THE TEAM USA THREAD (5-0, Argentina/Ginobili next)

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

[ [URL=http://imageshack.us][img][URL=http://imageshack.us][img]http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/1889/kobeiiusastrengthpreviejn9.jpg[/img]http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/8389/1381465ta1.jpg[/IMG]
When the season ends this is arguably the best time of the year. Team USA Basketball is about to be at it's peak. They've got great players on they're starting lineup. Even their BENCH has loads of talent. They could be at the point that the dream team was at but Colangelo doesn't really seem to care about the quality talent at this point. I know that we won't be at their point since every player on that team but 1 or 2 is a virtual HOFer. But the competition that Team USA went against was virtually GARBAGE. The talent we have now across the world, much much better than it was in '92, '96, hell even 2000 with Mcgrady, Carter, Kidd, and Garnett with the talent and players they went against. You could even say the talent USA opposed was subpar.

So, my question to you all is that with the talent that team usa has with players like Bryant, Kidd, James, Wade, Anthony, Howard, and others, will they come away with the gold???
And please discuss wat you like/dislike/ about the roster or post what you think could be a potential starting lineup. Training Camp is July 20.

Projected Starters(Barring Injuries)
PG- Jason Kidd
SG- Kobe Bryant
SF- Carmelo Anthiny
PF- Lebron James
C- Dwight Howard

[el badman]

I think it's already been established that having the best individual talents in the world doesn't seem to do the trick against teams that actually know how to play together.
I really don't think Team USA will be considered like a favorite at the upcoming Games, given the past disappointments.

[Lamrock]

Why the fuck is Jason Kidd starting?

[GoHornets]

I remember that in 2002 USA team went out fo the court insulted by their own fans. Since then, they didn't get much better results.
I don't know, I don't have a good feeling. I think Spain can beat them, and Argentina the same.

[[Q]]

hell no. in 04, Larry was not fit to coach the younger USA squad. i think they did it right this time around by keeping the ame guys around.

C-Dwight
PF-Melo
SF-Lebron
SG-Kobe
PG-CP3

ok solid starting 5. but wait... who's on that bench?
oh AMARE & WADE coming off thebench. If Redd comes back, you got Redd, Kidd, Deron Williams, and Prince coming off the bench. Maybe Bosh or Brand will be added for more size inside.

imagine how many alley oops will be thrown by CP to Dwight & Lebron...

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

Amare turned down his invitation. It said on sportscenter last night.

[kingjames23]

what team usa should look like


duncan
stoudamire
howard d.


garnett
wallace r.
marion


mcgrady
pierce
anthony


bryant
wade
allen


james
paul
iverson


now that is an unbeatable team.

[MadNice]

Anyway is Puerto Rico in the olymics thing? cuz i am going for Puerto rico.
I bet Puerto Rico is gonna beat USA like they did in 04. Cuz i heard Puerto rico got their own LeBron James over there heh.

C-Peter John Ramos
F-Daniel Santingo
F-"The Player who plays like Lebron which i dont know his name..."
G-Larry Auyso
G-Carlos Arroyo

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

I think Puerto Rico is in it. I'm not sure.

[Jing]

Frankly, and as much as I hate Team USA, this team is monstrous, though its still got ballhogs like Wade, LeBron, Kobe, Anthony, and more players who only look out for themselves. Puerto Rico isn't in yet, they are playing with like 10 other teams for the final 3 spots in the Olympics.

I also wonder, why is the U.S. always placed in the same pool as China, Angola, and Spain. Almost at like every major tournament these teams have to face each other in pool play.

[Dro]

Shit, why don't we send the Boston Celtics to Beijing? Don't tell me a group of ballhogs is going to outplay the rest of the world -- it doesn't work like that anymore. The Celts would take gold, easily.

[[Q]]

I don't tihnk Santiago's playing in international ball anymore.

