No fuckin' with the US basketball team next time around.

[A Happy Medium 0]

This is what got them into trouble before.

 

Other countries bring TEAMS.

 

USA brings STARS.

 

Hopefully we medal.

 

This is what I was about to say. The main problem is that the last team didn't have a pass-first point guard, hell, a playmaking point guard at all, a pure shooter, and an intimidating inside force.

 

This is my team for 2006 and 2008.

 

Kobe "Mamba" Bryant

Lebron James

Michael Redd

Kirk Hinrich

Bobby Simmons

Ben Wallace

Brad Miller

Josh Howard

Dwayne Wade

Elton Brand

Rasheed Wallace

Robert Horry

 

Rasheed is on the team to be our new Barkley. Redd is a shooting machine. Hinrich is a scrappy defender who likes to pass first. Brad Miller is the center who can spot up. And, of course, Horry is the guy who will make clutch shots if they need to be made.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Add a couple defensive specialist like Tayshaun Prince or Bruce Bowen to the team. You have more than enough offense.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Add a couple defensive specialist like Tayshaun Prince or Bruce Bowen to the team. You have more than enough offense.

[UZI Suicide 0]

This is what got them into trouble before.

 

Other countries bring TEAMS.

 

USA brings STARS.

 

Hopefully we medal.

 

This is what I was about to say. The main problem is that the last team didn't have a pass-first point guard, hell, a playmaking point guard at all, a pure shooter, and an intimidating inside force.

 

This is my team for 2006 and 2008.

 

Kobe "Mamba" Bryant

Lebron James

Michael Redd

Kirk Hinrich

Bobby Simmons

Ben Wallace

Brad Miller

Josh Howard

Dwayne Wade

Elton Brand

Rasheed Wallace

Robert Horry

 

Rasheed is on the team to be our new Barkley. Redd is a shooting machine. Hinrich is a scrappy defender who likes to pass first. Brad Miller is the center who can spot up. And, of course, Horry is the guy who will make clutch shots if they need to be made.

 

 

There's no need for Horry on the team, Kobe can make the clutch shots. Bobby Simmons and Brad Miller do nothing for me. One guy who MUST be on the team, IMO, is Dwight Howard. The kid is a rebounding machine and is one of the top young talents in the league. Add Chris Bosh in there too. I love Hinrich but Chauncey Billups absolutely has to be on the squad.

 

I'd go with..

 

Kobe Bryant

LeBron James

Michael Redd

Chauncy Billups

Brevin Knight (extremely underrated passer and defender)

Dwight Howard

Tayshaun Prince

Chris Bosh

Rasheed Wallace

Rashard Lewis

Ben Wallace

Bruce Bowen

[Guest Vitamin X]

Here's even better news. Shaq and Kobe back together again??

 

O'Neal, Bryant could be re-united in World Games

February 20, 2006

 

HOUSTON (Ticker) - Don't look now, but Shaq and Kobe could be teammates again on the grandest international basketball stage, the FIBA World Championship.

 

With Kobe Bryant having volunteered for national team duty in Japan this summer, his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Shaquille O'Neal, now playing for the Miami Heat, is mulling over an invitation.

 

The two had a feud before O'Neal left the Lakers, but recently made a very public show of putting their differences aside.

 

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Jerry Colangelo, the managing director of USA Basketball's men's senior national team program, was at the NBA All-Star weekend in Houston.

 

According to a report in the Arizona Republic, Colangelo has 28 commitments for 22 spots and he is waiting on a decision from O'Neal.

 

"Shaq saw me in the elevator and said, 'I'll call you in a week or two,'" Colangelo said. "I said, 'Shaq, there's always a spot for you.'"

 

The report also said the only non-NBA players who have a chance of travelling to Japan are Duke's JJ Redick, Gonzaga's Adam Morrison and Ohio State-bound high school star Greg Oden.

