This is The Team Kobe Thinks Would Beat The Dream Team???

[SheagleHawk]

What a pathetic showing last night. This team would be lucky to keep it under 25 against the Dream Team. It was also refreshing to see the cry babies of the NBA leave the crying to the regular season instead of carrying it into international play What a joke.

 

[gamblinghawk]

That's a real positive post to start the day. Thanks for all your relevant insight. Exactly what the team needed a good challenge from probably one of the best teams in the world. The US defense was absolutely amazing for long stretches of time during this game.

 

[SheagleHawk]

That's a real positive post to start the day. Thanks for all your relevant insight. Exactly what the team needed a good challenge from probably one of the best teams in the world. The US defense was absolutely amazing for long stretches of time during this game.

Sorry it wasn't rainbow and daffodils for you. Good lord, are you that big of a pansy that you can't read criticism about a team that supposedly could beat the best basketball team ever assembled w/o activating the waterworks? Geesh, good luck with the rest of you day

 

[HerkeyHawk]

That's a real positive post to start the day. Thanks for all your relevant insight. Exactly what the team needed a good challenge from probably one of the best teams in the world. The US defense was absolutely amazing for long stretches of time during this game.

Sloppy play, little hustle, poor finishes at the rim and continually jacking up threes is a recipe for getting beat in London. Not having shots fall happens...lack of effort and hustle shouldnt.

 

[SheagleHawk]

Sloppy play, little hustle, poor finishes at the rim and continually jacking up threes is a recipe for getting beat in London. Not having shots fall happens...lack of effort and hustle shouldnt.

^This. I remember one play specifically where Lebron had a break and instead of throwing it down over the smaller defender, he threw up some half-hearted and weak a$$ reverse layup that didn't even come close to falling. Also, I can't remember a possession where the USA made more than 2 passes. Looked like playground ball, except no one could score or break down their defender. Lots of dribbling and chucking 3's.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Guys, Kobe doesn't really believe that they could beat the '92 dream team.

 

[BryceC]

Team USA does this every 4 years. They look like garbage (some of them just got done playing an extremely taxing NBA season) and they take it easy until the actual Olympics start.

 

[gamblinghawk]

Even I'm not degenerate enough to give 33 points in an exhibition game. Misinterpreted your original post as the typical nba bashing thread. This team does have some work to do but I loved seeing some of these combinations on the court. Westbrook , lebron and durant specifically.

 

[Stewo]

Team USA does this every 4 years. They look like garbage (some of them just got done playing an extremely taxing NBA season) and they take it easy until the actual Olympics start.

Kinda what I'm thinking. What's the point of going balls to the wall right now? They'll be fine....probably.

 

[SheagleHawk]

Even I'm not degenerate enough to give 33 points in an exhibition game. Misinterpreted your original post as the typical nba bashing thread. This team does have some work to do but I loved seeing some of these combinations on the court. Westbrook , lebron and durant specifically.

Gotcha. No worries. Didn't mean to come off as harsh in my reply. My apologies.

 

[Herk]

Agree. They didn't look like they were putting in a lot of effort for a reason. Also, whenever Brazil got close they put on the gas and pulled away by 10+ pts. I'm not worried. Coach K didn't look worried, either.

I can't wait until they start rotating some of the younger guys in to spell labron/kobe. Anthony Davis, Westbrook will provide a nice change of pace. It'll be real hard to keep up with this team come London.

 

[BryceC]

Kinda what I'm thinking. What's the point of going balls to the wall right now? They'll be fine....probably.

If Rubio were healthy Spain might be better than our group. There are still fundamental problems (shooting, post) but IMO the teams aren't as good as they were 4 years ago. Argentina got old, Spain is injured, Greece and Lithuania don't have guards, and the other teams that might jump up (France, Australia, etc.) just don't have enough talent. That said anything can happen in a once game scenario.

 

[IowaTeddy]

Don't misquote Kobe. Everyone is all up in arms about him saying this, but he didn't even say it. He said they COULD beat the dream team. As in, it's possible. Like 1 in 10. Which is true. If you think a team with Lebron Kobe and Durant has no chance in a basketball game, you are mistaken. Don't get me wrong, they would lose. But they could win, and that's what he said

 

[DexterMorgan]

Don't misquote Kobe. Everyone is all up in arms about him saying this, but he didn't even say it. He said they COULD beat the dream team. As in, it's possible. Like 1 in 10. Which is true. If you think a team with Lebron Kobe and Durant has no chance in a basketball game, you are mistaken. Don't get me wrong, they would lose, but they could win

Not only that, but he didn't even bring it up, someone posed the question to him. What's he supposed to say? Also, the way he said it didn't even sound like he believed it. The media sure loves to run with it though huh.

 

[Hawkeye11en1]

Does anyone else think they need to shoot far less 3's in the Olympics if they are to win gold? I hate how they seem to shoot one every other time down the court. When they get teams down by 8-10 they need to stop tossing up 3's. Stupid.

 

[IowaTeddy]

Not to be the guy that disrespects the dream team, but they shouldn't be compared to all USA teams that follow for many reasons.

One, intl bball is way better now. Look at the nba draft year in and year out. This year there were 10 foreign guys taken. Maybe I'm wrong, but the dream had no competition because they were so much better, but also because everyone else was just so much worse.

Second, the nba has changed and therefore, the makeup and culture of our national team has been changed. I think we can all say that it's less intense now, less hustle. Guys are divas today, and they a 90 gme season over 9 months and they don't want to bust it over the summer.

Third, this team isn't as good as it should be, and we can all admit that. The question shouldn't be: who would win: 1992 or 2012? It's what era had the better talent? And think about the USA starting five of guys not even playing: Rose, Wade, Gay, Bosh, Howard, 6th man Griffin. That lineup could compete with any starting 5 ever. They might not win, but you cannot tell me that any starting 5 is "way more talented or way better".

 

[Clark]

Does anyone else think they need to shoot far less 3's in the Olympics if they are to win gold? I hate how they seem to shoot one every other time down the court. When they get teams down by 8-10 they need to stop tossing up 3's. Stupid.

Depends on who's shooting them. If it's Durant or Carmelo, I don't mind. Everyone else I'd rather see take it to the hole.

 

[Hawkeye11en1]

Depends on who's shooting them. If it's Durant or Carmelo, I don't mind. Everyone else I'd rather see take it to the hole.

I agree with Durant - but I don't agree with Melo. But that's just cuz I personally hate his whole deal out here with the Nugs. Not that the Nugs aren't better off without him, but because he just seemed like an *** through the whole thing.

 

[Benddontbreak]

zzzzzzzzzzzzz this team could care less - and they’ll still win the gold by double digits without any effort, just like 4 years ago. Oh, and international play is 100 times better today than it was 20 years ago.

 

[Hawkeye11en1]

zzzzzzzzzzzzz this team could care less - and they’ll still win the gold by double digits without any effort, just like 4 years ago. Oh, and international play is 100 times better today than it was 20 years ago.

Is this the first instance in which "could care less" actually makes sense?