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Basketball's back, people. Yes, already! Tonight at 6:00 California time, Team USA sees its first semi-competitive action, in an exhibition game against the Dominican Republic at the Thomas & Mack Center in Vegas. ESPN has the telecast.
Blake Griffin will not appear for Team USA because he injured his left knee during a scrimmage. Anthony Davis has been summoned to fill in. Weirdly, the DR is coached by John Calipari, Davis's coach at Kentucky. The DR team includes Al Horford, Sacto guard Francisco Garcia, Edgar Sosa (who played for Calipari at Louisville) and a bunch of dudes you've never heard of.
You can expect lots of chatter, especially if the game gets out of hand, about Kobe Bryant's and Michael Jordan's competing boasts about which USA team is better, 2012 or 1992. Talk about that, the game itself and the various fun transaction rumors bumping around the league in this here open thread.