WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ARGENTINA 1990
In the second group the weaknesses of the US team were immediately shown up. Along with the
problem of their excessive youth they also depended far too much on Kenny Anderson and Alonzo
Mourning, particularly after the injury to Billy Owens. Both the guard and the centre were decisive in an
agonisingly close victories over Argentina (104-100) and Australia (79-78). In the latter match they
pulled back from a thirteen-point difference in seven minutes. Puerto Rico brought them back to reality
by beating them (81-79) with an outstanding “Piculin” Ortiz who scored 22 points. This unexpected US
defeat meant that they would meet Yugoslavia in one semi final and the other would be between the
USSR and Puerto Rico. Yugoslavia's earlier calculations designed to give them an easier rival in the
semi finals to allow their players to be more rested for the final had backfired. The game between the
two coaches Ivkovic and “Mister K” could be compared to a match between a university team and one
from the NBA. Yugoslavia had Petrovic, Divac and Paspalj already had NBA experience and Toni Kukov
was about to join Chicago. On the other hand the US players had great potential, some of them would
triumph later in the NBA, but this was still a long way in the future.
Nevertheless, the Americans had their pride and put up a tenacious defence and Mourning was very
strong under the boards (26 points). However, the Yugoslav three-point shots (11 from 19) proved too
much for the Americans. Drazen Petrovic (31 points with 6 triples) was a nightmare for Kenny
Anderson. Despite this the USA put up a brave show and finally fell with honour (98-91). This defeat not
only prevented them from defending the title they had won four years before in Madrid but also added
fuel to the debate about the differences between the young US players and their more experienced
rivals from the rest of the world. The desire to rectify this imbalance would lead to the USA turning up in
Barcelona with a squad full of NBA stars: the Dream Team had been born.
The USSR had no problems in beating Puerto Rico (98-82) and went through to the final. The Soviet
team led by Vladas Garastas (the Lithu