US loses for the second time! This time to Yugoslavia!

[Dragnov]

Bleh, oh well. Everyoen knows teh US could beat any other country if the top players actually cared. But then honestly, would you care considering you will get paid jack (or close to it) in comparison to your normal salary risking injury. Furthermore, you would be playing against players much lower in terms of skill... It would be a waste of time. And thats why you don't see the true superstars ever playing...

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Go Sacramento Kings!

 

[bonk102]

the us team is a joke this year, what teh hell is going on???

 

[StinkyPinky]

Originally posted by: Gr1mL0cK
Bleh, oh well. Everyoen knows teh US could beat any other country if the top players actually cared. But then honestly, would you care considering you will get paid jack (or close to it) in comparison to your normal salary risking injury. Furthermore, you would be playing against players much lower in terms of skill... It would be a waste of time. And thats why you don't see the true superstars ever playing...

Hmmm....what a great bunch of patriots your basketball players must be So much for playing for the "love of the game". And here was me thinking representing your country was the greatest honour of a sportsman's career. Now it's just $$$$$$.

Guess I'm just old fashioned.

 

[spanky]

click here (again)

 

[rgwalt]

Originally posted by: X-Man

Originally posted by: gwlam12

Originally posted by: deftron
Something tells me we'll be sending some better players to Athens

heck yea, i want the big guns over there playing and showing everyone once again that the team playing right now doesnt fully represent US basketball.

Let's be honest, the best players weren't there. We handicapped ourselves.

I'd take Shaq, Duncan, McGrady, Kobe, Iverson, Kidd, Garnett, Webber, Bibby, Paul Pierce, Shawn Marion, and Stephon Marbury.

YEAH!!! Paul Pierce is my boy!

Go Hawks!

Ryan

 

[SuperCyrix]

In the US players defense

- it's possible that Stojakovic was the most talented player on the floor and Divac was easily the best center.

-The rest of the world has caught up, and at the same time we send in average players. Take your pick of any 5 starters on the US team.
They won't even win a NBA championship. Michael Finley is probably the only guy who belongs there. Paul Pierce still plays like an inconsistant rookie at times and he already proven how inconsistant he was in the playoffs. Their point guard is Miller??!?!?!

-The NBA's best team last year the Sac Kings and their best players were all Europeans with the exceptions of Bibby.
Another top team the Mavs had an Canadian point guard and San Antonio wouldn't have gotten far without Parker.

-The #1 pick this year is from China.

-The refs wanted them to lose

 

[SuperCyrix]

Here's another perspective

By JIM LITKE
AP Sports Writer
September 6, 2002

Some people will gripe those teams spent more time practicing together and that even on their best night, the Argentines and Yugoslavs combined wouldn't have had a chance against a Team USA at full strength. And Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd and Allen Iverson all begged off their patriotic duty for one reason or another, so it's possible the streak could have survived one more international tournament.

But that misses the point.

This Dream Team didn't lose to better talent. It lost to better teams. That's going to happen more and more, unless future U.S. teams learn how to play together again.

This Dream Team had no idea how to stop a pick-and-roll or a well-designed inbounds play against Argentina. They couldn't stop Yugoslavia's fourth quarter comeback. That's what you get from players who stand around on defense for a season's worth of NBA games watching middling talents trying all night to make one highlight reel move.

The NBA changed its rules last season to try to cut down on that stuff, to get back some ball movement and the idea of team play. Too bad nobody thoughtof it sooner.

I tend to agree with him. Since this Dream Team is nothing more than a mere good team in the NBA, any international team with reasonable talent and good team play can beat them. I think most people will agree that the Utah Jazz wouldn't have a problem beating this team at least 1/2 the time.

 

[dethman]

I tend to agree with him. Since this Dream Team is nothing more than a mere good team in the NBA, any international team with reasonable talent and good team play can beat them. I think most people will agree that the Utah Jazz wouldn't have a problem beating this team at least 1/2 the time.

i disagree with that, this team was at least as good as an eastern conference all-star team. they had lots of talent, but just never put it to good use. didn't play with any passion, and they felt they could beat anyone playing on the 2nd half alone. and if they actually tried, they'd whomp the jazz night in night out.

i just figured why team usa lost...we sent two CLIPPERS!!

 

[SuperCyrix]

this team was at least as good as an eastern conference all-star team

The eastern conference all-star team minus Jason Kidd, Iverson, McGrady, Vince Carter, Jerry Stackhouse, Ray Allen...

 

[SuperCyrix]

If anyone is interested in the USA lineup

Elton. Brand
Antonio. Davis
Baron. Davis
Michael. Finley
R. LaFrentz
Shawn. Marion
Andre. Miller
Reggie. Miller
Jermaine. O'Neal
Paul. Pierce
Ben. Wallace
Jay. Williams

I say the Utah Jazz can take them to school on any given night

 

[jjones]

As I said in my other post abut the first loss, it was always said that eventually the dream team wouldn't consist of the USA's best and that other countries would close the gap because of increasing skills good enough for the NBA. I don't remember exactly who had said it but they predicted about 10 years to reach that point and they were right.

Actually, I don't mind at all. The dream team was fielded because our representative teams were getting their asses handed to them by other teams fielding some NBA and professional level players. The US finally responded by fielding the dream team and regaining its proper place. Now, our best are not interested anymore since parity has been restored so we're sending out sub-par teams that will have to actually compete and fight for a win. To me this is the way it should be and at least they have a good chance of winning rather than no chance.

 

[Red Dawn]

If anyone is interested in the USA lineup

Elton. Brand
Antonio. Davis
Baron. Davis
Michael. Finley
R. LaFrentz
Shawn. Marion
Andre. Miller
Reggie. Miller
Jermaine. O'Neal
Paul. Pierce
Ben. Wallace
Jay. Williams

I say the Utah Jazz can take them to school on any given night

Hell the LA Clippers would beat them regularly. In fact I bet the LA Sparks of the Lesbian League would school them

 

[Goth]

Originally posted by: SuperCyrix
In the US players defense

- it's possible that Stojakovic was the most talented player on the floor and Divac was easily the best center.

-The rest of the world has caught up, and at the same time we send in average players. Take your pick of any 5 starters on the US team.
They won't even win a NBA championship. Michael Finley is probably the only guy who belongs there. Paul Pierce still plays like an inconsistant rookie at times and he already proven how inconsistant he was in the playoffs. Their point guard is Miller??!?!?!

Andre Miller is one of the better point guards. Other than that, I agree with everything you said.

-The NBA's best team last year the Sac Kings and their best players were all Europeans with the exceptions of Bibby.

Chris Webber says "Hi".

Another top team the Mavs had an Canadian point guard and San Antonio wouldn't have gotten far without Parker.

-The #1 pick this year is from China.

-The refs wanted them to lose

I wonder if these refs were paid as much as the refs for the Lakers/Kings series to fix the outcome

 

[SuperCyrix]

OMG *yawn*, A team of the Clipper's caliber just defeated the US Dream Team again! That's 3 losses now

 

[burnedout]

Originally posted by: SuperCyrix
OMG *yawn*, A team of the Clipper's caliber just defeated the US Dream Team again! That's 3 losses now

Yep. Team USA stunk it up real bad this go around. USA Basketball and the NBA need to totally rethink how to compete in international competition again.

This team was doomed from the beginning for a variety of reasons to include fundamentals, teamwork, coaching, high ticket prices and the players themselves.