This situation smacks of Daddy-ball with Coach K and Plumlee but on a National Team level. The fact that Plumlee was invited to tryout in the first place is proof enough. If you go down the list of bigs in the NBA, is he even in the top 50% of bigs? Love the post by one of the other members pointing out that the second year pro played in the Summer League. If Plumlee makes it over Cuz and even Drummond for that matter, I hope the media grills K and Colangelo both.
Cousins Back for Team USA
- Thread starter Uncia03
- Start date
Chubbs
Starter
It's on espn at 6 pm pst
Bosnian Diehard
Starter
According to Malone, DMC wants this really bad. Surely he will be devstated if he gets cut, especially if Miles Fvcking Plumlee takes his place.
Hallama
Starter
Let's see, Coach K wants shot blockers, rebounders, and defenders at the 4/5. He's got ADavis, big CHECK. Drummond, check. No need for Plum's.
Then there's this multi-dimensional, huge, offensive threat that is a load to handle. A perfect compliment and weapon to the two above guys.
Nah, who would want that?
Then there's this multi-dimensional, huge, offensive threat that is a load to handle. A perfect compliment and weapon to the two above guys.
Nah, who would want that?
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Coach K once was rumored to be responsible for taking Christian Laettner rather than Shaq on the original Dream Team. Answer your question?
I don't like this, but I like this.
My brain just gave me a Blue Screen Of Death and rebooted. I'm sorry, what did you say again?
Jerichoholic
Bench
The truth is that I can see both sides of this. As a fan of the Kings and Cousins I want him to make the team badly, if for no other reason that I won't watch the games otherwise. In terms of talent none of the big men should be taken over Cousins, not Drummond, not Plumlee, and not even Davis in my opinion. I believe Cousins deserves this spot and it might mean more to him than anyone else on the team, he will give everything he has if picked.
The other side of the equation is something we all talk about a lot on here, that is team fit. Team USA has made it clear that they want their scoring to come from the backcourt and SF spot with the big men running the pick and roll and playing excellent defense. In those terms all three of the other big men seem to be a better fit than Cousins. The team essentially would have to change their entire philosophy to best utilize Cousins' strengths. Perhaps as a change of pace guy off the bench to give the guards rest and have better balance, but that's really the only chance I see of the team taking him.
In my opinion Cousins has no chance of making this team and never did. That's fine, that's the team's choice and they can do whatever they feel is better for them. The part that angers me though is why invite Cousins at all and get his hopes up? They know what his strengths and weaknesses are and those weren't likely to change that much in two years. He did improve a lot, but he will never be a run the floor defensive specialist type of center, that's not his game.
The other side of the equation is something we all talk about a lot on here, that is team fit. Team USA has made it clear that they want their scoring to come from the backcourt and SF spot with the big men running the pick and roll and playing excellent defense. In those terms all three of the other big men seem to be a better fit than Cousins. The team essentially would have to change their entire philosophy to best utilize Cousins' strengths. Perhaps as a change of pace guy off the bench to give the guards rest and have better balance, but that's really the only chance I see of the team taking him.
In my opinion Cousins has no chance of making this team and never did. That's fine, that's the team's choice and they can do whatever they feel is better for them. The part that angers me though is why invite Cousins at all and get his hopes up? They know what his strengths and weaknesses are and those weren't likely to change that much in two years. He did improve a lot, but he will never be a run the floor defensive specialist type of center, that's not his game.
Big Cuz 15
All-Star
Im ok w cuz not making the team. It will just make him work even harder this season.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Coach K was an assistant on that staff. Laettner was his guy. People may have just been connecting dots. Then again....
whozit
Starter
Wasn't there something about them wanting a college player on the team back then? If so, then connect the dots .......... if not, even worse.
Jerichoholic
Bench
I hope you're right, but that's not necessarily true. People respond to criticism and disappointment in different ways. In my opinion Cousins will respond much better to success than failure. Just look at his play after his All-Star snub, his effort decreased dramatically, now he did pick it up again so he was able to get over it which I respect. However the thing that bothers me is that eventually when a guy has been snubbed enough he will just quit assuming that no matter what he does he will never get what he fights so hard for. This is especially true when the guy actually deserves to get what he fights for, what more then can he do?
