2014 Team USA

[usagre]

In retrospect this was such a a better team than 2010 one.I dont think anyone expected it but its true.In Turkey only Durant averaged double digit points.Now the offence was more balanced and six players averaged more than 10.This team was younger,fresher and could run all night long while in 2010 you had washed up Billups and fat ass Odom playing big minutes.2014 had more firepower,more shot creators and better snippers.Under no circumstances would this team be held to 70 points in a single game like it happened against Brazil in Turkey.Even in the end Durant had to go crazy just for Usa to go past 80 or 90 points.

The front court made a huge difference as well.For the first time under Kryzewski USA went big with a traditional power forward(instead of a small forward playin at the 4) and it paid off as opponents just couldnt handle the physicality of Faried,Davis and Cousins who were grabbing one offensive rebound after another.I think this performance will put questions through Coach K's mind whether small ball is always the right way for Usa to go.It's not like Durant at three will be less of a match up problem for international teams!

The only stain was poor Rose.I like him but damn,this must be the worst performance of any Usa member who played meaningful minutes after 92.Also even though it's a bit of revisionist history at this point takin Plumlee and Drummond just so they could make a couple of fouls against Spain wasnt such a wise choice.With two "real" players (say Korver and Milsap) offensive stats would be even better.The line up consisting both of Plumlee and Drummond that coach K would throw at garbage time was just painfull to watch.

i agree and that is what i have been saying since this team was constructed. superior fire power that can mask any flaws. i also agree with your derrick rose analysis. this team was basically handicapped for the 17 minutes a game he played. he was awful! the entire package, ball handling, shooting everything he did was god-awful. this team probably would have won with even greater margins and ease if you substitute damian lillard or john wall for those minutes.

[Beez]

i agree and that is what i have been saying since this team was constructed. superior fire power that can mask any flaws. i also agree with your derrick rose analysis. this team was basically handicapped for the 17 minutes a game he played. he was awful! the entire package, ball handling, shooting everything he did was god-awful. this team probably would have won with even greater margins and ease if you substitute damian lillard or john wall for those minutes.

They would have won by greater margins with Chris Duhon or Nate Robinson playing his minutes. Rose's play was that bad. Before Spain was eliminated, I really wondered if Coach K would give him any meaningful minutes in the final. Curry or Hardin would have both been a better option as the primary ball handler when Irving needed to sit.

At least Rose didn't blow out his knee. Staying healthy and avoiding the bad PR that would have resulted from another injury was his biggest contribution.

[VIRIATO]

They would have won by greater margins with Chris Duhon or Nate Robinson playing his minutes. Rose's play was that bad. Before Spain was eliminated, I really wondered if Coach K would give him any meaningful minutes in the final. Curry or Hardin would have both been a better option as the primary ball handler when Irving needed to sit.

At least Rose didn't blow out his knee. Staying healthy and avoiding the bad PR that would have resulted from another injury was his biggest contribution.

Rose looked like trying to find his balance, but I wouldn't say he was that awful. Yes he didn't shoot well most games (but not all, he had a good quarter final, I believe it was the quarter final), he had turnovers out of trying to force something spectacular, but also some good flashes of his great runs to the rim. He scored 0 points in the final, but with 6 assists he was the US player with most assists in that game. He'll be back.

Paulo

[VIRIATO]

Unless fiba is giving the nba a big percentage of the profits, the nba will not care one bit about how big an event FIBA wants to make the World Cup. The nba does not need FIBA.

The FIBA World Cup will never be like the FIFA World Cup, no matter what how many changes they want to make. The FIFA World Cup is a highly competitive world event where any number of counties have a realistic shot to win it. The FIFA World Cup is USA and a field of 31 other teams 20-50 years behind them, with a 1% chance one of them manages to actually beat them. USA's motivation to get serious about the World Cup was to prove a point but they have long since proven it and they're running out of motivation to keep competing. The new FIBA qualifying changes will only push USA basketball away from the event.

I believe in soccer FIFA gives the National Federations a part of the profits, bigger or smaller according to their teams performances, kind of a prize thing. TV profits are a big part of it, so clever marketing of the World Cup would be a plus for all National Associations too, I believe.

