Went out with 500 or so other photographers to shoot the USA vs. China men's basketball team.

Even though it was a preliminary game, it drew a huge amount of interest because of Yao Ming.

And Kobe.

And LeBron.

And D-Wade.

You get the point.

I'm pretty busy today, but thought I'd share some frames with you. It's a format I'll do now and again while I'm here. Want to post photos, but don't have the necessary time or energy to always write a lot to support them.

I hope you understand.

The opening tip did not feature Yao, but instead Yi Jianlian faced off against the USA's Dwight Howard. It was important to me to make at least one photo that gave the game a sense of place. I shot from a riser between superstud photographers Scott Strazzante from the Chicago Tribune and Sean Haffey from the San Diego Union-Tribune, who were nice enough to squeeze me in after my two hours of buses from covering weightlifting.

(Nikon D3, VR 70-200mm/f2.8 lens @ 200mm, ISO 1600, 1/640th sec.,f2.8)

China rode the crowd's partisan support and kept the game close early.

China's Chen Jianghua (4) drove through the lane and scored in the first quarter past flatfooted USA defenders Kobe Bryant (10), Dwayne Wade (9) and LeBron James (6).

(Nikon D3, VR 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec.,f2.8)

Things got a little physical as the US took it straight to Yao, once causing him to fall in to a crowd of photographers.

(Nikon D3, VR 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec.,f2.8)

The USA went to work in the second quarter. In quick succession, Kobe and LeBron had dunks, and Dwayne Wade scored on a layup. China's Sun Yue (9) was helpless as the USA's Kobe Bryant dunked on him:

(Nikon D3, VR 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec.,f2.8)

China's Sun Yue got up but can't stop a dunk by the USA's Chris Bosh:

(Nikon D3, VR 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec.,f2.8)

In the second half, China was struggling as the US turned up the defensive pressure and then used their superior athleticism to start the rout.

Kobe dunked as Yao watched:

(Nikon D3, VR 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec.,f2.8)

I was checking my watch because I had an early wake-call the next morning to cover swimming and LeBron had me headed for the shuttle bus back to the Media Village when he pounded this one home:

(Nikon D3, VR 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec.,f2.8)