If you just measured them by individual skills and athleticism, the U.S. Team would have no match.

But basketball is not an individual sport. The best team wins, as long as the individual talent levels are relatively even. For as much talent as the Celtics had with their three All-Stars, they won the 2008 NBA Finals because they played together, on both ends of the floor.

A team that plays together will maximize its chances to win. It's why squads like Argentina, Greece and Puerto Rico, with lesser talent, have been able to beat the U.S. in recent years.

Those teams had (and still have) a chemistry, thanks to years spent playing together, that brings out the best in their players. The U.S., with less time to prepare, hasn't maximized its talent. To do that, they need to play as a unit, and they need to be in sync both offensively and defensively.

And even though they beat Canada by 55 points on Friday, scoring 120 in 40 minutes and shooting 66 percent from the field, they weren't entirely in sync offensively.

Yes, you read that right.

At Monday's introductory press conference in Macao, Coach Mike Krzyzewski said that his team needs to "get to know each other better on the offensive end."

Much of their 120 points came in transition or on the secondary break, thanks to a stifling defense that held Canada to just 41 points after the first quarter. Halfcourt situations didn't go so smoothly, though their offense was often bailed out by a hot shooting Michael Redd or a deep bank shot from Kobe Bryant at the shot clock buzzer.

They committed 19 turnovers and only assisted on 23 of their 44 field goals. They dominated the final 30 minutes and looked great in transition, but their halfcourt offense was far from running like a well-oiled machine.

And frankly, Canada was terrible.

So on Tuesday, for their second practice in Macao, the team focused more on their halfcourt sets, realizing that they're not going to be able to run all the time.

"We haven't really put in all our halfcourt offense stuff," Krzyzewski said before practice, "where you have walk-ups. We're usually running, but there's going to be a certain percentage of time where you walk it up, and you have to set something up."

They played a controlled scrimmage, with most possessions beginning with the defense already set up. That forced the offensive team to run through their set and get a good shot against a team that knew what they were running.

Most of the time, the defense won the battle. Open looks were tough to come by and most shots were contested.

But in the end, that's a good thing, because it was their own defense that was getting stops. And their defense is what will lead to transition, where they'll have an easier time getting baskets. Still, there will be a time where they'll need a bucket in a halfcourt situation. So, the next 11 days will be important in sharpening up the offense.

For Dwyane Wade, it's just a matter of time before it all comes together.

"I think everybody understands their game," Wade said before practice Tuesday, "and we understand other people's game as well. It's just about playing with each other more. We had five days in Vegas, and now one day out here. So, that's just six days. After 10-12 days, we'll really be in touch with each other a lot more."

Kobe Bryant shares Wade's optimism.

"The offense that we have is so fluid, so versatile," Bryant said, "I don't think there's any problems whatsoever. The biggest challenge for us is finding that rhythm and cohesiveness on the defensive end and making sure that remains consistent. Offensively, guys are so talented and so unselfish, that will take care of itself."

John Schuhmann will be covering USA Basketball through the Beijing Olympics. Send him a question or comment.