Personally, I love basketball. Just woke up and got the score off the internet. Couldn't believe it. They let it get that close.
This "Dream Team" is far from it. None of these players ever won any sort of NCAA or NBA championship. Gary Payton is the only one who has a gold medal. They are the most athletic and talented team in the field, but don't have the desire or cohesion. USA Basketball needs more championship caliber players on the squad if they want to continue domination. Older and more mature players who know how to win. Glen Rice, Scotty Pippen, David Robinson and Shaq, to name a few.
Rudy T was not the best man for USA Basketball coach either. Phil Jackson, Greg Popavich or Pat Riley would have been the better choice. They gave the job to Rudy T because he coached USA Basketball to the Bronze Medal at the '98 World Championships with a bunch of CBA players. I wonder how much input Larry Brown has had in all of this. He's an outstanding teacher of the game.
Seems they just forget all about fundamentals and go out on the floor to show off. Would have done their crappy egos a world of good to lose. Taught their multi-million dollar a$$es a lesson. They'd probably end up whining about the zone defense. Zone is legal in college, Olympic and FIBA ball, but not in the NBA. Or they'd whine about the fact that they have only been together for 5 weeks.
Lithuania is well coached and has been playing the game for years. It was introduced there by some US coaches before World War II. They play excellent team ball and probably earn a winning record if they played in the USA against NCAA Division I teams during exhibition. Maybe even some close games against an NBA team or two. I knew they'd be a handful for USA Basketball. Not this much though.
In 1988, when the old USSR beat John Thompson's USA collegians, Lithuanians Arvydas Sabonis and Sarunas Marcilionus were the most instrumental in that victory. Sabonis plays for Portland, but was a little too banged up to play this year. Marcilionus, after about 8 years in the NBA, is now the equivalent of David Stearn in Lithuania.
Bear in mind that all of the players on this Lithuanian squad would probably earn a roster spot on an NCAA Division I team. Maybe one or two would "ride the pine" in the NBA. I'll bet a few scouts are gonna be over there now, even though the Lithuanian team is not NBA caliber.
A great demonstration of how good team play with average players can almost beat a much more talented team. I know Rick Majerus was loving this.
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