Author Topic: Team USA couldn't quite pull through (Read 5187 times)

Hedgehog · « **on:** September 01, 2006, 05:32:55 AM »

Team USA made it to the semi's and put up one helluva fight against the Greeks.

Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade and Lebron all put up excellent games to match the Greeks, and lost like true warriors.

Good job IMO.

A toss up who'll win the finals IMO. It will all be decided in the game between Argentina and Spain, the two best teams in the tournament. The winner of that game should have no problem with Greece.

My guess is that Argentina will cruise to the championship.

YIP
Zack

bmacsys · « **Reply #1 on:** September 01, 2006, 06:00:57 AM »

Quote from: Hedgehog on September 01, 2006, 05:32:55 AM

Team USA made it to the semi's and put up one helluva fight against the Greeks.

Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade and Lebron all put up excellent games to match the Greeks, and lost like true warriors.

Good job IMO.

A toss up who'll win the finals IMO. It will all be decided in the game between Argentina and Spain, the two best teams in the tournament. The winner of that game should have no problem with Greece.

My guess is that Argentina will cruise to the championship.

YIP
Zack

The USA's domination of basketball seems to be at an end. I think if you took the best NBA teams and they played in these tournaments they would win the championship. But I think just throwing some top NBA guys together with no practice time isn't going to get the job done.

Faust · « **Reply #2 on:** September 01, 2006, 06:46:47 AM »

I hope this will bring the NBA players ego down a bit. Most of them have gotten extremely arrogant during the last 10-20 years. The way they behaved at the olympics was annoying as hell.

Previous world championship (in USA itself), didn't win.
Olympics, they didn't win.
This world championship, failed again.

With such a big population and bb being such a big sport in the USA it's hard to believe they are being beaten by nations like argentine, lithuania, greece.
It puts the whole "dominating" aspect into perspective. Although individually they still have the best players.

240 is Back · « **Reply #3 on:** September 01, 2006, 07:26:10 AM »

I stayed up to watch the game last night. Greece looked strong. Very confident. Our guys looked scared.

a_joker10 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 01, 2006, 07:38:29 AM »

America will never dominate international basketball like it did.

The rules are too different and the international players are much better then they were in the past.

bmacsys · « **Reply #5 on:** September 01, 2006, 07:41:30 AM »

Thing sure have changed since the "Dream Team" in 1992.

Migs · « **Reply #6 on:** September 01, 2006, 07:43:30 AM »

kinda sad that our players make more then the GNP of most countrys and yet we suck

Nordic Superman · « **Reply #7 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:16:40 AM »

Greece are good at basketball?

WTF!

Those fuckers won the Euro football tournament last time round too...

Bastards!

xpac2 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:23:43 AM »

Quote from: Nordic Superman on September 01, 2006, 08:16:40 AM

Greece are good at basketball? WTF!

Those fuckers won the Euro football tournament last time round too...

Bastards!

Greece are the current european basketball champions. I think they should be able to beat Spain in the final.

The Showstoppa · « **Reply #9 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:23:53 AM »

It has nothing to do with US players not being good enough. It's the whole team concept. Many of these international teams are a TEAM year round and play together for 10+ years, so their chemistry is much better.

On the plus side, asshole Coach K can only hope for Bronze. hahahaah

a_joker10 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:33:21 AM »

Zone Defence (International) vs Individual Play (NBA)
Plus the 3 point line being in closer
International zone defences make driving to the net much more difficult while the closer three point line help the shooters.

240 is Back · « **Reply #11 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:36:05 AM »

if you put Wade, LeBron, and crew on one team for a year and had them do nothing but prep for World basketball, they would likely slaughter Greece. Real plays, using brains instead of talent. They'd crush them.

But Greece has years of team experneice and the USA is a hodgepodge of young millionaires throw together 3 weeks before. They've very good, and Lebron can drive on anyone at any time. But GRE was just slicing those lanes up, catching the USA guys offguard nonstop. They had some clean, precision plays that just outdid talent.

SinCitysmallGUY · « **Reply #12 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:41:55 AM »

Look at our team that we have now.... A bunch of young ballers that have grown up in this and1 motivated mind frame of the game...they all want to score 50 points and go out as the player of the game.... open man, forget about it, they want the big dunk for themselves... back when Jordan, Pippen, Bird, Magic, a young kid named Latenar, they all played for each other. that's why they dominated and crushed opponents. These kids aren't concerned about winning they want there next endorsement and invite to the next celebrity bash.... These kids could be great if they would focus on the game instead of their bank account... That's why we need more guys like Chauncey and Rip Hamilton.I'm THRU!!!!

a_joker10 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:46:56 AM »

USA wouldn't crush Argentina.
NBA rules USA would beat all of these teams fairly easy. The NBA rewards individual play.

Its all about the zones and traps. Your right being together for years helps, but the USA doesn't play a team game. Most of the American stars don't ply well in a system either.

Its like Duke vs UNLV. Talent only goes so far.

bmacsys · « **Reply #14 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:47:00 AM »

Quote from: The Showstoppa on September 01, 2006, 08:23:53 AM

It has nothing to do with US players not being good enough. It's the whole team concept. Many of these international teams are a TEAM year round and play together for 10+ years, so their chemistry is much better.

