1. #36
    Mac4Lyfe
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    Quote Originally Posted by packerd_00 View Post

    Your gonna tell me they cant get some half way decent American players from the NBA that can compete with the rest,or former NBA guys that went overseas and know the International game inside and out.
    We would probably be better using marginal players that play together for 4 years that only focus on the Olympics. Use those guys for international play only. The problem with that is who will sacrifice their career to do that? Marginal NBA players are trying to move up and get better contracts.

  2. #37
    jtoler
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    They didnt practice long together so they arnt used to playing with one another not many plays ran, they are winning on athletic ability. Also some guys didnt go, can you imagine had Westbrook and Steph went. These results arnt unusual with not having the very best coupled with not playing together long.

  3. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mac4Lyfe View Post
    It is a Huge Problem. International play is much different than the NBA. It's much more like college bball with stupid 5 foul out rule, charges, short 3 point line, etc. NBA players are almost at a disadvantage because they are use to NBA rules. The games are not wide open like in the NBA, so teams can slow tempo, pack in the paint and dare you to shoot. We don't help ourselves with our 1 on 1 hero ball either.

    The Olympics is about the best against the best. Other countries want to play against our best.
    Having Coach K as the head coach,this is what he's breed for sound team ball,this is his bread and butter. Anthony isnt good for this sort of tournament at all.

    Its not really best against best on a talent level,but as a unit.

  4. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mac4Lyfe View Post
    We would probably be better using marginal players that play together for 4 years that only focus on the Olympics. Use those guys for international play only. The problem with that is who will sacrifice their career to do that? Marginal NBA players are trying to move up and get better contracts.
    Thats what I think makes the most sense,the US must still have a decent team waiting in the wings solely for International tournaments surely. Didn't Paul George mess his leg up pretty badly playing for Team USA awile back,he still came back to play this time.Point being I think you could get these guys to sacrifice.

  5. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by packerd_00 View Post
    Thats what I think makes the most sense,the US must still have a decent team waiting in the wings solely for International tournaments surely. Didn't Paul George mess his leg up pretty badly playing for Team USA awile back,he still came back to play this time.Point being I think you could get these guys to sacrifice.
    I was watching that game and I was saying to myself... "Why the hell is the stanchion on the basket so close to the baseline." Minutes later George's leg snaps like a twig on that stanchion...

  6. #41
    packerd_00
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mac4Lyfe View Post
    I was watching that game and I was saying to myself... "Why the hell is the stanchion on the basket so close to the baseline." Minutes later George's leg snaps like a twig on that stanchion...
    Yeah their still vids of it on Youtube,brutal injury.

    Coach K just quit eh!

  7. #42
    Eddy Munny
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    Quote Originally Posted by packerd_00 View Post
    Well then their is a huge problem,if a team consisting of Durant,Thompson,Irving,DeRozan etc,can just manage to scrape by teams with mostly International Club players,their should be no way in hell that happens. You can slice anyway youd like to,not having had the luxury of playing together,well that was the case with the Dream Team,and we saw what happended their. I don't think these guys are giving it their all,they would have gelled by know.
    Dude, the rest of the world can play basketball now, get over it. Dismissing these close games as simply an effort issue on the part of the USA is an insult their opponents. And given that these games are indeed close, the fact that you are proposing sending less talented players to represent the USA is very dumb.

    The gap between the us and the world on the international stage in basketball has closed considerably over the past generation and these Olympic games are hardly the first indication. Quit acting like you've been in a coma since '92.

  8. #43
    CWD
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy Munny View Post
    Dude, the rest of the world can play basketball now, get over it. Dismissing these close games as simply an effort issue on the part of the USA is an insult their opponents. And given that these games are indeed close, the fact that you are proposing sending less talented players to represent the USA is very dumb.

