Anyone watch USA basketball today?

[mixmaster_matt]

Man, aside from the horrible calls the refs made on the traveling calls, USA got spanked by ITALY. Italy played such a good game. I am very impressed. USA better get it together before the olympics starts...

 

[Akaveli]

what channel?

 

[mixmaster_matt]

espn, just ending

 

[volklover]

And we play Germany tomorrow at 11am pacific! on ESPN

 

[osudewd]

Nice shot AI made to save the day. There are many reasons why the US team is struggling. I think we should just send whoever wins the NBA championship to the Olympics. Anyone think the Pistons would have lost to Italy with maybe Duncan to replace Okur, I don't think so.

 

[scott42]

osudewd, did you pick up that thought from Bill "the Sports Guy" Simmons?
For anyone that doesn't know about "the sports guy" go check out ESPN page 2 and read his stuff. He's funny and damn insightful especially on hoops.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/archive?columnist=simmons_bill&root=page2

His stuff on pseudo-sports/movies/society is great as well..

 

[cyc]

Who won today? USA or GermanY?

 

[Chicken SOup]

Who won today? USA or GermanY?

80-77 ..USA won
By the skin of their ass i might add... Iverson hit the buzzer beater..

 

[JOS3]

its BS. every country is sending their absolute best and we are sending the best of the leftovers. most of our megastars are bitches and would rather play with themselves over the summer than represent our country. at this point, i could give a s***. the best team ever was the 1992 team because they put everything aside to represent our country, unlike these ****** primadonnas we have now.

its an interesting idea about the nba champ playing for the gold but the problem is that some of the players on teh team are foreign and will probably be represesnting their own country.

 

[mixmaster_matt]

i would like to see our best, but you know what, with the talent they have on the team now they still shouldn't lose a game. Tomorrow is gonna be a great game. Honestly, USA was beating up Germany man to man, but once they switched to zone USA was limited. Italy beat USA b/c USA couldn't figure out there zone D. USA doesn't know how to play against the zone, and if they had a hard time against Germany, who didn't even qualify for the olympics, they are screwed if a good team like Montenegro-Serbia plays zone. I just wish Stojakovic played for his team this year, b/c then we would see their best team.

 

[JOS3]

anyone who thinks that this olympic team should not lose a game is crazy. everyone is underestimating how good the rest of the world has gotten over the last 4 years. i dont expect teh US team to win gold at all. why? because of what mixmaster matt said, they have a hard time against the zone. the euro teams may not have the best players, but they play fundamentally sound basketball built around teamwork and unselfishness. zone d is going cause USA a lot of trouble because the nba players arent used to seeing it everyday. the only time they really saw it was in college, but half of them either didnt go or didnt stay.

 

[osudewd]

osudewd, did you pick up that thought from Bill "the Sports Guy" Simmons?

Yeah, I like his articles. And I thought it was a good idea to send the Pistons, and just replace the players who weren't from the US or didn't want to go with the best players from other teams willing to fill those roles. I'm also sad Micheal Redd didn't go since I'm a buckeye fan and he actually took us to the final four.

 

[osudewd]

Seems like the US is getting better with every game. Serbia is the best team we've played yet, the defending world champions, and we spanked them. Admittedly, things went our way. 14 for 14 from the free throw line, and Serbia was not getting any 3's to drop. Our defense was good though, why Serbia wanted to go man to man against our guys, I don't know.

 

[mixmaster_matt]

The reason we did good is b/c serbia was stupid enough to think they can win one-on-one basketball. These foreign teams need to learn it is easy to beat the US, you just have to play zone. The NBA is very new to the zone defense, and they should be able to beat the zone b/c they have such good players that can attack the rim, and then kick it out. And I don't buy into the whole US outside shooter problem. The 3 point line is 3 feet closer in international play than the NBA, and are you gonna tell me Marbury, Jefferson, Iverson don't hit those 20 ft shots all the time in the pros...

 

[protegemp52000]

Does anyone remember when the Olympics were only played by amateurs?

 

[RODSCALIP5]

^ Yeah I remember when the US used to send alot of scrubs to represent us in basketball and soccer while the rest of the world sent professionals.


Anyways, this should have been the lineup for the U.S. :

Jason Kidd PG
Kobe Bryant SG
Shaq C
Tim Duncan F
KG F

Reserves:
T-MAC
Vince Carter
B. Wallace
R. Hamilton
Baron Davis

Anyone else??