On the plus side, asshole Coach K can only hope for Bronze. hahahaah

Thats what I said. Let these same guys scrimmage for a couple months. Then play some international competition for a while and it would be a different story. Or put the Miami Heat or Detroit Pistons out there. Things have changed though. In 1992 all you had to do was trot MJ, Magic, Bird, the Mailman, Ewing, Pippen, Stockton , Barkley, Hakeem etc... out there and it was GAME OVER!

bmacsys · « **Reply #15 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:48:20 AM »

Quote from: SinCitysmallGUY on September 01, 2006, 08:41:55 AM

a young kid named Latenar

Laettner didn't belong on the court with the other members of the Dream Team!

Hedgehog · « **Reply #16 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:54:58 AM »

Quote from: bmacsys on September 01, 2006, 08:48:20 AM

Laettner didn't belong on the court with the other members of the Dream Team!

Somehow, I get a bad feeling about him being on that team.

www.blacksonboys.com

And the question is...

YIP
Zack

Faust · « **Reply #17 on:** September 01, 2006, 09:19:30 AM »

First of all. No team prepares for months for this championship. There might be more time for some teams, but these players don't have THAT much experience togheter as you all think.
You shouldn't complain about zone defense either. Get some good shooters, pass the ball around and problem solved. If they can't do that then maybe your team isnt that strong.
USA was coming to this WC with more preparation and more motivation to play as a team. They said they would avoid the mistakes they did the previous times.

Apparently they weren't able to do that...

It's more their own fault imo, they're too much convinced of the fact that they're better. They might be individually, but that doesnt always win games.

Migs · « **Reply #18 on:** September 01, 2006, 09:32:38 AM »

I say bring back the amatuers into the olympics. In all sports.

The Showstoppa · « **Reply #19 on:** September 01, 2006, 10:21:14 AM »

Quote from: Faust on September 01, 2006, 09:19:30 AM

First of all. No team prepares for months for this championship. There might be more time for some teams, but these players don't have THAT much experience togheter as you all think.
You shouldn't complain about zone defense either. Get some good shooters, pass the ball around and problem solved. If they can't do that then maybe your team isnt that strong.
USA was coming to this WC with more preparation and more motivation to play as a team. They said they would avoid the mistakes they did the previous times.

Apparently they weren't able to do that...

It's more their own fault imo, they're too much convinced of the fact that they're better. They might be individually, but that doesnt always win games.

Bullshit. Very few of these international players are first time guys. Most have played on the team for years, fact. Comparing that to guys who have played together for a few weeks is ridiclous.
The team concept (am I repeating myself) is the reason. When playing defense you have to rely on others to rotate over, jump out off of screens, etc... but that comes with having a philosophy that is taught over time....not 3 weeks. You make it sound like the US team had months to practice, which they did not.

bmacsys · « **Reply #20 on:** September 01, 2006, 10:26:30 AM »

Quote from: The Showstoppa on September 01, 2006, 10:21:14 AM

Bullshit. Very few of these international players are first time guys. Most have played on the team for years, fact. Comparing that to guys who have played together for a few weeks is ridiclous.
The team concept (am I repeating myself) is the reason. When playing defense you have to rely on others to rotate over, jump out off of screens, etc... but that comes with having a philosophy that is taught over time....not 3 weeks. You make it sound like the US team had months to practice, which they did not.

Think the Heat or the Pistons could get the job done?

The Showstoppa · « **Reply #21 on:** September 01, 2006, 10:36:10 AM »

Quote from: bmacsys on September 01, 2006, 10:26:30 AM

Think the Heat or the Pistons could get the job done?

It would get ugly very quickly. A TEAM of NBA players would destroy these teams. The style we are playing now is like a pick-up game.

bmacsys · « **Reply #22 on:** September 01, 2006, 10:42:41 AM »

Quote from: The Showstoppa on September 01, 2006, 10:36:10 AM

It would get ugly very quickly. A TEAM of NBA players would destroy these teams. The style we are playing now is like a pick-up game.

I don't think the European teams can play in your face physical style ball.

K-1 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 01, 2006, 10:48:10 AM »

I stayed up and watched the game also. I thought they did an decent job considering they have below average 2man game or cohesiveness on offense when it comes to FIBA rules. You can't Iso the entire game because they flood the lane with their rules, therefore you have to HAVE to have a offensive system already structured.

I guarantee if you the rules were set to NBA or even NCAA standards, USA would massacre any team due to the fact our game is based on transitions, Iso's, posting up down low, lane violations, goal tending, moving pick violations....etc,etc just to name a few. Plus it's what WE play year round.

Getting by on athletic talent is over when it comes to FIBA ball. They could have easily quit and been blown out in this game. They fought hard. Your fundamental have to be razor sharp against these guys under FIBA rules, and we missed way too many Free throws.

When you organize a team of athletes to play against their professionals who play this style not only in the world championships, but also year after year after year, they have a tremendous advantage.

Out of all the teams, I feel this team along with coach K can adapt and play both styles if they stay together with the addition of a few other players.

I still wish Carmelo (who played great again) would have went to the lane instead of taking that 3 when we made that last push when it was like 95-91 I believe....but oh well off to the Bronze game.

Greece played outstanding and stepped up big tyme also. Every clutch 3 they put up seem to go in, and they weren't even known for there outside game.

K-1 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 01, 2006, 10:51:15 AM »

Quote from: The Showstoppa on September 01, 2006, 10:36:10 AM

It would get ugly very quickly. A TEAM of NBA players would destroy these teams. The style we are playing now is like a pick-up game.

I agree. It would be a total destruction by our rules.

To say they have finally mastered their style and we still have a top 3 or 4 unit with zero cohesiveness to their game is not great but I think it's impressive.

Just imagine if this team and coach stays together until the olympics and get even better...!