    The gap between the us and the world on the international stage in basketball has closed considerably over the past generation and these Olympic games are hardly the first indication. Quit acting like you've been in a coma since '92.
    nope - this usa team is 2nd and 3rd string nba remember that

    none of these non-usa players are stars and the very few that do star in nba are the exceptions

    old days duncan and nash imo dont even count when you play 3-4 years usa college ball

  9. #44
    Eddy Munny
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    Quote Originally Posted by CWD View Post
    nope - this usa team is 2nd and 3rd string nba remember that

    none of these non-usa players are stars and the very few that do star in nba are the exceptions

    old days duncan and nash imo dont even count when you play 3-4 years usa college ball
    Okay and what is your point exactly? I never said that the United States doesn't produce the best basketball talent, so don't get your stars-and-striped shorts in a knot.

    All I said was that the massive gulf that once existed between the USA and the rest of the world in the sport of basketball, has narrowed, as the world's understanding of the game's concepts and it's applications have grown, as has it's popularity and practice amongst it's citizens.

    How does this statement even elicit debate? If you'd pull your head out of your rear end for just a second, you'd see that I'm simply stating the obvious.

  10. #45
    CWD
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy Munny View Post
    Okay and what is your point exactly? I never said that the United States doesn't produce the best basketball talent, so don't get your stars-and-striped shorts in a knot.

    All I said was that the massive gulf that once existed between the USA and the rest of the world in the sport of basketball, has narrowed, as the world's understanding of the game's concepts and it's applications have grown, as has it's popularity and practice amongst it's citizens.

    How does this statement even elicit debate? If you'd pull your head out of your rear end for just a second, you'd see that I'm simply stating the obvious.
    the gap is still there

    are you retarded? did i post in another language?

  11. #46
    packerd_00
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy Munny View Post
    Dude, the rest of the world can play basketball now, get over it. Dismissing these close games as simply an effort issue on the part of the USA is an insult their opponents. And given that these games are indeed close, the fact that you are proposing sending less talented players to represent the USA is very dumb.

    The gap between the us and the world on the international stage in basketball has closed considerably over the past generation and these Olympic games are hardly the first indication. Quit acting like you've been in a coma since '92.

    Look guy,ive had this debate backwards and forwards with Mac,dont even start with this crock of shit,the World has not caught up the mentality of the players has changed,christ the Croatians from 92 were an excellent team they just had the misfortune of facing the Dream Team for the Gold medal. They had Kukoc,Radja and Petrovic off the top of my head.

    Bringing less talented players that are much better suited for the International style of Basketball isn't dumb at all,it has a lot of merit to it actually,your to much of a close minded jack ass to listen another point of view though.
    Last edited by packerd_00; 08-21-16 at 12:52 AM.

  12. #47
    Eddy Munny
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    Quote Originally Posted by CWD View Post
    the gap is still there

    are you retarded? did i post in another language?
    "The gap is still there" is probably what you say to your dentist, you thick bumpkin.

    Explain to me how the gap hasn't narrowed if the original Dream Team won the gold medal game by 32 points and the most recent gold medal Olympic game (in 2012 with "A" team players on board) was won by only 7. I'm interested to hear your halfwit answer, but not really.

  13. #48
    Eddy Munny
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    Quote Originally Posted by packerd_00 View Post
    Look guy,ive had this debate backwards and forwards with Mac,dont even start with this crock of shit,the World has not caught up the mentality of the players has changed,christ the Croatians from 92 were an excellent team they just had the misfortune of facing the Dream Team for the Gold medal. They had Kukoc,Radja and Petrovic off the top of my head.

    Bringing less talented players that are much better suited for the International style of Basketball isn't dumb at all,it has a lot of merit to it actually,your to much of a close minded jack ass to listen another point of view though.
    You're an utter moron. If it's the mentality that has changed and nothing more, then you're saying the NBA is riddled with ADD or else why haven't they flipped the switch? One close game and perhaps you can roll that out there as an excuse, but we've seen close games on the regular, by a stable of players who are in Rio to do one job and one job only... hell, if they braved the Zika virus threat just to play basketball abroad, wouldn't you assume their focus to be razor sharp?

