K Stays Cool, USA Wins By 22

Generic Script

If Cameron North is Madison Square Garden, the New York Times' Pete Thamel may have found "Cameron East."

In his analysis yesterday of Team USA's 99-77 win over Slovenia, Thamel, a predominately college sports writer, found more than a few connections to Duke and the FIBA Championships, including an observation that the heavily pro-Slovenia crowd in Instanbul's Abdi Ipekçi Arena was like a "chanting, green version of the one at Cameron Indoor Stadium."

Thamel also saw head coach Mike Krzyzewski to be a calm within the storm, even though, in his younger years, he would have thrown a chair after the U.S.'s listless first half.

Thamel writes:

There were no chairs thrown at the Abdi Ipekçi Arena, but Krzyzewski asked a Turkish reporter, “Do you know my reputation?”

Check back later tonight for analysis of Krzyzewski's coaching decisions in Team USA's game against Brazil.