Puerto Rico

The only dudes on that list that can REALLY shoot - the way it was needed yesterday - are foreigners. Go figure.

Edit - Ok. Rip can shoot, but you already pointed out he's skeered.

 

Thats the problem right there.

They are now using NBA players - but by the team you eliminate all the foreign players you eliminate most of the players that can shoot and pass.

Then take out all the true superstars that refuse to play for the USA because it's beneath them and you end up with the "stars" that are stars in name only - not because of their talent. If this team is representative of the best the US can put out every year then we may never see another gold medal.

 

Yup. I was so pissed during the second and third quarters yesterday I wanted to throw a brick at the screen.























But then I figured we had enough of those already.

 

They felt sorry for poor old Larry - coaching in the NBA for 20something years and having nothing to show for it.

 

Heck they would have done better if they had taken
U N C & Duke and ACC NBA players only
They would have had a lot better team than these rejects

Thats why NBA games don't sell out, its a boring product.

 

This team has no PG, no Shooters, and a bunch of over-rated wing players. They have only one true low-post presence in Duncan and teams are dropping down to defend against him becasue they know we can't make jumpshots...Not just 3's but 12-15 foot jumpshots. This team can't shoot. They need to play defense but alas they have noone that can play defense. They have more athleticism than anybody in the field but they play terrible team D and the lack of shooting makes it hard to play O. I suppose this is all because Larry Brown is a terrible coach, though, right?

 

Yup. :xyzthumbs

 

Coach K would win every game by 20 points or better if he had this team....

 

There is plenty of blame to pass around here...for everybody

Larry Brown - yes
For probably under-estimating the quality or the strategy of the international game........hence - NO SHOOTERS. But as noted earlier, lots of the best players declined the invite/opportunity to even show up.

The Players - YES
I lay most of the blame here. Teams like Puerto Rico dont light you up unless you play LOUSY DEFENSE. The entire team absolutely sucked the first three quarters, especially the second (outscored 28-7). You could have put Colonel Sanders on the court and he would'nt have given up many more points. THIS is the NBA, lazy ass millionaires who could care less about laying everything on the line until the very last minute. These lesser known foriegn teams are hungry, they want to beat the US more than our guys want to beat them. If these BUMS dont have the heart to fight for/earn what they want, then screw them. I hope they get embarassed by every team in their pool.

David Stern - YES
Thanks for single handedly ruining not only the NBA, but also spreading YOUR cancer throughout the NCAA ranks by allowing high school kids to lay down their books and handing them millions for doing absolutely NOTHING. Basketball?...........what a joke. I would'nt spend one dime on the NBA as it now stands.

 

I agree. The international rules cater to outside shooting- the teams love to play a collapsed zone and make you take the outside shot. With that said, where is Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson, Sam Cassell, Alan Houston etc?? This team was compiled with wing players who are leaders of their teams- they need the ball in their hands to be effective (sans duncan). I still think the NBA'ers can run the gauntlet now if they bust their asses on defense- because some of those players are great individual defenders but shitty team defenders. The problem also is player rotation- lebron james, AI, carmello: these players aren't your everyday swing man, they are used to having the offense run through them. IF larry brown can turn this around, I'll be impressed.