    As far as bringing in less talented players, you should just donate your brain to science. You're basically the Straw Man from The Wizard of Oz. Less talented players is CWD's excuse for games being so close to begin with, and now you want to buck your comrade's logic and actually take the opposite action? Lol, I'd like to see your hand-picked slate of players best suited to represent the States in international play.

    It's obvious to anyone who knows a lick of basketball that a team of collegians in this day and age would get ran out of the building, so what are you suggesting? An army of D-leaguers? It was only 14 years ago that a "lesser" talented Team USA laid an egg at the FIBA World Championships, placing a dismal SIXTH in that competition and the subsequent squad earning only a bronze medal at the Olympics two years later.

    Considering the scares USA has already had in this year's Olympics, I don't think the solution is to send Mario Chalmers and Spencer Hawes in to save the day, dummy.

    Last edited by Eddy Munny; 08-21-16 at 01:56 AM.

  14. #49
    CWD
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    yes we shall base this debate off that 7 point loss to spain in 2012

    thank you munny for opening my eyes

    can i get a youtube dedication as well?

  15. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy Munny View Post
    You're an utter moron. If it's the mentality that has changed and nothing more, then you're saying the NBA is riddled with ADD or else why haven't they flipped the switch? One close game and perhaps you can roll that out there as an excuse, but we've seen close games on the regular, by a stable of players who are in Rio to do one job and one job only... hell, if they braved the Zika virus threat just to play basketball abroad, wouldn't you assume their focus to be razor sharp?

    As far as bringing in less talented players, you should just donate your brain to science. You're basically the Straw Man from The Wizard of Oz. Less talented players is CWD's excuse for games being so close to begin with, and now you want to buck your comrade's logic and actually take the opposite action? Lol, I'd like to see your hand-picked slate of players best suited to represent the States in international play.

    It's obvious to anyone who knows a lick of basketball that a team of collegians in this day and age would get ran out of the building, so what are you suggesting? An army of D-leaguers? It was only 14 years ago that a "lesser" talented Team USA laid an egg at the FIBA World Championships, placing a dismal SIXTH in that competition and the subsequent squad earning only a bronze medal at the Olympics two years later.

    Considering the scares USA has already had in this year's Olympics, I don't think the solution is to send Mario Chalmers and Spencer Hawes in to save the day, dummy.

    I can see you don't have the mental capacity to have a civilized debate,three paragraphs of name calling. How many NBA studs do you see pouring out of Croatia or Serbia these days compared to the 90's,how many French players have come into the NBA recently or Argentina. Excatly you twat,they aren't coming anymore,so you tell me nimrod since you think your so damn clever where are all these foreign stud ballers that have closed the gap on America.

    I don't think any country should be sending their NBA players period,this is meant to be amateur athletes,last time I looked.

  16. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by CWD View Post
    yes we shall base this debate off that 7 point loss to spain in 2012

    thank you munny for opening my eyes

    can i get a youtube dedication as well?
    The 92 Dream Team was loaded,Magic,Jordan,Bird,Ewing,Pippen etc,three of the greats on that team. Theyd carve this Olympic tournament with ease.

  17. #52
    Eddy Munny
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    Quote Originally Posted by CWD View Post
    yes we shall base this debate off that 7 point loss to spain in 2012

    thank you munny for opening my eyes

    can i get a youtube dedication as well?
    Well that indeed was the last gold medal game on record, correct? Would it not be prudent to compare and contrast the year USA first used NBA players in international competition, with that of more recent times if we are talking about the narrowing of the gap that once existed? There are plenty of other close contests I could mention, ones that USA lost even, but I'm simply citing the most recent along with the most dated for the sake of discussion.