 

The draw for the FIBA World Championship was very kind to Team USA as they are in Group D along with Puerto Rico and Italy, who needed wild cards for the event, as well as China, Senegal and Slovenia.

 

The United States bowed out of the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis at the quarterfinal stage and two years later lost three times at the Olympics before settling for bronze.

 

Last year, a team which consisted largely of journeymen professionals from leagues overseas finished fourth at the FIBA Americas Championship to qualify for the FIBA World Championship.

 

Yeah. That'd be great, if Shaq won't be deteoriated and broken down by then.

[Guest]

Shaq's at his best playing with Kobe. Even if deteriorated, Kobe would bring the best out of him.

[Guest Vitamin X]

And vice versa, especially considering how well Kobe's playing nowadays (he's in his PRIME)

[Vern Gagne 0]

Shaq and Kobe being buddies is no fun.

[JustJoe2k5 0]

You seem to be forgetting J.J. Redick, who could easily be involved considering Coach K is coaching the team. He could be that straight-up shooter that Team U.S.A. needs.

[Hawk 34 0]

I'd like to see Coach K go "fuck these pampered babies, I'll just take my own team and call it summer camp".

[2GOLD 0]

I'd like to see Coach K go "fuck these pampered babies, I'll just take my own team and call it summer camp".

 

Oddly enough, I'd think Duke basketball has a better shot at a medal than the US "dream team" line-ups.

[Brett Favre 0]

This is what got them into trouble before.

 

Other countries bring TEAMS.

 

USA brings STARS.

 

Hopefully we medal.

 

Not exactly. They pick the best players from their leagues as well. Don't buy that "They've played for years" crap. Those guys played for years the same way the NBA players have; mostly on opposing teams.

[naiwf 0]

This is what got them into trouble before.

 

Other countries bring TEAMS.

 

USA brings STARS.

 

Hopefully we medal.

 

Not exactly. They pick the best players from their leagues as well. Don't buy that "They've played for years" crap. Those guys played for years the same way the NBA players have; mostly on opposing teams.

 

Except the USA's best players tend to lack this thing call the "fundamentals". European players often aren't athletic or moronic enough to try and rebound the ball, dribble it 90 feet, try to cut through five defenders and then try and jump over or through someone to score a basket. They realize it's a hell of a lot easier to just pass it to another guy wearing the same jersey on the court when he's open because WINNING is more important to them than making the top 10 plays on SportsCenter that night. Until we get that same mentality, we're not going to dominate international competition anymore. And the Euros can all shoot, while Americans usually can't.

[Brett Favre 0]

What does that have to do with playing with each other and not playing with each other?

[naiwf 0]

What does that have to do with playing with each other and not playing with each other?

 

If you know how to play the game properly and can shoot, then it's relatively easy to pick a collection of guys from different teams and make a winner. If you don't know how to play the game properly and can't shoot, when you pick a collection of guys from different teams you end up losing to squads with "inferior talent". Did I really need to spell this one out?

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Go Canada Go!

 

Steve Nash and Jamal Malgorie will rip the US apart.

 

Hell Samuel Dalembert might even play for us.

[Rendclaw 0]

They have the right coach this time. Sure he has his set ways, but he can anbd does adapt to changes going on within a game. He should have the respect of pretty much everyone, and its not like he doesn;t have experience as he was an assistant for the '92 Dream Team.

 

And yes, they need Shaq as much as they need a shooter or two. When properly motivated, and even at his age, Shaq can still dominate inside. The question is, will he be motivated?

 

The reason why the majority of the superstars in the NBA didn;t go back in '04 was money, plain and simple. I wasn;t happy with it at all, because some things should transcend money and ego, but then I remembered the league these players came from.

[Brett Favre 0]

What does that have to do with playing with each other and not playing with each other?

 

If you know how to play the game properly and can shoot, then it's relatively easy to pick a collection of guys from different teams and make a winner. If you don't know how to play the game properly and can't shoot, when you pick a collection of guys from different teams you end up losing to squads with "inferior talent". Did I really need to spell this one out?

