[OhCanada-Participant]

France didn’t even look that good to be honest. The game looked like a scrimmage only Holiday and Adebayo looked like they cared. I think the biggest issue is that these guys are so used to the NBA rules that they expect every call and a sort of rhythm or tempo to the game that just isn’t there at this level. Everyone is scared to get injured and nobody wants to or knows how to dig in defensively because they are used to the NBA touchfoul rules. This is now the third game they lost if you include exhibitions against Nigeria and Australia.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

Fournier was France’s bright spot… KD ruined USA’s chances today. You are so right, they were playing timid or something…

[OhCanada-Participant]

Fournier played well but it wasn’t like some amazing performance. He was just out there putting the ball in the basket you know… There wasn’t really any resistance. One guy that surprised me was that Fall guy for France. He’s big and mobile and has that high energy thing going on, looks like hes all hopped up on caffeine.

[klementimeParticipant]

OhCanada – Mustapha Fall is good, but you should check Youssoupha Fall. Can’t understand how this guy is not in the NBA yet. Listed as 7’3”, can run, is super strong… very good mobility for his size, even has a decent back to the basket game … Don’t think the two are related but man, can you imagine having these two on the same team with say… Tacko Fall? 🙂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lQco9y_fjA

[OhCanada-Participant]

Oh thanks. Looks like these guys have no interest to come to the NBA though. Or maybe the other way around? I think I’m going crazy how did we get to the point where two 7’2 centers that move loike that aren’t being begged to join teams?

[klementimeParticipant]

Naa, of course they’d like to be part of the NBA, whou woulnd’t… it’s more like a new trend in the NBA where true centers are less and less important. But I’d always like to have a 7’3” guy that runs and jumps… I don’t care if he can’t shoot a three 🙂

In the meantime – Luka Doncic 31+8rb in the first half (16 minutes played) against Argentina 🙂

[OhCanada-Participant]

Isn’t it crazy. He’s out there and nobody can guard him at all at any level. This is his element as well, he has more years playing professional international than NBA and he’s 22. Meanwhile he was supposed to be unathletic. I really hope Slovenia wins gold, not sure if I can stay up much longer to watch this one though I keep drifting off.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Whats the record?

[klementimeParticipant]

I think it’s 53 or 56, Oscar Schmidt… well 48+11 is good also 🙂 He’s different, really is. I didn’t think he’d play the qualification games to be honest, but he’s turning a bunch of “nonames” into a serious team.

Slovenija won’t win gold, it’s a bit too much but the way these guys are playing, scoring at will (through qualifications and Olympics it’s above 100 points per game, unheard of in FIBA basketball if you don’t count the Dream team), defending also… they can go far.

And yes, he was said to be slow, no muscles, not athletic.. yet, he’s unguardable. We’re lucky to have the chance and see him develop. At 22 playing the way he’s playing and he still has room to improve?? Unreal.

[OhCanada-Participant]

I don’t see why they can’t win Gold. They have the best player in the tournament. That team has bought into it. Really just looks like I was watching the Mavs on a good night. That game looked like an NBA style blowout and its not like Argentina is bad, Campazzo seems like a championship caliber roleplayer, Luis Scola looks like he can still play in the NBA, Balmaro did nothing.

[canadabasketballisrisingParticipant]

it’s a few things (in order of factor in my opinion)
-less chemistry than other teams
-expectation of nba superstar calls that don’t happen in fiba (touch fouls aren’t fouls in real basketball)
-poor roster construction (should’ve taken joe harris, duncan robinsion, and randle over kevin love)
-playing to not get injured
-it means less to win compared to other countries (they still want to, but in comparison)

[klementimeParticipant]

It’s a big difference playing FIBA or NBA basketball. NBA is wide open lanes, no big guys waiting under the rim, protecting backdoors and stuff. French players all come from that kind of basketball, NBA players don’t know how to play that way. + this team only has a few guys that can play a FIBA type of ball. Durant, Lillard, maybe Holiday… Booker would be useful hadn’t he lost he NBA finals 3 days ago. His head is somewhere else…. What good is having Green, McGee, Johnson, Grant, even Middleton…These guys can play the NBA type of ball (some barely to be honest), FIBA ball is something else.

The Czech game will be fun…

[OhCanada-Participant]

Booker was terrible. Made his first shot which was a foot on the line three and missed everything else.

[klementimeParticipant]

But that is understandable – came on game day, with his head who knows where, into a system he does not know, playing a style he’s never seen in his life. It’s not easy. I’m surprised Jru played this good.

[OhCanada-Participant]

All of that is true. He was still terrible.

[Robb_CParticipant]

The NBA is an Entertainment Brand, its style of play is not productive to be replicated at the grassroot or fiba level.

We have a generation of US players conditioned to play a “certain” way.. while it’s entertaining doesn’t work in FIBA play.

Our players are legit so stuck on this Open Gym style basketball, it’s to the point half court sets and defense in the half-court looks like a foreign language.

[RUDEBOY-Participant]

GREAT POINT ROBB C!!! Plus Past USA Teams had 4 or 5 high iq guys and the team Applied themselves Defensively!!

