Chicago, IL (My Sportsbook) - For Mike Krzyzewski and the U.S. men's basketball team, it's time to get physical.

"The international game is much more disciplined," the Olympic coach said Tuesday at the U.S. Olympic Media Summit. "It's more like the old NBA where you could use your forearm, use your strength. We got hurt like that at the 2006 World Championships. We were hit right at halfcourt, not fouled. That's the way the game is called."

The Americans won three straight gold medals at the Olympics, starting with the 1992 Dream Team, but that came to a surprising halt four years ago with a bronze in Athens. Not only that, but the U.S. was relegated to a bronze finish at the 2006 World Championships.

Because of the more physical international play, and with officials reluctant to call many "touch" fouls in those competitions, it's time for the U.S. to prepare a team that will be tougher at the guard spot, whether it's from Chauncey Billups, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, Michael Redd or Deron Williams. Not only that, but the Americans need defenders to read the quick passes from the international players and to body-up to prevent the good outside shooting that Argentina, Greece, Italy and Lithuania displayed from the 2004 Summer Games.

"The versatility from maybe one or two guys coming off the bench, especially defensively, is probably more important than offensively," Krzyzewski said.

The difficult part will be whittling down a roster that currently stands at 33 to 12 plus three alternates by the end of June in preparation for the Beijing Summer Games in August. That means one of those players is likely to be left out.

Due to the strong nucleus of international ball, where players can remain with the same team for many years and play together often, Krzyzewski and USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo noted the American team needs to be constructed more with role players than with just throwing together a token All-Star squad - like 2004. The U.S. needs continuity.

"I've always been a firm believer that basketball is the ultimate team game and the more you play with one another, the better you can become," Colangelo said. "That a good team can beat a group of All-Stars. I think that was shown in the Olympics in '04 as it relates to the United States team.

"We needed role players, we needed shooters, we needed people who would accept roles. After two summers of competition, we feel we've come a long way and we're really excited about participation in the Olympics. We have a job to do. We feel we're on a mission and we hope to be successful."

Krzyzewski said he and the rest of the American players have learned a lot since 2004 and that the world game has gained in respect.

"I felt that we didn't give enough credit to the fact this game is being played at a very high level worldwide," the coach said. "Obviously the NBA has given credit to it since almost 30 percent of its players are from there. I could go down a lot of different players, (Manu) Ginobili from Argentina, (Pau) Gasol. I like (Jose) Calderon a lot too as a point guard, the whole Greek team since they beat us."

Team USA opens Olympic play on August 10th with preliminary action.