 

Um, the guy said that they brought teams over, while the US brought stars. I said that wasn't the case because they brought "stars" as well. They aren't teams. They don't play with each other just like the US players don't play with each other all the time. I was saying that the US has no excuse, and can't use that "Well, they play with each other all year" crap, because they don't play with each other either. That has nothing to do with inferior talent or whatever the hell you're ranting about.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Ah, the fundamentals argument. The problem is, if NBA players lack fundamentals, why aren't they being stomped on the court by superior basketball players in the NBA? This is a competition after all.

 

I think the big problem is that All-Star players tend to be the best offensive players, and defense is neglected. Basketball doesn't really have statistical values on defense, and it is quite difficult to identify the players who will help you on that end.

 

Second, let's remember that this has grown to a competition now. We are going to lose games solely because the other team is really good.

[naiwf 0]

Ah, the fundamentals argument. The problem is, if NBA players lack fundamentals, why aren't they being stomped on the court by superior basketball players in the NBA? This is a competition after all.

 

I think the big problem is that All-Star players tend to be the best offensive players, and defense is neglected. Basketball doesn't really have statistical values on defense, and it is quite difficult to identify the players who will help you on that end.

 

Second, let's remember that this has grown to a competition now. We are going to lose games solely because the other team is really good.

 

The Spurs and Pistons have fundamentally sound teams. Is it any surprise that they are able to regularly dominate teams that aren't on their level with the basics and team play? Individual players, like LeBron, can get away with things just based on athletic ability, but a team full of "LeBrons" wouldn't succeed even in the NBA because they wouldn't know how to play as a team. The Pistons 4+1 getting the East back in the All-Star game this weekend is the best example I can think of.

[Brett Favre 0]

The Pistons didn't get them back in the game. Heck, they're the ones that got them in the hole. The people that got them back in the game were LeBron, AI, Wade, Shaq, and Chris Bosh. The Pistons just continued what they started.

 

And The Pistons have talented players, which is why they have four all-stars. The Spurs have the best player in the NBA, and the fastest backcourt in the league. That may have something to do with it. Yes you need "fundamentals", but you need talent as well. They both have a shitload of talent.

[Jorge Gorgeous 0]

Apparently AI isn't going to be invited to participate in the Summer Games. The list of 25 for the try-outs comes out Sunday.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I have no problem with AI not being invited. I like the fact that he wants to play for his country, but his game doesn't translate that well into the international model and let's be honest, a player at his age and level of durability probably isn't a good bet to give a three year commitment to the program.

[alfdogg 0]

Iverson very rarely misses a game now compared to early in his career. I don't think his durability level is much of a concern.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Yeah, I wasn't trying to imply that he can't stay healthly or anything. I was just saying that with the physical style that he plays and with him getting on in age, maybe playing a couple extra months of highly competitive ball each year might not be the best thing for him.

[Brett Favre 0]

That sucks, he wanted to play.

[alfdogg 0]

The complete list of players, from ESPN.com

 

Carmelo Anthony, Denver

Gilbert Arenas, Washington

Shane Battier, Memphis

Chauncey Billups, Detroit

Chris Bosh, Toronto

Bruce Bowen, San Antonio

Elton Brand, L.A. Clippers

Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers

Dwight Howard, Orlando

Josh Howard, Dallas

LeBron James, Cleveland

Antawn Jamison, Washington

Joe Johnson, Atlanta

Rashard Lewis, Seattle

Shawn Marion, Phoenix

Brad Miller, Sacramento

Chris Paul, NO/Okla. City

Paul Pierce, Boston

Michael Redd, Milwaukee

Luke Ridnour, Seattle

Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix

Dwyane Wade, Miami

[Guest Vitamin X]

WAY too many guards there.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Is Brad Miller going to play the entire game at center?

[alfdogg 0]

Bosh, Howard, and Amare can all play center. Maybe even Brand.