Tetsujin
The Game Thread Dude
Chet hasn’t even played a minute in the NBA yet and Joel Embiid might choose to play for a different country entirely. Also why are there only like three wings on this entire roster?
Would be a pretty wild ~10 days if so because the hype was unreal a few days ago then he had a few defensive lapses (more commonly recognized as playing defense how he do).people starting to turn on Tyrese?
I dunno, I feel like a Draymond/Lebron/(KD or Tatum)/(Fox or Ant or Spida)/Steph type of team probably smashed through most any team that isn’t Serbia with Joker active. The issue is that most of those guys want absolutely nothing to do with Team USA at this point (although Kerr could probably get Curry and Dray to play)I'd be curious if the US (NBA) trotted out their 'no-sh1t" best players (tier 1s) would they actually smash opponenets? I dont think so.....the B team is pretty closley talented and still couldn't figure it out.
This may be a roundabout good sign for the Kings and Vezenkov as a hopeful Euro player translating over. I think the expectation should be an offensive shot-in-the-arm immediately off the bench - if he can average low double digits ppg on satisfactory shooting, ,mission complete.
@Mr. S£im Citrus and I had a back and forth about the last olympics prior to the start of the tourney with some disappointing results in the weeks prior with me complaining they think they can just send the best guys and it will all work itself out without a longer term commitment. Then we lost to France to start. And then from there they flipped the switch winning every game by double digits until the rematch with France which they only won by 5, but aside from France trimming it to 3 a few times in the 4th, it didn't really feel in doubt most of the game either.I'd be curious if the US (NBA) trotted out their 'no-sh1t" best players (tier 1s) would they actually smash opponenets? I dont think so.....the B team is pretty closley talented and still couldn't figure it out.
This may be a roundabout good sign for the Kings and Vezenkov as a hopeful Euro player translating over. I think the expectation should be an offensive shot-in-the-arm immediately off the bench - if he can average low double digits ppg on satisfactory shooting, ,mission complete.
I coin flipped between 8 and 9 tbh. On one hand it's still single elimination past the group stage.9/10 sounds about right to me. Maybe as low as 8/10, even if the United States sends their best.
Based on that metric, I might say that we've only actually sent the "A" team to the Olympics three times (the Dream Team, the Redeem Team, and the team in 2012).On the other hand I don't think an "A" team has ever lost the Olympic tournament in the pro-era yet*.
I mean, I guess if you're narrowing the parameters to only include the Olympics (which, if you were, would kind of prove the point I was making upthread), you could say that the France game was the first loss since 2004. The men finished third in 2006, and then they had their worst-ever finish (7th) at the last World Cup in 2019.There's a lot more on the line and I think 2 years ago we saw after the France game the team just said no way is it going to be us. Correct me if I'm wrong but that France game was the first loss by a US Men's pro-team outside of 2004?
I mean, good. Really was a pathetic FIBA LU we sent over and then Kerr kind of had horrible roster management with his rotations. Austin mother ****ing Reaves getting featured really was just.... man.
The only time I recall sending an A team to FIBA was 94 when Dream Team was still a novelty. Maybe I'm wrong.Based on that metric, I might say that we've only actually sent the "A" team to the Olympics three times (the Dream Team, the Redeem Team, and the team in 2012).
I mean, I guess if you're narrowing the parameters to only include the Olympics (which, if you were, would kind of prove the point I was making upthread), you could say that the France game was the first loss since 2004. The men finished third in 2006, and then they had their worst-ever finish (7th) at the last World Cup in 2019.
First of All™, there was only one Dream Team, so you need to divest your mind of thinking like that. Second of all, you're definitely biased: 2012 had Prime!LeBron, the OKC trio coming off a run to the Finals, Kobe, and Chris Paul in his prime. That team was definitely better than the 2016 squad.The only time I recall sending an A team to FIBA was 94 when Dream Team was still a novelty. Maybe I'm wrong.
Maybe I am biased to think the 2016 team was better than it was since Boogie was on the team.
Hey now! I’m not saying the 94 was a dream team though they were still marketing as such and it seemed like there was no question guys wanted to play on it thus it was our A team and the only time I recalled us making FIBA a big deal. Also not slighting 2012 just saying I thought we still had competition/strong interest by top NBA guys to play in those Olympics.First of All™, there was only one Dream Team, so you need to divest your mind of thinking like that. Second of all, you're definitely biased: 2012 had Prime!LeBron, the OKC trio coming off a run to the Finals, Kobe, and Chris Paul in his prime. That team was definitely better than the 2016 squad.
Austin Reaves isn't even the most overrated player on the 2023 USMNT FIBA men's squad; that would be Paolo Banchero.Austin Reaves defensively is bad. Superbad. And it’s not NBA refs in the international game. Could be the most overrated player in the NBA.
We don't disagree. I was only saying we sent our best squad to that tournament.I could give a rat's ass how they were marketed. There was one Dream Team. One.
MOATAustin Reaves defensively is bad. Superbad. And it’s not NBA refs in the international game. Could be the most overrated player in the NBA.
I mean, the Dream Team had eleven Hall of Famers (and, if we're being honest, Laettner deserves to get in just on his college record), and the 1994 team had five, so it didn't feel like the 12 best players in the world.We don't disagree. I was only saying we sent our best squad to that tournament.
This isn't 30 years of hindsight or marketing, the players still wanted to uphold the legacy of USA Basketball and being the 12 best players in the world in 94...