USA Basketball [Archive] - MassillonProud.com

austinsm11

07-25-2006, 05:16 PM

Coach K has narrowed the roster down to 15 who will travel. I am a little surprised that Amare Stoudemire made the list. I am excited to see how these guys do. I like how guys were chosen to try to make a team instead of just throwing a bunch of all-stars together. Good to see they are in camp and working hard. Also good to see a guy like Bruce Bowen on the team. I haven't seen Battier play in awhile, but I really used to like his hustle as well. Lebron and Wade with a few more years experience should really help.

I really like Gilbert Arenas. I have also been impressed with Kirk Hinrich when I have seen him play. I worry a little about the center position. It would be nice to have a wallace, duncan,or o'neil.

scottyotc

07-27-2006, 03:11 PM

Nah I really like our pivots...Howard is an animal....and only getting better he and Oden are gonna have some memorable battle in the near future...I like Miller tough and shoots with some range...long been our undoing in international play. Stoudamire not many players in the game better when healthy.

TigerCoach

07-27-2006, 04:23 PM

Seems to me like the International teams run us off the floor. Because of that, I like Coach K's thinking of being more athletic, faster and more flexible. I'm not sure having Shaq or Tim Duncan would give us much of an advantage over some of these quicker teams (I know that's hard to imagine?). Having guys like LeBron, Wade, Arenas, etc give him much more flexibility. They can all handle the ball, drive to the rim, pass, shoot, etc. Shaq doesn't play defense anyways.

Chibbzz

07-27-2006, 04:31 PM

There is no excuse for this year's USA basketball team to not win gold at the World Championships in August. This team is loaded with superstars.

austinsm11

07-27-2006, 09:53 PM

Kamd50

07-27-2006, 10:00 PM

etc. Shaq doesn't play defense anyways.

Lord knows USA doesn't want him at the free-throw line:eek2:

Chibbzz

07-27-2006, 10:59 PM

I agree that we should win gold, but I don't see this team loaded with superstars as in previous years. This is an actual team. I really like Amare as well when healthy, just surprised he made the cut since he hasn't played in so long.

I would still really like to have had a healthy Duncan.

I know it will never happen, but I always thought maybe we should send the NBA Champions. Take maybe their top 7-8 and then add 4-5 more. How would the Miami Heat do with 4-5 of the following:James, Bosh, Paul, Arenas, Bowen, Battier, Howard, Jamison, Anthony, Stoudamire, Hinrich?

I like that idea of sending the NBA champions to the World Championship. The only problem is that all the foreign players wouldn't play for the USA. For example, if the Mavericks had won the title, Dirk Nowitzki would probably play for Germany instead of the USA.

austinsm11

07-28-2006, 11:28 AM

That hadn't really crossed my mind, but you are right Chibbzz. If the Spurs win, who would Ginoboli play for? Very good point.

scottyotc

07-29-2006, 04:01 PM

Colangelo and the Pole (and I can legally call him that since I am one)...lol have the right idea ....I guarantee a gold in the worlds........"and a child shall lead them" ...all hail the king

austinsm11

08-02-2006, 09:54 PM

Team USA defeats Puerto Rico 116-82. From what I read that looked very good on defense.

MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp

08-03-2006, 12:16 PM

This is a talented group of players capable of winning the world championship. Look for them to lead with intimidation once they get on the floor.

Krzyzewski has his forces ready for combat! If there is one team I want to see the U.S. beat (and I think they need this), I'd like to see them get some redemption against Italy...darn it, I still haven't forgot the defensive breakdown the U.S. had as they allowed 17 three pointers to a hot-shooting Italian team in a rout that didn't sit well with me.

I want to see Stoudemire fire down one of his venomous power slams! I loved watching him do that during the 2004-05 season, when Phoenix advanced to the Western Conference Finals. Oh...can't forget about my man LeBron James as well!

Here's to the U.S. and a championship :no1: !!!!!

ChronicTiger

08-03-2006, 10:59 PM

anybody watching?

Johnson just pulled one of the sickest cross-overs then took it into a reverse layup!!

