OT- Men's Olympic Basketball Team

[RBNY87]

It seems to me that we are having so many close game despite an overwhelming talent advantage is due to the fact that we are playing against teams with chemistry and the US is basically playing streetball. The Serbian team is missing two key players, but they are use to playing together. We are very lucky that we haven't faced a team that is a little stronger athletically or we would have lost already. There was talk of using a team of 25 and under but they really need is to have a team that plays together more often and is more about role players.

 

[Russ Wood]

The Serbian team is missing two key players, but they are use to playing together. We are very lucky that we haven't faced a team that is a little stronger athletically or we would have lost already.

These two sentences in your post I agree with.

People seem to overlook the international basketball inexperience of our team. There are only two players on our team who have won Olympic medals. Our team was selected in late June, while many of the teams they are playing against have had their nucleus together for years.

The defense has been pretty good, they've held four teams below 80 points.

Having said all of that, they will need to play their best game to win Sunday.

 

[RBNY87]

These two sentences in your post I agree with.

People seem to overlook the international basketball inexperience of our team. There are only two players on our team who have won Olympic medals. Our team was selected in late June, while many of the teams they are playing against have had their nucleus together for years.

The defense has been pretty good, they've held four teams below 80 points.

Having said all of that, they will need to play their best game to win Sunday.

The women's team has much better chemistry and experience. 3 or 4 are in their 4th Olympics, only a few are in their first Olympics

 

[SkilletHead2]

I know Krzyzewski gets accolades all the time for what a great coach he is, but it seems to me his Duke teams tend to underperform their talent, and now the US team is way underperforming its talent.

 

[RUMountie]

It seems to me that we are having so many close game despite an overwhelming talent advantage is due to the fact that we are playing against teams with chemistry and the US is basically playing streetball. The Serbian team is missing two key players, but they are use to playing together. We are very lucky that we haven't faced a team that is a little stronger athletically or we would have lost already. There was talk of using a team of 25 and under but they really need is to have a team that plays together more often and is more about role players.

Boring isolation no team garbage basketball. It's why I almost never watch NBA games and this style of basketball is ruining basketball at all the lower levels.

 

[LotusAggressor]

Boring isolation no team garbage basketball. It's why I almost never watch NBA games and this style of basketball is ruining basketball at all the lower levels.

Spoken like someone who hasn't watched an NBA game since the '70s. They don't play like that in the NBA anymore. They haven't for about 40 years. They play like that at Duke and Kentucky, though. Everybody thought that Kentucky's Dribble Drive Motion offense was revolutionary, when it was basically the kind of streetball everybody is so fond of criticizing. Everybody thinks Coach K is this brilliant offensive tactician, but his offenses are basically isolation and 3s.

 

[higgins3]

Spoken like someone who hasn't watched an NBA game since the '70s. They don't play like that in the NBA anymore. They haven't for about 40 years. They play like that at Duke and Kentucky, though. Everybody thought that Kentucky's Dribble Drive Motion offense was revolutionary, when it was basically the kind of streetball everybody is so fond of criticizing. Everybody thinks Coach K is this brilliant offensive tactician, but his offenses are basically isolation and 3s.

They do not play isolation basketball in the NBA?They play team basketball?What games do you watch?

 

[El Curioso Impertinente]

Boring isolation no team garbage basketball. It's why I almost never watch NBA games and this style of basketball is ruining basketball at all the lower levels.

Too bad, you're missing out on some great Basketball.

 

[waretown]

It seems to me that we are having so many close game despite an overwhelming talent advantage is due to the fact that we are playing against teams with chemistry and the US is basically playing streetball. The Serbian team is missing two key players, but they are use to playing together. We are very lucky that we haven't faced a team that is a little stronger athletically or we would have lost already. There was talk of using a team of 25 and under but they really need is to have a team that plays together more often and is more about role players.

maybe we should send the nba champs to represent us

 

[LotusAggressor]

They do not play isolation basketball in the NBA?They play team basketball?What games do you watch?

I think the question is what games you're watching, or if you even have any idea what you're watching.

 

[RUEd]

I know Krzyzewski gets accolades all the time for what a great coach he is, but it seems to me his Duke teams tend to underperform their talent, and now the US team is way underperforming its talent.

Doesn't he have 5 titles and twice that in Final Fours? Underperform?

 

[ouchmyknee]

Barkley said it best. This team was put together poorly as there are no role players on the roster. You can't have a team where every player wants iso.

