Seeing Team USA get creamed down the stretch against Lithuania pissed me off big time. For a couple of reasons... 1. If we had our best players there it wouldn't be this close 2. It will change the perception of how everybody in the world thinks of the NBA. If we would have had all of our best players there we would definitely come home with the gold. We were majorly kicking ass at the Olympic trials. What happened to a group of guys that were so hyped to play for our country to all of a sudden just back out like p*****s? I mean if we had the type of team we can throw out there everybody would be terrified of us and we would be comparing them to 1992. PG-Kidd/Baron Davis SG-Allen/Redd SF-Kobe/McGrady PF-Duncan/Garnett/Brand C-Shaq/Jermaine/Wallace The ball would be moving around, we would be nailing treys left and right, we would be scoring like crazy, rebounding like crazy and we would have some big brutes down low that would really punish the opponent. Obviously our stars don't want to come out and represent, so what are other options are there? College? Wouldn't be a bad idea, but we would have no guarantee at gold and there would be better ways. I think if Stu Jackson approached things differently, maybe we could put together a real team without having to throw together a gang of egomaniacs. Granted, we still need a few stars, but how about some that are actually honorable. A team with a couple of willing stars filled with role players could fulfill everything we are looking for... PG-Bibby/Billups SG-Redd/Brent Barry SF-Artest/Marshall PF-Zac Randolph/Boozer C-Duncan/Dampier I think a team like the one above would do really well. Plenty of players that can move the ball around, big bodies to bang, and players that can play D. And the team above has one main go-to-guy. But, there is one problem, how would you be able to get a team from the NBA to prepare and practice plenty of time in advance before the Olympics with the current length of the NBA season?
It's not that the players are not of the right calibre to sweep the Olympics.. It's just that the team is so horribly assembled. Marbury was never suited for Olympic competition. Swapping Wade and Marion for Redd and Rashard Lewis would've made this a much more pleasant experience. Artest would be useless in the Olympics as well. His style wouldn't translate well to the international game. You have to be able to hit a jumper with great accuracy and with good range. That should be the requirement for every player, 1 through 12.
I think that if we send an NBA playoff-level caliber team we should be able to win gold. The keyword here is "team". We have to send a team that has stars and role players, set of plays, and has been playing together for a long time.
this is a relatively young team. only because they're nba stars they're expected to win but if they weren't i'd call them a developmental team. a few international matches in between the next olympics and we've got another "dream team".
I think if you send Hinrich, Lewis and Redd, you can get away with Artest on the floor for his ability to d it up. While his jumper is lacking, with three sweet shots on the floor like that, it won't be a liability - while his defense on the ball, in the press would be invaluable. Seriously, length, shooters and press and run all the damn time and the United States will the Olympic(but not World ) Champs again.
I dont think by putting the US best player would solve the problem, i still think they would struggle unless they learn to prepare earlier and not 3 weeks b4 the competition.
PG: Kidd, Bibby SG: R. Allen, Redd, B. Barry SF: R. Lewis, J. Jackson PF: Duncan, Brand C: LaFrentz This team would fit the international style of modern Basketball. One or two stars (Duncan, Kidd). Many shooters. Intelligent Point Guards. No egos. That's it.
Yeah...send the loser. More incentive to win the NBA championship because you know the players don't want to go. Heck I would be all for sending the best team that didn't make the playoffs. Utah? Portland? or maybe a team that lost int he 1st round of the playoffs. They lost int he playoffs so playing for a gold medal would be a good consolation. Denver? Houston? Memphis? I think those teams have enough talent and DEFINITELY cohesion and chemistry to win a gold.
Easy. Borrow Yao, Suranus and Gasol from China, LTV and Spain and then start Yao, Duncan, Pau, AI and Suranus and I dare the rest of the teams at the Olympics to take my team!
