Team Usa

RELATED: Trade talks won't affect Andrew Bynum's performance, attitude London Olympics: 5 things to watch in Team USA-Australia matchup London Olympics: 5 things from Team USA's win over Argentina E-mail the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com. Follow the Lakers blog on Twitter .

Trey Wilson can't hear the crowd applaud when he scores a goal, and he has scored quite a few since he discovered hockey was a perfect outlet for his energy. The 25-year-old left wing from Riverside was born deaf, which means he can't hear the crunch of skates on ice or the shrill tweet of a referee's whistle, sounds as integral to hockey as pucks and sticks. To Wilson, not being able to hear isn't a problem. It certainly hasn't prevented him from excelling at the sport he took to naturally and without fear of being at a disadvantage.

Below are five things to take from Team USA's 119-86 win Wednesday over Australia in the quarterfinals at  the 2012 London Olympics. Team USA plays Argentina in a semifinal match on Friday. 1. LeBron James had a solid all-around game. He has carried Team USA in nearly every facet of the game so far in these Olympics. So it's not surprising that James recorded a triple double (11 points on three-of-seven shooting, 14 rebounds and 12 assists) against Australia. It's also not surprising that James eclipsed Charles Barkley as Team USA's third-best all-time scorer (236 points)

Mark Teixeira was a late scratch from the Team USA lineup for an exhibition game the other day. No worries, of course, as the United States boasts a gaggle of great first basemen. Teixeira could have been replaced by Prince Fielder, or Paul Konerko, or Ryan Howard. Alas, none of those guys are wearing the stars and stripes, so the country that invented baseball turned to utility man Ben Zobrist. The third edition of the World Baseball Classic is underway, with the U.S. making its debut Friday against Mexico.

Below are five things to watch when Team USA plays Argentina in the London Olympics semifinals Friday at 1 p.m. 1. Expect a chippy affair. To get ready for this one, Team USA forward Carmelo Anthony might want to wear a cup after Argentina guard Facundo Campazzo punched him in the groin on a three-point attempt when the two teams met in preliminary round play earlier this week. Campazzo might want his own protection, too. He contended Team USA guard Chris Paul was too physical with him. Kobe Bryant scolded Campazzo for the dirty play afterward.

1. Team USA underestimated Tunisia. Apparently, Team USA thought it would coast to a 55-point win just because British oddsmakers believed that would happen. But its defensive effort and shooting accuracy went unchecked at baggage claim. So as the game opened, Team USA missed shots, didn't rotate on defense or take Tunisia's outside shooting seriously. The result: Tunisia took the lead four times en route to a 15-12 advantage in the first quarter, which included Makram Ben Romdhane going unguarded for a coast-to-coast dunk as part of his team-high 22 points.

Angels center fielder Mike Trout has informed tournament organizers that he will not play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in March, Trout's agent, Craig Landis, said Saturday. Trout, no doubt, would have been a huge coup for the WBC -- the 21-year-old was a unanimous selection for the American League rookie of the year and finished second in the MVP vote after hitting .326 with a .399 on-base percentage, .564 slugging percentage, 30 home runs, 83 runs batted in and 49 stolen bases.

Team USA won the gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championships on Saturday, riding two goals by Southern California native Rocco Grimaldi and another strong goaltending effort by Ducks prospect John Gibson to a 3-1 victory over defending champion Sweden at Ufa, Russia. Gibson, drafted by the Ducks in 2011, was voted the top goalie and the most valuable player of the tournament, which features the world's top under-20-year-old players. The competition, always interesting as a preview of future NHL stars, provided welcome entertainment for hockey fans who have missed the game during the labor dispute that has delayed the NHL season at least through Jan. 14. Grimaldi, an undersized but skilled forward who had trouble earning ice time earlier in the tournament, scored his goals less than three minutes apart in the second period.

Team USA goaltender John Gibson, who was chosen by the Ducks in the second round of the 2011 entry draft, stopped 28 shots but he and his teammates lost to Russia, 2-1, on Friday in a preliminary-round game at the World Junior Championships. Winnipeg Jets prospect Jacob Trouba scored the only goal for the U.S., which had routed Germany, 8-0, in its tournament opener. The U.S. stands third in its group. The tournament is being played in Ufa, Russia. “Both teams played extremely well,” Team USA Coach Phil Housley said on the usahockey.com website.

The NHL and NHL Players' Assn. have not had recent contact and nothing new is planned, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said on Monday. The league on Friday filed a class-action suit in U.S. District Court in New York alleging the union's plans to dissolve by filing a disclaimer of interest was "a subversion of the collective bargaining process" and sought confirmation of the legality of the lockout it imposed on Sept. 15. The NHL also filed an unfair labor practices charge against the union with the National Labor Relations Board.

NASHVILLE - American League rookie of the year Mike Trout is among the players Team USA has requested be made available for the World Baseball Classic in March, but no decision has been made on whether the Angels' star outfielder will play. Many general managers and managers fear the WBC poses an injury risk, and Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto would probably block the participation of players such as Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, who underwent minor surgeries after the season.

Even Chauncey Billups had to admit that he has "accomplished every single thing" that any NBA player would want during a 15-year career. And yet Billups still pushed himself through the pain of 10 months of rehabilitation on his torn left Achilles' tendon so he could play basketball again. And when he returned to play Wednesday night for the Clippers for the first time since he was injured on Feb. 6 at Orlando, Billups said it was worth it all. "To be honest, this is what I do," Billups said after practice Friday.

Sweat still dripped off his face and soaked his jersey when Lamar Odom approached the media Monday after his first practice with the Clippers in two weeks. Odom was jovial despite being peppered with questions about his availability for the Clippers' season opener Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center. He sat out the last five exhibition games with a bone bruise in his left foot. "Hopefully I'll play," Odom said about the season opener. "Hopefully, if the trainer lets me. It's always his decision.

The U.S. national soccer team didn't lose any players to injury or illness on its three-hour flight to Antigua on Thursday. And that passes for great news given that Team USA is already down four players heading into two crucial World Cup qualifiers, beginning Friday against Antigua and Barbuda. The U.S. needs at least a win and a draw in its next two games to assure itself of a place in the next round of regional qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. After playing in Antigua Friday, the U.S. team plays Tuesday against Guatemala in Kansas City, Kan. But the U.S. squad will have to accomplish that without Landon Donovan, the national team's all-time leading scorer, as well as midfielder Brek Shea and left backs Fabian Johnson and Edgar Castillo.