[BothTeamsPlayedHard-Participant]

The team is not good enough to survive a bad game from Durant and Lillard, which is not their fault. USA Basketball had a window where it was getting its best, largely because it got Kobe and LeBron to buy in. They gave way to Durant, but he isn’t the same kind of pied piper. They can’t overwhelm a team like France, and they don’t have guys who are comfortable in certain roles. They don’t have a pecking order. While it is admirable for Middleton, Booker, and Holiday to want to play (and I understand their desire especially when there is no guarantee the chance would come again), but it isn’t in the best interest of the team for them to do it. They are going to be running on fumes. Jayson Tatum and Zach LaVine don’t know how to play the roles they need to play. LaVine actually has to play defense. A pure shooter like Duncan Robinson would have made sense. A get after it defender who didn’t just a 23 game playoff run like Brogdon would have made sense. Frankly, a legit 7-footer would have made sense. You can clog the paint with FIBA rules. Let Myles Turner do it. He can stand at the arc on offense if that was the fear. I don’t think this is their last loss. Expecting Lillard and Durant to get hot and stay hot probably won’t happen.

[HitsterParticipant]

France are a good team but USA are an All Star side so no way they should lose easpecially being up 8 at HT.

[ndbigdaveParticipant]

The team construction is an absolute joke and part of that are some opt-outs (none of which I have an issue with). The raw talent and athletic advantage in every game should make the USA favorites to win in the teens, but we are less than the sum of our parts and teams like Nigeria (that has NBA players as do basically every Olympic team to one degree or another).

How the corpse of Kevin Love was on this roster, along with Dwight Howard actually makes my head hurt.

I am a Bulls fan and Lavine should not be on this team. I admit his shooting %’s this past season took a solid leap forward, but he brings almost nothing else to the table that leads to winning (he doesn’t set anyone else up, he is a negative on defense, he doesn’t rebound, his overall basketball IQ doesn’t help).

Pop’s strategy thus far has been “lets out-talent them” which I believe was Larry Brown’s strategy the last time Team USA was embarrassed. K was able to get the right guys, lead to a better put together team and there seemed like he got guys to play a bit more as a team with a hierarchy.

While I don’t think we need to go back to using college/HS guys, I wouldn’t be opposed to getting more young guys on the team who could use the experience of playing with a few hand-selected NBA guys who really want to be there. The alternative being getting lesser-level NBA guys but who actually make sense as a team. As mentioned above, the idea of putting together a “team” and then guys with international experience or play styles that can work in this environment.

While I would imagine the “casual fan” likes seeing all the top names and there is something “fun” about having a collection of all-stars, it doesn’t make for great basketball and so-far awful results.

[ndbigdaveParticipant]

I think there is a way to field an “actual team” while having both star power and developing the real gems that come along through the years.

Here is the roster of guys that would have picked (only off of the 57 finalists and the select team). I would mention that I would give serious consideration to Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley (especially as we need size) depending on who might have declined my invitation.

PG

Tyrese Haliburton – feels perfect for a team like this, Pass first, smart, defends while providing length and spacing.

Trae Young – What he did in the playoffs earned some respect from me (I thought he was an empty stats guy until about a month ago) need shooting and distribution

Russell Westbrook – His “give a *****” level is always on 10 and I respect that. With the space this team can provide he would thrive.

SG

Bradley Beal – He is just a rock solid 2-way guard that has a decent stroke but needs more international experience

Joe Harris – Shooter. Not everyone on this team needs to be ball dominant. Provides space and it a role he plays with the Nets.

Duncan Robinson – See above. He is a shooter, can run him off screens, isn’t ball dominant, heady player.

SF

Jayson Tatum – Scorer. High IQ. Has played in big games and big moments.

Paul George – Two way guy, showed me a good deal with Leonard injured.

Brandon Ingram – Love the length, shooting, shot creation. Needs international experience.

PF

Zion Williamson – Great experience, obviously an absolute destroyer of worlds with ball.

Patrick Williams – I love the kid, does so many things without the ball, switchable, plays defense, this would be a great experience for him.

Montrezl Harrell – Not super tall but provides some pick and roll chops and some strength.

C

Kevin Durant – Not his traditional spot, but I would play him here as much as I could depending on matchups.

Jarrett Allen – Need the rim protection, rim running and height.

Bam Adebayo – I love his playmaking and allows me to shift Durant out of the C spot without giving up a ton of skill.

Unless I am missing something about guys opting out above or injuries, the team above feels like one that could actually play together, actually has size to matchup with teams, still has star power and “name recognition” while being just way better on paper.

Thoughts?

[sniperParticipant]

The rest of the world is too good for us to just throw a pickup team out there. These other teams have identities, playing styles, an idea of what they want to do on the court. That’s worth more than talent.Sometimes it can embarrass talent.

What if the NBA held some kind of tournament — maybe among the teams that miss the playoffs — to choose a team to represent the USA? The point is we would be sending an actual team. I believe the Timberwolves or the Pistons would be doing better than this.

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