    Look, I know you're irretrievably lost as to where I stand or what I'm saying, so I'll just leave you with this little reminder.... those games you played in the driveway against your baby sister, in your red, white, and blue Russell Athletic short shorts and helmet, were not gold medal games that were credited to Team USA or even sanctioned by FIBA, you little Forrest Gump, you.

  18. #53
    Eddy Munny
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    Quote Originally Posted by packerd_00 View Post
    The 92 Dream Team was loaded,Magic,Jordan,Bird,Ewing,Pippen etc,three of the greats on that team. Theyd carve this Olympic tournament with ease.
    And yet this does nothing to undermine my assertions. Whether you want to acknowledge that the world has gotten significantly better or that the NBA has gotten significantly worse makes no difference to me.... either way, the gap has narrowed. Derp.

  19. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy Munny View Post
    And yet this does nothing to undermine my assertions. Whether you want to acknowledge that the world has gotten significantly better or that the NBA has gotten significantly worse makes no difference to me.... either way, the gap has narrowed. Derp.
    Well it obviously hasn't dipshit or theyd be dominating the Drafts every Summer,doesnt seem to happen though funny enough,so tell me again how the gap has narrowed.

  20. #55
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    Quote Originally Posted by packerd_00 View Post
    Well it obviously hasn't dipshit or theyd be dominating the Drafts every Spring,doesnt seem to happen though funny enough,so tell me again how the gap has narrowed.
    Damn, you're dumb. We are talking about a TEAM sport, you idiot... that's TEAM, not the sum of it's parts.

    If the gap HASN'T narrowed, why are we seeing vastly different results on the scoreboard than from 24 years ago, prompting you to opine that we need to revamp our criteria in selecting players for team USA???

    Holy shit, you're dumb. I just can't get over how dumb you are.


  21. #56
    Ghenghis Kahn
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    so what's your take on 2002 us basketball team? was it lack of effort or lack of talent?

    are you telling me if russell westbrook, steph curry, kawhi leonard, lebron james, lamarcus aldridge, etc... started for the us team, they wouldn't be beating teams by the same margins as the dream teams?

    the world did probably get better but you're making it sound like everyone didn't know how to play ball back then and that's just not the case.

    but if you send college players to these international games, us would lose. college kids aren't fully developed mentally and physically.

  22. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy Munny View Post
    Damn, you're dumb. We are talking about a TEAM sport, you idiot... that's TEAM, not the sum of it's parts.

    If the gap HASN'T narrowed, why are we seeing vastly different results on the scoreboard than from 24 years ago, prompting you to opine that we need to revamp our criteria in selecting players for team USA???

    Holy shit, you're dumb. I just can't get over how dumb you are.

    Ive pointed out to you numerous times the talent hasn't narrowed and you just keep talking out of your ass,the talent was their in 92 as I pointed out to you,Croatia had three NBA stars on that 92 Olympic Team and all of the guys played together for years before playing in the Olympics,didnt make a lick of difference as the Dream Team was that loaded. So all your crap about International players figuring out how to hang with the NBA players is just a bunch of horse shit.

  23. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ghenghis Kahn View Post
    so what's your take on 2002 us basketball team? was it lack of effort or lack of talent?

    are you telling me if russell westbrook, steph curry, kawhi leonard, lebron james, lamarcus aldridge, etc... started for the us team, they wouldn't be beating teams by the same margins as the dream teams?

    the world did probably get better but you're making it sound like everyone didn't know how to play ball back then and that's just not the case.

    but if you send college players to these international games, us would lose. college kids aren't fully developed mentally and physically.
    Croatia 92 squad id put up against any of the International squads in these current Olympics without hesitation.

  24. #59
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    Quote Originally Posted by packerd_00 View Post
    Croatia 92 squad id put up against any of the International squads in these current Olympics without hesitation.
    yeah people probably never heard of petrovic but that guy would've been the best euro player ever in the nba if it weren't for the tragedy.

