Spain gave the Redeem Team a real test of strength in a final showdown which shall be remembered as one of the greatest basketball games in Olympic history.

Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol and soon-to-be Portland Trailblazer Rudy Fernandez gave the US all they could handle. They were physical, outrebounding the NBA select. They were effective, hitting over half of their attempts. Last but not least, they were anything but scared of this US team.

Thus, before I begin praising Team USA for their performance in Beijing, I have to give a shout out to a Spanish team that deserved the gold just as well. Alas, in the end only one team could win it all.

Now, on to our main topic: the Redeem Team! Never before have I seen such dominance on the hardwood with equal level teams being involved. The original Dream Team? They coasted to a gold medal playing against inferior opponents that were happy to be on the same court with NBA legends. Remember how, before the final began in Barcelona, a few Yugoslavian players asked for autographs? Do you think that team was even seriously contemplating having a tight game against the USA?

In Beijing, however, every single team wanted to beat the NBA select. Make no mistake, they were favoured to win this event, but with past losses in international play every single participating country believed they could beat Kobe Bryant and Co. Even the Angolan team came out fired up against the Americans. With such a scenario unfolding the average margin of victory of a little over 27 points is quite simply amazing.

Looking back at the event now, the Redeem Team practically coasted to the final. In the process they disposed of a talented Australian squad and the defending champions, Argentina. They systematically broke down every team they faced. It was only fitting that the toughest challenge was met in the final.

In that final, when Spain closed in to make it a two-point game in the final quarter, the two guys who stepped up were Bryant and Dwyane Wade, the only Team USA players possessing NBA title rings. Bryant was sensational in hitting a three and an off-balance jumper in the stickiest of situations, whilst Wade was the one to drive home the dagger that finally ended Spain’s hopes with a wonderfully timed three-pointer.

Whilst these two players were the ones to rise to the challenge in the end, every single member of the Redeem Team was instrumental in this gold medal conquest. For the first time since NBA players have come to the Olympics the USA played as a team, rather than as showboating individuals.

Nothing exemplified this more than my favorite moment from this classic final, which was simply flawless ball movement from the Redeemers for 16 seconds, without a dribble being taken, and with Dwight Howard receiving a perfect pass in the low block for an easy, all open dunk.

Obviously questions will arise as to which team is better, the Redeem Team or the original Dream Team. All I can say is, we will never know. More than anything else the lack of competition for the Dream Team in Barcelona has robbed us of a comparison on how these teams perform under pressure. The Dream Team never had a chance to show that side of their game, this Redeem Team aced the test in a Beijing final.

All we know is this victory meant that Jason Kidd can now retire from international basketball with an unbeaten record, and that the USA has retaken the top spot in the world of international basketball.