July 24, 2012; Barcelona, SPAIN; Spain forward Pau Gasol (left) drives against USA forward Kevin Love (11) during the second half of an exhibition game in preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games at Palau Sant Jordi. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

Ricky Rubio, Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh. These players, with injuries ranging from torn ACL’s to an abominable strain, will be sitting out of tomorrow’s gold medal match between Spain and the United States.

Their losses don’t devalue the grandeur of the Olympic stage, nothing likely ever will, but they do set back the potential drama that engrossed their last finals match — a 11-point Team USA victory.

Rubio, whose improved significantly since 2008, was expected to be the backcourt teammate that Jose Calderon desperately needs. He would have controlled the flow of the game, allowing Spain to allocate more rest to Calderon and create easy looks through his vision that bests nearly everyone in the tournament. His addition would have been an immense coup and one that changes the complexion of the game dramatically.

Injuries to Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh were similarly as damaging; their absence prevented compelling matchups down low between the Gasol brothers and Howard, an athletic specimen capable of combating their size in the low block. Without a legitimate big outside of Tyson Chandler, the United States adapted, instituting smaller lineups to compensate for injuries.

Still, injuries are inevitable and these teams retain the essential tenets to an exciting final — LeBron, Kobe, Durant, The Gasol brothers, Calderon, Rudy Fernandez, Serge Ibaka etc.

For basketball fans, that amalgam of talent should suffice.

    ”You know, the family environment here, we’ve felt it since day one,” Bosh said. “It’s is one of the biggest     families, if not the biggest, in the NBA. And they really make you feel that when you come here. It’s really     spilled over into our toughness, our togetherness. We’ve been through a lot together and that’s what the     journey is about.”

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Mario Chalmers talked about his confidence in big moments. He finished with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting.

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LeBron James (26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds) talked about his leg cramps and clutch 3-pointer despite his calf hampering him.

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What did I take away from Dwayne Wade’s postgame presser? Other than his back flip shades? Well, nothing.

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Confronted by the national media, Russell Westbrook was especially candid.

    ”What you guys say doesn’t make me happy, make me sad,” Westbrook said. “It doesn’t do anything. It’s all     about my team and us winning the games so I don’t have a personal challenge against you guys. It’s not     me against the world. It’s not the world against me. It’s me and my teammates trying to win.”