Shaq was also a college guy
gunks
Hall of Famer
Plumlee over Cousins?
Why not pick Wes Johnson over Durant while they're at it?
Dumb. Hopefully he makes it. I'd be bummed for the big fella if he doesn't. And Jerichoholic makes a good point....I'd rather not have a despondent Cousins on our hands next season. That would diminish our playoff hopes for sure.
Why not pick Wes Johnson over Durant while they're at it?
Dumb. Hopefully he makes it. I'd be bummed for the big fella if he doesn't. And Jerichoholic makes a good point....I'd rather not have a despondent Cousins on our hands next season. That would diminish our playoff hopes for sure.
HereWeBoogie
Hall of Famer
Obviously they want their perimeter guys chucking and doing all the scoring and not the bigs. What better way to get Harden/Curry/Durant/Rose/etc a bunch of open shots, than giving the ball to a dominant center who will demand a double team and then willingly pass the ball......
There's two ways I would answer this...
One is about what happens on the court -- if you can't find a place in your rotation for a post scorer who dominates NBA competition and would absolutely tear apart every international front court that doesn't feature Gasol, maybe you need to re-consider your system. Sure it's fun to have NBA stars flying up the court and dunking on every fast break, but what's the goal here? Is this Harlem Globetrotters or are we trying to win? For the country that invented the sport to fall prey to crowd-pleasing gimmick ball at the expense of fundamentals, I think that's pretty sad. If you've loaded your roster with shooters, versatile defenders, guys who can create off the pick and roll -- why wouldn't you want a true post scoring threat to make all of those players that much more effective? Do we really need a 4th or 5th PG at the expense of one player who can reliably beat a double team in the post?
The second response is about personnel management -- you've brought Cousins in to try out for Team USA three years in a row now. By all indications, he's headed for a career as one of the top 5 bigs in the league as he reaches his prime. This guy wants to play for team USA and he's made it a priority this summer to get in shape and work hard while others have ducked out for various personal reasons. Everyone seems to agree that from a straight talent standpoint, he belongs on the team. If you dismiss him for a third year in a row, maybe he decides he's done with you and doesn't come running back next year. Do you really want to risk alienating one of the best big men in the NBA right at the beginning of his career? Wouldn't it be better to let him get a taste of international competition now, even if it's a limited role, and keep him motivated and engaged in the process?
whozit
Starter
OK, it goes into "even worse" status if it comes to pass. To me, it's a pisser just being something that may be under consideration. That's what I get from going on memory on anything longer than what I ate for breakfast ...............
Uncia03
Starter
It could be that both Marc and Pau got a hold of Coach K and begged him not to include Plumlee on the roster.
That could have got him thinking that perhaps the intimidation that Mason brings could be put to good use if they wind up facing Spain...
In all honesty, regardless of the talk we're hearing, I'll be very surprised if Cousins doesn't make the roster.
This sort of chatter just brings attention to the National team, which might be the whole point of this 'musing' by Coach K.
Ultimately they are going to need a real big when facing some of the bigger teams and that really boils down to Cousins and Drummond...and Cousins is the only big who has any chance of perhaps getting either the Gasols into foul trouble while holding his own defensively.
That could have got him thinking that perhaps the intimidation that Mason brings could be put to good use if they wind up facing Spain...
In all honesty, regardless of the talk we're hearing, I'll be very surprised if Cousins doesn't make the roster.
This sort of chatter just brings attention to the National team, which might be the whole point of this 'musing' by Coach K.
Ultimately they are going to need a real big when facing some of the bigger teams and that really boils down to Cousins and Drummond...and Cousins is the only big who has any chance of perhaps getting either the Gasols into foul trouble while holding his own defensively.
