Thread: 2006 USA Basketball

Originally Posted by motopsyko32

but you made all these assumptions off of one loss to greece... Even Michael Jordan missed shots. We lost by 6 to greece. We smoked everyone else by (probably) an average of 15 points.... thats why i disagree...

I bet in a best of 7 series against Greece, USA would win...

I base all my assumptions of the first (and even the second) USA teams to include NBA players....the "dream team".

great players
understood team sport
played hard defense
spread the ball around and took outside shots
hustled
didn't miss a high percentage of free throws (what is up with NBA players and free throws these days?)

and inturn, dominated opponents. but again, that was when basketball was basketball in this country. Now, the NBA teams look more like taller, bigger versions of the ESPN and 1 team....all show...all about me and what I can do....whatever gets me more money.

Originally Posted by devildog88

Problem with our NBA players is that they have lost focus on what is important. They concentrate on what makes them high profile. They dunk and have wicked handles but they can't shoot a freaking free throw. I have a novel way to make freethrows more important.......................fine their asses for everyone they miss!!! I bet Shaq would figure it out real quick!

agreed.

The international teams play together for a long time. They are actually teams We throw together a bunch of spoiled, overpaid individuals and watch them go 1 on 1 all day and get beat. The NBA is a joke. It is NOT basketball. The NBA is a league of uncontested shots and prissy fouls. When you put someone in their face all day, they can't make shots. Even in the game they won before Greece they were something like 10 for 37 from 3 point land.

I think we should let our NCAA championship team represent the USA in international play for that year.

Originally Posted by boilermaker

I think we should let our NCAA championship team represent the USA in international play for that year.

Or maybe just top college players from different schools together before they're contaminated by the NBA. This year's class was nasty too.

Originally Posted by Goodfella9783

Or maybe just top college players from different schools together before they're contaminated by the NBA. This year's class was nasty too.

Yeah, but that still doesn't address the team part. Those international teams have been together for a long time. Some, the core has played together for 10 plus years. The college kids' agents would probably talk them out of it anyway for fear they would get hurt and lose their chance at the big money. Oh well, what do you do.

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Yeah, but that still doesn't address the team part. Those international teams have been together for a long time. Some, the core has played together for 10 plus years. The college kids' agents would probably talk them out of it anyway for fear they would get hurt and lose their chance at the big money. Oh well, what do you do.

Yeah that's what i meant. If you put college minded team oriented basketball players it's different (better) than putting emerging superstars in the NBA together. I think Florida alone would get ran over my international competition.

how about have the NBA championship team play that year in the World Games or Olympics or whatever is going on that year?

Originally Posted by motopsyko32

how about have the NBA championship team play that year in the World Games or Olympics or whatever is going on that year?

they will get beat.....

again, it is a different game. look at the game, look at how it is played.

the NBA players can't D-Up!! They couldn't even defend against the pick and roll yesterday morning! they got embarrased by the pick and roll....the first thing every kid learns on a playground!!

The NBA has different rules. The game caters to 1 on on or 2 on 2 play as a way to allow the players to get inside, slam the ball, draw tippy tap fouls....etc..


I think they need to change the game to get back international play.

i happen to catch the greece games last night during dinner. The pick and roll worked well becasue all the greece cats could shoot except the big black dude...

we got beat by 6... shooting poorly from the 3 and the free throw line...

Any NBA team that has set offense and defense woulda beat Greece... by a lot...

The last three minutes of the game when the USA decided to step it up a notch, we outplayed Greece flat out on both ends...

The coach of Greece started the stall ball strategy (as well I woulda to win too)... But like I said earlier... In a best of 7 series, Greece woulda had they Gyro's handed to them...

Originally Posted by motopsyko32

i happen to catch the greece games last night during dinner. The pick and roll worked well becasue all the greece cats could shoot except the big black dude...

exactly. USA got beat in shooting. Poor from the perimeter and no excuse to shoot that poorly from the line! that stuff is unexceptable. Also, the pick and roll worked because the USA wasn't playing defense. no one was picking up the shooter once the pick was set.

we got beat by 6... shooting poorly from the 3 and the free throw line...

I agree.

Any NBA team that has set offense and defense woulda beat Greece... by a lot...

right, that is a big problem. these guys need more time to play together as a team and get used to that type of atmosphere. these euro teams have been playing together for a long time.

The last three minutes of the game when the USA decided to step it up a notch, we outplayed Greece flat out on both ends...

the last 3min. were great....but the 1st three quarters were not.

The coach of Greece started the stall ball strategy (as well I woulda to win too)... But like I said earlier... In a best of 7 series, Greece woulda had they Gyro's handed to them...

Maybe, they would win a best of 7 series. That is the beauty of international play and the olympics though. You train for 1 shot. One oppurtunity to get out there and show everyone what you got. Only one team can run the table in international play. That is the team that comes together as a team from start to finish. they play together and they win together. USA was not able to do that, so they got burned.

great read (especially the 2nd page)
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ina/index.html

Originally Posted by P-funk

exactly. USA got beat in shooting. Poor from the perimeter and no excuse to shoot that poorly from the line! that stuff is unexceptable. Also, the pick and roll worked because the USA wasn't playing defense. no one was picking up the shooter once the pick was set.

Yup. And another problem was that they became to reliant on the steal for the easy baskets. This meant more chances and more failures in which the other teams were able to make one pass and capitalize on the US mistake. This happened so much. Their points either came from fast breaks or 3 Pointers. Not enough of a post up or set play scoring.

Originally Posted by P-funk

right, that is a big problem. these guys need more time to play together as a team and get used to that type of atmosphere. these euro teams have been playing together for a long time.

Unfortunately, the NBA post-season usually goes all the way to mid-way through June. And the USA team starts training right after. So they were together as much as possible.

Another factor is that in International play, there is no 3 second lane violation rule. So the big guys can pack down under the hoop. The other big guy has to play defense a much higher percentage of the time throughout the game. Just another adjustment the USA guys never see. And you can say, well our guys can just stand down there too. And they can, but the passing angles are all different and our guys aren't so good at passing to begin with.

Originally Posted by boilermaker

The international teams play together for a long time. They are actually teams We throw together a bunch of spoiled, overpaid individuals and watch them go 1 on 1 all day and get beat. The NBA is a joke. It is NOT basketball. The NBA is a league of uncontested shots and prissy fouls. When you put someone in their face all day, they can't make shots. Even in the game they won before Greece they were something like 10 for 37 from 3 point land.

true. that is last year though. A bunch of big name players thrown together. Basketball, like most sports, is a team sport. 5 of the worlds best players, will lose to a TEAM. I think they'll win it this year however. They'll learn from they're mistakes. Taking out players like KObe, is a good start.


I agree with you, the NBA is a joke. It has gotten alot softer over the years. Back in the 90's it was pure hustle and defence. Now it's all dunks, and pazaaz. Half the shots are uncontested, and they only really hustle the last few minutes of a game.

COLLEGE hoops is where basketballs' at IMO. Hustle from tip-off, and still hustlin if they're down 20 with 2 minutes to go.