  25. #60
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ghenghis Kahn View Post
    yeah people probably never heard of petrovic but that guy would've been the best euro player ever in the nba if it weren't for the tragedy.
    Yeah its a shame what could have been, Reggie Miller said he was the best pure shooter he ever saw.

  26. #61
    CWD
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ghenghis Kahn View Post
    so what's your take on 2002 us basketball team? was it lack of effort or lack of talent?

    are you telling me if russell westbrook, steph curry, kawhi leonard, lebron james, lamarcus aldridge, etc... started for the us team, they wouldn't be beating teams by the same margins as the dream teams?

    the world did probably get better but you're making it sound like everyone didn't know how to play ball back then and that's just not the case.

    but if you send college players to these international games, us would lose. college kids aren't fully developed mentally and physically.
    they beat every team in this olympics by 50+ E Z every game without breaking a sweat

    munny buried multiple times i lost count

  27. #62
    Eddy Munny
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    Quote Originally Posted by packerd_00 View Post
    Ive pointed out to you numerous times the talent hasn't narrowed and you just keep talking out of your ass,the talent was their in 92 as I pointed out to you,Croatia had three NBA stars on that 92 Olympic Team and all of the guys played together for years before playing in the Olympics,didnt make a lick of difference as the Dream Team was that loaded. So all your crap about International players figuring out how to hang with the NBA players is just a bunch of horse shit.
    Yeah, all my crap about international players figuring out how to hang with NBA'ers was horse shit. Just conveniently ignore facts that suggest otherwise... oh wait, you already did that with your first post along the lines of "When was their last competitive game?"

    It's hard to believe you even posed that question to be honest, but the more you post the more I realize I'm dealing with a dummy who doesn't actually follow basketball, but just walks around in a constant state of nationalistic pride, oblivious to real life.

  28. #63
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    Quote Originally Posted by CWD View Post
    they beat every team in this olympics by 50+ E Z every game without breaking a sweat
    And this is fact, or just another one of your groundless opinions?

    When was the last time a USA team won all of their games by double digits, much less 50 points?

    You and your boy are the only ones buried... Dumb and Dumber.

  29. #64
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy Munny View Post
    Yeah, all my crap about international players figuring out how to hang with NBA'ers was horse shit. Just conveniently ignore facts that suggest otherwise... oh wait, you already did that with your first post along the lines of "When was their last competitive game?"

    It's hard to believe you even posed that question to be honest, but the more you post the more I realize I'm dealing with a dummy who doesn't actually follow basketball but just walks around in a constant state of nationalistic pride, oblivious to real life.
    Munny I cant keep repeating myself,as I said I dont believe the players are giving their full heart,I don't give a rats ass what you say,their playing against a Serbian team that has one NBA player,the Dream Team would mop the floor with all of these squads,you know it and I know it.

    Ive asked why haven't the World players made a real mark in the Draft after 20 plus years,if the talent gap has narrowed so much and you go on a rant about team ball,being the reason.

  30. #65
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddy Munny View Post
    And this is fact, or just another one of your groundless opinions?

    When was the last time a USA team won all of their games by double digits, much less 50 points?

    You and your boy are the only ones buried... Dumb and Dumber.
    No Munny all you do is post meme and go on your childish rants. Your just making an ass of yourself.

  31. #66
    Eddy Munny
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    Quote Originally Posted by packerd_00 View Post
    Munny I cant keep repeating myself,as I said I dont believe the players are giving their full heart,I don't give a rats ass what you say,their playing against a Serbian team that has one NBA player,the Dream Team would mop the floor with all of these squads,you know it and I know it.

    Ive asked why haven't the World players made a real mark in the Draft after 20 plus years,if the talent gap has narrowed so much and you go on a rant about team ball,being the reason.
    All your posts are drop dead stupid. You started this thread off by asking when the last time USA played a competitive game was, when the answer is literally the last game they played. You can't make this shit up.