[BIG GREEN]

I look forward to team usa...best time in basketball for me also...other than all-star weekend. I'm just wondering what time we're gonna get to see their games here in the good ol' U.S of A. I'm not going to be up 3 in the morning to see games.

[Oskar]

A team like that would possibly work out for USA:

C: D12
PF: KG
SF: Melo
SG: Ray Allen
PG: CP3

Why would it work out ? Well, none's a ballhog, except Melo. Melo would do his thing with mid-range jumpers and all. If he would suck, there are 4 guys who can make it good on offense, but are also more than that. ( Except Ray Allen. )

Howard would bring rebounds, blocks. KG would bring rebound, defense. Melo would be the main offense. Ray Allen would shoot his wide open 3 pointers. CP3 would make the plays + good defense.

I think that kind of a team would work out, instead of many star players who are hogging a little bit too much.

[kingjames23]

how about a super mash up of championship teams with only a few individual players. you would have the core piston ans celtic players, and with shaq, you get a wade/shaq, kobe/shaq combo. big ben can still play with the piston boys, and lebron and cp3 are unselfish starters

c howard
pf duncan
sf lebron
sg bryant
pg paul

c sheed
pf garnett
sf pierce
sg allen
pg billups
sg hamilton
sf prince
sg wade
c shaq
pf/c ben wallace

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

A team like that would possibly work out for USA:

C: D12
PF: KG
SF: Melo
SG: Ray Allen
PG: CP3

Why would it work out ? Well, none's a ballhog, except Melo. Melo would do his thing with mid-range jumpers and all. If he would suck, there are 4 guys who can make it good on offense, but are also more than that. ( Except Ray Allen. )

Howard would bring rebounds, blocks. KG would bring rebound, defense. Melo would be the main offense. Ray Allen would shoot his wide open 3 pointers. CP3 would make the plays + good defense.

I think that kind of a team would work out, instead of many star players who are hogging a little bit too much.

In that case, I'd rather have Kobe at the 3 instead of Melo. Because Kobe can play the 3 and has much more to offer offensively and defensively than Carmelo.

[kingjames23]

i agree. carmello is soft on defense. i like my 2nd pick for a team, the more i look at it.

[bowdown]

Get carmelo out of there and put paul perice for fucks sake. carmelo is a no defense stat padding piece of dried up shit

[[Q]]

you guys fail to realize they're only picking from the pool of players on the USABasketball website.

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

you guys fail to realize they're only picking from the pool of players on the USABasketball website.

You mean this?

Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Gilbert Arenas (Washington Wizards); Shane Battier (Houston Rockets); Mike Bibby (Atlanta Hawks); Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons); Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors); Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz); Bruce Bowen (San Antonio Spurs); Elton Brand (Los Angeles Clippers); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Tyson Chandler (New Orleans Hornets); Nick Collison (Seattle SuperSonics); Kevin Durant (Seattle SuperSonics); Kirk Hinrich (Chicago Bulls); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks); Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Antawn Jamison (Washington Wizards); Shawn Marion (Miami Heat); Brad Miller (Sacramento Kings); Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies); Adam Morrison (Charlotte Bobcats); Greg Oden (Portland Trail Blazers); Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers); Jermaine O'neal (Indiana Pacers) Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets); Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics); Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons); Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks); J.J. Redick (Orlando Magic); Luke Ridnour ( Seattle SuperSonics); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz).

[NovU]

why not send whole boston celtics? lol. sux it ain't possible.
boston is a team with only usa players. they'd win it all fo sure.

anyways, lebron and melo at PF sounds weak to me, when you consider euro players' size at PF. melo and bron can't even compete at pf in NBA especially against top PFs.

[[Q]]

yeah so no need to mention duncan, kg, sheed, shaq, etc they had their chance in 04.

[joejam999]

Kidd or D-Will is starting last time CP3 was abused by the bigger guards.

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

huh?

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

So far, the Team USA roster is rumored to include Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Jason Kidd, Michael Redd, and Chris Paul.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8268 ... to-US-team

10 players already.