Maybe this was just what USA Basketball needed in order to focus on the upcoming World Championships.

After breezing past overmatched teams from Puerto Rico and China in its first two exhibition games, America found itself in a dogfight yesterday against Brazil, rallying in the fourth quarter for a 90–86 win in Guangzhou, China. The win came partly thanks to a late technical foul against the Brazilians, which allowed Kirk Hinrich to make the four free throws that proved to be the final margin of victory.

The Brazilians aren’t considered a strong team by international standards. They only have two prominent NBA players on their squad — Suns guard Leandro Barbosa and Cavs forward Anderson Varejao — and they haven’t medaled in any recent tournaments.

Moreover, the win came at a price for the Americans.Carmelo Anthony hyperextended his right knee late in the first half, after he had scored 16 points to help the Americans build a double-digit lead.The hope is that Anthony will only miss a few days of action, but with just 10 days remaining before the start of the tournament in Japan, the team needs him to make a speedy recovery.

I’m going to see the glass as half-full, and say this may be the slap in the face the Americans needed to realize that they’re vulnerable. Because the tournament uses a single-elimination format after the opening round, the American side can’t afford to relax or enter a game overconfident.

Not that they should, based on recent results. America finished a shocking sixth at the 2004 World Championships, and more recently took the bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics with a Larry Brown-coached squad that was awash in dysfunction. (Where does that last phrase sound familiar? Hmmm …)

Despite yesterday’s result, I’m still hugely optimistic about this year’s squad. For starters, America appears to have made some better roster choices leading up to this tournament. The last two teams were woefully short on shooting skill, with allowed opponents to pack the paint and dare the Americans to beat them from outside. With the coneshaped 3-second lane used in international ball, as well as a shorter 3-point line, shooters are vital in order to open up enough driving lanes in the middle.

This year’s group is still heavily dependent on a couple of slashers (Le-Bron James and Dwyane Wade), but they’re surrounded by hordes of shooting talent. Hinrich, for instance, hit a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter yesterday, while guards like Joe Johnson, Gilbert Arenas, and Anthony are accomplished marksmen from long range. Most of the team’s big men also are comfortable from the international 3-point line, as are defensive stoppers Shane Battier and Bruce Bowen, who are lethal from the corner.

Even if Anthony can’t continue, the Americans have plenty of quality wing players who can make shots. Scorers like Johnson, Wade, James, and Antawn Jamison are more than capable of filling Anthony’s shoes at small forward. And his absence might give one of the stoppers more of an opportunity to make his presence felt.

But the injury may complicate coach Mike Krzyzewski’s task in selecting the final 12-man roster to compete in the tournament. Presuming Anthony is one of the 12 — he and James have been America’s best players in the exhibitions — that means Coach K. may want to select an extra small forward in case Anthony’s knee limits him in the early rounds.

If so, it could mean that both Battier and Bowen make the team. Most observers felt that only one of the two would be selected as the team’s defensive ace, since their skills overlap so much.The other would then be one of the two cuts that Krzyzewski must make before next Saturday — with the money being on Battier to win out, since he has played much better in the exhibitions.

Krzyzewski will have his hands full finding other players to cut loose. One option may be forward Dwight Howard, who is a monstrous physical presence in the NBA but seems poorly suited to the international game. While he dominates the boards, he hasn’t been able to get on track offensively. Besides, the team would prefer to keep big men like Chris Bosh, Elton Brand, and Brad Miller, all of whom can space the floor with their shooting.

Another player in the mix is Jamison. Nobody gave him much of a chance to make the team when the roster was announced, but as the exhibition season wears on it’s becoming increasingly clear that his skills translate very well to international ball. Jamison scored 16 points in only 12 minutes against Puerto Rico, and as a power forward who can easily hit the international 3-pointer, he could be an important cog.

With Jamison moving close to lock status and Howard the only potential cut, Krzyzewski would still need to knock somebody off if he takes both Bowen and Battier. And that player might end up being Chris Paul — even though some said he was the team’s best player during the team’s training camp in Las Vegas.

There are a few reasons to think Paul might be the odd man out. First, as well as he played in Vegas, the upgrade in competition in the Far East is likely to show his biggest weakness: a shaky 3-point shot. Paul only made 28.3% from downtown for the Hornets last season, whereas Arenas and Hinrich both are around 37% for their careers (37.1% for Hinrich, 36.4% for Arenas). You might argue the team needs Paul’s playmaking, but James and Wade are going to be doing most of that — all the point guard needs to do on this team is bring the ball across halfcourt and spot up for a jumper.

Another route would be to keep Howard and make Paul and either Battier or Bowen the two cuts.The Americans only have three other big men and foul trouble can pile up quickly in the international game, where players only get five a contest.Thus, even if the team wasn’t excited about Howard’s adjustment to the international game, it might need him for 10 minutes a night.

My money is on Paul and Bowen being the two sent home, but don’t quote me on it. One thing you can quote me on, however, is that America is still an overwhelming favorite in this tournament. The close call against Brazil brought back some bad memories, but the American side still has several days to work out the kinks (not to mention the jetlag) in time for the games that count. With a flexible, talented roster loaded shooters who were in such short supply in Athens, I’m looking forward to a much better outcome.

jhollinger@nysun.com