    You say that the Dream Team would mop the floor with these current USA opponents, and to that I say, if we assume this to be true, you've only proven my point. Regardless of whether there's been a decline in the USA product or an improvement on the world front, or some combination thereof, your assertion highlights the idea that the gap has narrowed.

    As far as the draft goes, plenty of international players HAVE been drafted to the NBA compared to a quarter century ago, but that's an ancillary topic to the one at hand. I'm simply talking about team vs. team, not whether or not some unknown from the Eastern Bloc gets a contract to ball in the United States. How hard is that to comprehend? I mean if your stance is so cut and dried, why do you feel to need to go off on a tangent to substantiate it? Why can't you just focus on team vs. team outcomes, and how they've faired since the inaugural Dream Team? I think we know the answer to that, at least I do.

  32. #67
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    well the advent of the internet and better scouting has to do with nba drafting more non us players but the gap narrowing as you mentioned has more to do with our team than the level of competition. like i said, if we send out the best players to the olympics like the dream team 1 and 2. the margins wouldn't be that close.

    westbrook, curry, leonard, james, aldridge starting and the starters at the moment being the 2nd team would destroy all the teams in the olympics. just look at this year's team. there are no killers on the team. they're just happy to be there.

  33. #68
    jizay
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    Quote Originally Posted by packerd_00 View Post
    Ive asked why haven't the World players made a real mark in the Draft after 20 plus years,if the talent gap has narrowed so much and you go on a rant about team ball,being the reason.
    14 of this year's 30 first round draft picks were foreign-born. Most ever. Some of them played college ball here (e.g., Ben Simmons #1 pick), but we're talking Olympic ball and those guys will play for their home countries. World players *have* made a real mark on the draft, you just didn't know it.

  34. #69
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    Quote Originally Posted by jizay View Post
    14 of this year's 30 first round draft picks were foreign-born. Most ever. Some of them played college ball here (e.g., Ben Simmons #1 pick), but we're talking Olympic ball and those guys will play for their home countries. World players *have* made a real mark on the draft, you just didn't know it.
    Not only this, but some players opt to stay home and play basketball professionally, even if they have NBA-caliber talent. It's not every player's dream to play for a check in the United States, hard as that may be to believe.

    The NBA is still the premier basketball league without a doubt, but to say that rest of the world hasn't become more adept at the game is just blindfolded, prideful nonsense.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ghenghis Kahn View Post
    well the advent of the internet and better scouting has to do with nba drafting more non us players but the gap narrowing as you mentioned has more to do with our team than the level of competition. like i said, if we send out the best players to the olympics like the dream team 1 and 2. the margins wouldn't be that close.

    westbrook, curry, leonard, james, aldridge starting and the starters at the moment being the 2nd team would destroy all the teams in the olympics. just look at this year's team. there are no killers on the team. they're just happy to be there.
    Well two things about that illustrate my point... if in 1992, the United States sent it's "B-team" to Barcelona (not scrubs mind you, all-star talent to be sure, but not quite first-team NBA) I think the U.S. still runs everyone out of the gym to the tune of 30+ point victories.

    Secondly, the team we sent to the 2012 London games were indeed the cream of the crop... players like Lebron, Kobe, Durant, Westbrook, Carmelo, Love, Chris Paul, Anthony Davis etc. Though they largely dominated the competition in those games, you still had a few close games that simply did not happen in 1992. Tune-ups against Brazil and Argentina were tightly contested, as were a 5-point victory over Lithuania in the preliminary round, and a 7-point victory over Spain in the gold medal game.

    Facts are facts. I thought I was just stating the obvious when I said the gap has narrowed (that doesn't mean closed, just narrowed to some degree). I didn't mean to incite a full-on debate, but apparently I ruffled the feathers of a few homers in here who insist that the rest of the globe is not allowed to improve at a game that ​was born in the States. Smh, it's like arguing with a bunch of religious zealots about whether or not wearing jeans is a sin.

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