Nice...............

austinsm11

08-04-2006, 07:38 AM

I watched the first quarter and the first few minutes of the second quarter before going to bed. I was NOT impressed with them at all. Right after I went to bed I guess they picked it up and went on a 19-2 run and won 114-69. I read that they also forced 25 turnovers.

ChronicTiger

08-04-2006, 10:50 AM

Perry74

08-04-2006, 11:07 AM

With the recent events in Cleveland sports (the Indians collapse and Bentley's knee injury), I'm hoping and praying LBJ stays healthy.

MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp

08-04-2006, 11:38 AM

I love the flair that LeBron James brings to the game. Too bad I'm the only one in the family who likes him. But what the heck...he's the man!

MTown

08-04-2006, 12:32 PM

They looked awesome last night. There were guys diving on the floor for loose balls, taking charges, trying to lock guys up on D...very refreshing to watch. I think the young guys (Lebron, Wade, Carmelo) really want to put their stamp on USA Basketball for years, and Coach K was a perfect choice for the position we are in after that garbage at the Olympics.

CarlE

08-07-2006, 12:02 PM

There is no excuse for this year's USA basketball team to not win gold at the World Championships in August. This team is loaded with superstars.

In my mind there has NEVER been an excuse for the USA to not win the World Championship, or any other international competition. Just ridiculous what has recently happened. I am really refreshed by the new attitude and new strategy being set forth. Good luck to the guys.

GrowlingTiger87

08-07-2006, 04:58 PM

...I am really refreshed by the new attitude and new strategy being set forth. Good luck to the guys.

You hit the nail on the head here. It's about the PROPER attitude. The last few teams have went into these tourneys thinking they would just walk out on the court, and the other team's would just roll over to the "mighty USA" team.

I think this team is different.

CarlE

08-07-2006, 05:04 PM

I won this trip to the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996 when I was with Kodak. We had the opportunity to sit in a suite to watch the Dream Team play. It was real early in the morning and nobody showed up except my buddy and myself. And who is hosting the suite for Kodak but Phil Ford of North Carolina fame. Just the three of us in the suite for the entire game. It was unbelievable. My buddy was from North Carolina so Phil Ford gave him his name and number. He's gotten him Duke/Carolina tickets on multiple occassions. That was a once in a lifetime thing, I promise you.

Anyway, I digress. They need to get back to that swagger from those days and take this game back again.

austinsm11

08-08-2006, 03:21 PM

I watched yesterday as the US defeated China fairly easily, although China was missing two of the better players. In both games the US seems to have really come out slow.

I was disappointed when I heard the game between the US and Brazil wouldn't be televised. I thought it would be a good one. I read that Brazil went on a 16-0 run at one point to gain a 54-52 lead in the 3rd quarter. How do they let Brazil go on a 16-0 run? The US only ended up winning 90-86.

austinsm11

08-16-2006, 07:17 AM

Lebron had a great game against South Korea. At times the US seemed to be getting called for phantom fouls or violations. The announcers kept saying that they would pull these amazing moves that the refs had never seen before and shouldn't be possible, so they would blow the whistle.

The US opens with Puerto Rico Saturday at 1 in the morning. Lebron and Wade were interviewd and saying how they are hungry for the gold. They don't want to just beat teams, they want to smash them.

Who do you guys think gets cut? I have heard it is between Bowen, Battier, and Jamison. I say we get rid of Jamison, but just my opinion.

longtimefirsttime

08-16-2006, 10:25 AM

Did anyone see "Wild Thing" playing for Brazil? He looked tough.

TigerCoach

08-16-2006, 10:44 AM

I wish the "Wild Thing" would add some more scoring to the Cavs like he does with his Brazillions. (remember the George Bush joke?) I can understand that with LeBron, the Cavs don't need him to score, but it sure would be nice to have him and Gooden as scoring threats along with James and Hughes outside.

austinsm11

08-16-2006, 11:17 AM

I wish he would get more playing time. If I remember, it didn't seem like he played a whole lot until the playoffs. I love watching him run the floor and his hustle.

austinsm11

08-19-2006, 07:10 AM

The US beats Puerto Rico 111-100. Not really the dominate performance that I was hoping for, especially in the first have. I think the US should be a little worried.

MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp

08-19-2006, 08:53 AM

austinsm11,

Puerto Rico was not going to be intimidated by the U.S. The Americans tried to lead with intimidation against them and it backfired badly. They tried to lead with that same intimidation against the Italian team and they got torched for 17 three-pointers in a 19-point loss or something like that.

Puerto Rico is not a bad team. They just got wore down in the end, that's all. The U.S. will be fine.

austinsm11

08-20-2006, 10:15 AM

The US beat China 121-90. Much more impressive win for the US. Yao only had one bucket in the first half.

DAWGH8R

08-20-2006, 10:19 AM

Link to the latest USA basketball game !!!

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp

08-23-2006, 04:39 PM

The United States stopped Italy today 94-85 as Carmelo Anthony had 35 points to lead the U.S. past the hot-shooting Italian contingent today.

This was a must-win for the U.S. after how the Italians hit them for 19 three-pointers two years ago in a rout of the United States. No one saw that coming. Had they lost this one, I would have wondered about not just their heart and tenacity but their confidence as well.

Italy had shot 58% from the field in the first half but the second half was all U.S.

P.S. Why didn't they get NBA #1 pick Andrea Bargnani?

austinsm11

08-23-2006, 06:23 PM

I really am surprised at how well Carmelo has been playing. He has been a scoring machine.

CarlE

08-23-2006, 07:35 PM

I really am surprised at how well Carmelo has been playing. He has been a scoring machine.

It's about the team concept that Coach K has instilled, and Dwayne Wade personifies. A great TEAM.

austinsm11

08-23-2006, 07:40 PM

It's about the team concept that Coach K has instilled, and Dwayne Wade personifies. A great TEAM.
I agreee that it is about the team. I have said that since the start. I don't watch the NBA much but I just thought that Carmelo wasn't quite up there with Lebron and Wade. I was just saying that I personally thought that he is contributing much more than I expected. Before this got underway I wouldn't have thought he would be leading the team in scoring.

longtimefirsttime

08-23-2006, 10:51 PM

I love the look on Coach K's face when a USA player misses a free throw. It's priceless. But he rarely has had a free throw shooting problem while at Duke.

tigger1983

08-24-2006, 05:17 AM

The USA just defeated Italy to clinch first place in pool play, although it wasnt easy. The USA trailed by 12 early in the second half, but adjustments by the coaching staff turned things around the rest of the game. In my opinion, the difference in the play in the Worlds this year and the play in the Olympics, where the USA lost to Italy in exhibition play and beat them here, shows what I have been saying for years that Larry Brown is overrated as a coach. These same three players, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwayne Wade, were on that Olympic team but all too often you could find them on the bench while more experience players, like Allen Iverson were laying a big egg on the floor. At the very least, this team seems to care more. The 2004 Olympic team for the most part looked like they could care less. Combine that with the performance of the Knicks this last year, Coach Brown is looking less and less like the genius the media has made him out to be. Even the Detroit players have said how much more they enjoyed playing for Flip Saunders (although that seemed to have come to an end in the Miami series).... And up until the playoffs, the Pistons looked like a much better team under Saunders... But we still have our toughest games to come...

austinsm11

08-24-2006, 08:01 PM

Close win for the US today.

DAWGH8R

08-24-2006, 08:19 PM

WAY too close !! Maybe a wake-up call !!!

MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp

08-25-2006, 08:14 AM

Italy is a very good hot-shooting team, they might see the U.S. again, who knows. They got guys who can knock down 3-point shots.

austinsm11

07-28-2007, 03:12 PM

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Here is my early pick for what the 12-man roster will look like: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Kobe Bryant, Tyson Chandler, Kirk Hinrich, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Kidd, Mike Miller, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh and Michael Redd.

Wouldn't mind seeing Duncan on that team. I don't know what others think, but I really like watching Hinrich play.