 

[higgins3]

I think the question is what games you're watching, or if you even have any idea what you're watching.

Serious? Look at the majority of teams. You see a)no isolation ball? b)team basketball with more than 15 assist a game?

What teams? What part of the season?

 

[SkilletHead2]

Doesn't he have 5 titles and twice that in Final Fours? Underperform?

Well, that's kind of the question here. You could ask, Did this Olympic team underperform? I would say definitely yes. But one could counter, "Wait a minute. They just won Olympic gold by 30 points." And that would be true. But it was done with by far the most talent in the tourney, and they played mediocre to poorly at times given that talent.

Turning to Duke, yep, five championships, no doubt about it. Overall, legendary status. And given all that you look for in a coach, perhaps the best ever. But they have also gone out 3 times in the past ten years in the first round to much lower seeded teams, including a 2/15 and a 3/14 matchup. My point is that he has always had superb talent, but hasn't always played up to it. Compare that to Brad Stevens, who made two finals out of an 8 seed and a 5 seed. That's what I mean by underperforming.

 

[ElmiraExpress]

Boring isolation no team garbage basketball. It's why I almost never watch NBA games and this style of basketball is ruining basketball at all the lower levels.

The good NBA teams never play like that, so you should start watching again. If you tuned in to two of the worst teams late in the season you might seem a game like that, but those games are boring anyway

 

[ElmiraExpress]

maybe we should send the nba champs to represent us

Good idea ... except essentially all NBA teams feature international players. For example, Australia's Olympic team started all NBA players

 

[LotusAggressor]

Serious? Look at the majority of teams. You see a)no isolation ball? b)team basketball with more than 15 assist a game?
What teams? What part of the season?

The NBA is all about flow, motion, and spacing. This is the way any winning team in the league plays.

 

[mikefla]

I was in RIO and caught 2 games live....& a few more via TV.

There is a big difference between the USAs talent laden style and the style of the international players. The International big men tend to be mobile, pass very well and are often better shots from further away. Their little guys are often pesky. But they just dont have the horses. I was struck by how mediocre Ginobli was on a lesser team when he was often played inspired Bbal on the Spurs.

Even the USA players were wary that they didnt play as a unit for long but they did get better over time.
Case in point, the 1st game vs Australia went down to the wire, after which OZ didnt even make the medal round. Meanwhile USA was beating teams that wollopped OZ...just by small margins sometimes. I was disappointed at no LeBron and No Curry but the team was VERY talented. The announcer said often there were too many good shooters and not enough role players......but thats what we have,,,TALENT.

In the end TALENT won out.....and the USA team progressed and won the GOLD. And they were VERY cool about sticking around & greeting the fans...even coach K greeted people.....I had a great time !!!!

 

[TDIrish27]

Would really like to see our Olympic team made up of college players but that isn't happening.

 

[willisneverrana43]

won 25 in a row and the final by 30. Let's fix it.

 

[ecojew]

Would really like to see our Olympic team made up of college players but that isn't happening.

I agree. I miss the days when a group of American college players took on the Red Army of the USSR. The entire country got behind those teams and IIRC, they lost just once in their long time as competitors, that being in Munich in 1972, in a game that ended three times with the US winning the first two times before on the 3rd try, the Soviets pulled it out and the game was over. Since 1992, I haven't been able to muster the same level of enthusiasm for the team.

 

[TDIrish27]

I don't doubt they're the best players Willis I just don't enjoy it.

I don't think WNBA players should be playing either.

 

[LotusAggressor]

Would really like to see our Olympic team made up of college players but that isn't happening.

Of course it won't. They'd wind up getting slaughtered by foreign players that are NBA starters.

 

[TDIrish27]

No they wouldn't-----could they get beat yeah but not slaughtered.

Show me a team in the Olympics with 5 NBA starters besides us.

As to winning the gold medal not a big deal to me.

 

[LotusAggressor]

No they wouldn't-----could they get beat yeah but not slaughtered.

Show me a team in the Olympics with 5 NBA starters besides us.

As to winning the gold medal not a big deal to me.

They wouldn't need 5 NBA starters to beat a US team of college players. Europe and Australia play a higher level of basketball than American colleges. That's why the US sends NBA players now.

Quite frankly, Spain and probably Australia would slaughter a team of college players. Spain alone has 4 guys who start in the NBA now.

 

[TDIrish27]

We'll just have to disagree on that.

I would say this however--------a team of college players can't be tossed together in 4-8 weeks and compete with those teams.

