewski (with D’Antoni as his top assistant) had a half-dozen good outside shooters. He said no one played at all unless they played hard on defense. And he played LeBron James and even Carmelo Anthony at power forward instead of slowing the team down by playing two traditional big men.

If Larry Brown had taken a similar approach in 2004, the U.S. might well have won.

Summary: The U.S. did itself in with stubborness and arrogance.