MizzouKing
Starter
How do you KNOW this DeMarcus Cousins guy has really turned the corner and isn't just playing nice to make the team? Simple....you suggest that you might take what he's worked so hard for away from him and see how he reacts. After all, it's how people behave in the worst of times that reveals their true character. Coach K knows this.
I think Boogie will respond appropriately in every way, and I look forward to seeing him on the national team.
I think Boogie will respond appropriately in every way, and I look forward to seeing him on the national team.
I think you are giving Coach K way to much credit here. I think he and Colangelo have been laying the groundwork to keep Plumlee and not Cuz....a favor to K for coaching the team. Only way to prove otherwise is to keep Cuz on the team and furthermore, cut Plumlee right off the bat as he doesn't even belong with the group trying out for Team USA.
HereWeBoogie
Hall of Famer
If Cousins doesn't play much tonight, you know they have already made a decision one way or the other. If he plays a lot, he better impress, because it means they are really looking for a reason to add him over the other bigs
This has always been my biggest concern with Cuz and USA basketball. USA basketball hasn't operated with a post scorer who doesn't play defense in 10 years. Love was the exception because he was/is an exceptional floor spacer.
So in that sense, I've always questioned whether Boogie was a good fit for U.S.A basketball. He just hasn't been the type of player they've used in the last 10 years. Once BG and Love dropped out, it was absolutely clear he deserved one of the big spots.
But Mason freaking Plumlee? Like, you'd understand if it was the elite defensive C like a Noah or Hibbert. At least those guys "fit" what U.S.A basketball tries to do. But Plumlee is just inexcusable and is a clear sign of favoritisim from coach K to take care of one of "his" guys
So in that sense, I've always questioned whether Boogie was a good fit for U.S.A basketball. He just hasn't been the type of player they've used in the last 10 years. Once BG and Love dropped out, it was absolutely clear he deserved one of the big spots.
But Mason freaking Plumlee? Like, you'd understand if it was the elite defensive C like a Noah or Hibbert. At least those guys "fit" what U.S.A basketball tries to do. But Plumlee is just inexcusable and is a clear sign of favoritisim from coach K to take care of one of "his" guys
Boogie does play defense. In fact, he's actually pretty good at it. He's not a freak athlete like Howard or Davis and maybe he doesn't produce the same quantity of highlight reel defensive plays, but he's a steady contributor who uses his bulk to create leverage in the post and has quicker hands and feet than you'd expect from a guy his size. 1.3 bpg last season puts him in good company (Marc Gasol and Chris Anderson - 1.3, Taj Gibson and Josh Smith - 1.4, Derrick Favors and Joakim Noah - 1.5) and he averaged more steals and more rebounds per game than all of those guys. In fact, only Howard, Love, Drummond, and Jordan averaged more rebounds last season and the only big who averaged more steals was Paul Millsap. Every defensive metric shows Cousins was the best defender on the team last year by a wide margin, which should have been obvious to anyone who was watching the games. He turned a corner big time last year yet a lot of people continue to judge him on the basis of his first three seasons.
That was not nearly as egregious as this would be: as big a snub as that was to Shaq, Laettner could play. Everybody agrees, in hindsight, that O'Neal should have made it over Laettner, and there may have even been one or two people in the media who said it at the time, but nobody thought it was ridiculous that Laettner made the team over Shaq. O'Neal may have deserved to go, but it's not like Laettner didn't. Let's not forget that Laettner averaged 21/8 that year in college, won a national championship, and swept all of the post-season awards.
This wouldn't be like Shaq getting left off the team for Christian Laettner. It would be like if Shaq had gotten left off the team for Mike Peplowski.
Hallama
Starter
Wow. That killed me. lol
https://www.numberfire.com/nba/news...a-to-pick-mason-plumlee-over-demarcus-cousins
First time I posted a link, I hope this is ok as I got it off of twitter. Good article and breaks down offense and defensive numbers of Cuz and Plumlee....basically, Cuz has better defensive numbers too.
First time I posted a link, I hope this is ok as I got it off of twitter. Good article and breaks down offense and defensive numbers of Cuz and Plumlee....basically, Cuz has better defensive numbers too.
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