They would need the summer previous to the Olympics to be together and play a schedule.

This is why it won't happen----better players are one and done's and even the second best who aren't going to the NBA are on campus working with their teams.

 

[PhilaPhans]

http://www.nba.com/2016/news/featur...onal-nba-players-on-olympic-rosters-rio-2016/

International NBA players at the Olympics
Group Country Player Team
B Argentina *Nicolas Brussino DAL
B Argentina *Patricio Garino SAS
B Argentina Manu Ginobili SAS
B Argentina Luis Scola BKN
B Australia Aron Baynes DET
B Australia Andrew Bogut DAL
B Australia Matthew Dellavedova MIL
B Australia Joe Ingles UTA
B Australia Patty Mills SAS
B Brazil Leandro Barbosa PHX
B Brazil Cristiano Felicio CHI
B Brazil Nene Hilario HOU
B Brazil Marcelo Huertas LAL
B Brazil Raul Neto UTA
B Croatia Bojan Bogdanovic BKN
B Croatia Mario Hezonja ORL
B Croatia *Dario Saric PHI
A France Nicolas Batum CHA
A France Boris Diaw UTA
A France Rudy Gobert UTA
A France Joffrey Lauvergne DEN
A France Tony Parker SAS
B Lithuania *Mindaugas Kuzminskas NYK
B Lithuania *Domantas Sabonis OKC
B Lithuania Jonas Valanciunas TOR
B Nigeria Al-Farouq Aminu POR
B Nigeria *Michael Gbinije DET
A Serbia Nikola Jokic DEN
B Spain *Alex Abrines OKC
B Spain Jose Calderon CHI
B Spain Pau Gasol SAS
B Spain *Willy Hernangomez NYK
B Spain Nikola Mirotic CHI
B Spain Sergio Rodriguez PHI
B Spain Ricky Rubio MIN

Olympians whose draft rights are held by NBA teams
Group Country Player Team Draft
A China Wang Zhelin MEM 2016
A China Zhou Qi HOU 2016
B Lithuania Robertas Javtokas SAS 2001
B Lithuania Ronaldas Seibutis DAL 2007
A Serbia Bogdan Bogdanovic SAC 2014
A Serbia Milan Macvan CLE 2011
B Spain Sergio Llull HOU 2009

 

[rutger80]

I'd like to see men;s basketball adopt the soccer model of making the Olympics an Under 23 tournament (they have 3 age exceptions) There's already a World championship tournament in basketball, so the Olympics are really a duplication of that.

 

[PhilaPhans]

I'd like to see men;s basketball adopt the soccer model of making the Olympics an Under 23 tournament (they have 3 age exceptions) There's already a World championship tournament in basketball, so the Olympics are really a duplication of that.

I've been suggesting this for a while.

But that being said, I guess it all depends on what you want the Olympics to be about. Should it be the best in the world? Or should it be a tournament promoting the up and coming players in a given sport? Like you said, since we already have World Championships, why not change the focus of the Olympics? Or is there too much money sunk into these things that they need the top stars to sell tickets? Would anybody watch Track and Field with no Usain Bolt? How about swimming without Phelps? Ledecky is still 19, though, and most of the gymnasts are young enough on the female side.

 

[ElmiraExpress]

They wouldn't need 5 NBA starters to beat a US team of college players. Europe and Australia play a higher level of basketball than American colleges. That's why the US sends NBA players now.

Quite frankly, Spain and probably Australia would slaughter a team of college players. Spain alone has 4 guys who start in the NBA now.

No they wouldn't-----could they get beat yeah but not slaughtered.

Show me a team in the Olympics with 5 NBA starters besides us.

As to winning the gold medal not a big deal to me.

Australia has 5 NBA starters, so that is one. Australia, Spain, Serbia, France, Lithuania, Croatia would all easily beat any team of the best college players

 

[TDIrish27]

Like I said then we don't win it and it's not a big deal to me.

Many of the NBA guys mentioned are old-----and they're tired and beat up after playing 80 plus games in an NBA season. If they're nicked up they aren't going to jeopardize pro careers for a Gold Medal. Bogut , Ginobili and Parker come to mind .

I believe that a well prepared squad with 2 years together would not disgrace themselves at all. But we won't see that for the reasons I previously mentioned.

Additionally I don't like guys getting an advantage in recruiting like Geno and Coach K get coaching the team.

You don't think they're telling kids about getting a spot on the Olympic team when they're recruiting them ?