Paulo

[Bad Boys 2882]

I believe in soccer FIFA gives the National Federations a part of the profits, bigger or smaller according to their teams performances, kind of a prize thing. TV profits are a big part of it, so clever marketing of the World Cup would be a plus for all National Associations too, I believe.

Paulo

Yes but FIFA is an organization that comprises all of the major federations. FIBA is totally separate from the NBA, and would have to cut the NBA on a much bigger share of profits than the other leagues associated with FIBA. They would almost have to be 50/50 partners just to get the NBA to consider such an arrangement.

[CHBB]

It doesn't have to. Later it all comes down to basic numbers. Olympic tournament 0$/€ from TV rights while in reality earning 100M+ in TV rights for the Olympic committee, World championship earning whatever you actualy get (definately few 10M) and keeping it in our own pocket still makes sense for Stern (haven't yet come across Silver's opinion on this one), NBA and especialy FIBA. Public interest is secondary here.

Exactly.

Man, there must be some perfect job out there for CHBB. He's "on" 100% of the time - no matter how innocuous and polite a comment someone makes, he is able to respond every time with a vitriolic, insult-filled rant.

Please show me a single polite comment I responded to with anything other than politeness. Where I'm from you don't let some punk run his mouth to you or disrespect you that way, no matter how subtle he thinks he is being. Was I "vitriolic" towards you? No, because you weren't a bitch-made little internet loudmouth towards me like some members have been.

I like this idea too, following soccer would be a good idea here and agree that with the changes coming up with the basketball World Cup it would make sense to make it the most important basketball event. Let's hope the TV's buy in, here as far as I am aware there where no WC games on TV, had to watch them on the Internet.

Exactly.

The USA will probably not send another NBA team to the world cup. Year-round qualifiers is quite frankly a waste of USA's time and NBA players will not be allowed to compete anyway during or shortly after the season, let alone play in the actual even just a year before the Olympics, which is the much more important event to American players.

I think we've seen the last American NBA team in the world cup. USA Basketball will probably consider sending a college or NBDL team, though they risk coming off as patronizing if they do that, so there's the chance USA will simply choose not to participate in the FIBA world cup again.

I love how you constantly speak for all US players despite never playing the game or most likely even knowing any at any point in your life.

Frankly you don't have a clue what you're talking about no matter which username you decide to post under on any given day.

I see your point but the fact is that one of these tournaments will become a secondary one, I'd rather have a great basketball WC than an important Olympic tournament. With all the changes to the WC coming up I see no room for both. It should really be like soccer IMHO.

Paulo

Exactly.

Unless fiba is giving the nba a big percentage of the profits, the nba will not care one bit about how big an event FIBA wants to make the World Cup. The nba does not need FIBA.

The FIBA World Cup will never be like the FIFA World Cup, no matter what how many changes they want to make. The FIFA World Cup is a highly competitive world event where any number of counties have a realistic shot to win it. The FIFA World Cup is USA and a field of 31 other teams 20-50 years behind them, with a 1% chance one of them manages to actually beat them. USA's motivation to get serious about the World Cup was to prove a point but they have long since proven it and they're running out of motivation to keep competing. The new FIBA qualifying changes will only push USA basketball away from the event.

"The NBA does not need FIBA". That's too funny for words. Just how many NBA stars right now aren't from the US again? Who do you think signs off on sending those players over? The NBA increasingly needs FIBA and its other members because US basketball culture is full of know nothing hanger-ons like you who praise every overexposed "star" player in high school even when they never do anything to earn it. That's why the NBA keeps importing its best players and why more and more of the superstars keep coming from outside of the US. "The NBA doesn't need FIBA"... Right, that's why guys like Mirotic and Bogdanovic to name just two got major NBA contracts just to get them out of their Eurloeague deals this offseason. If you think that's a fluke, you're dreaming.

As for the rest.... you're really just unintentionally hilarious sometimes. No clue whatsoever.

i agree and that is what i have been saying since this team was constructed. superior fire power that can mask any flaws. i also agree with your derrick rose analysis. this team was basically handicapped for the 17 minutes a game he played. he was awful! the entire package, ball handling, shooting everything he did was god-awful. this team probably would have won with even greater margins and ease if you substitute damian lillard or john wall for those minutes.

Oh man is this funny. John Wall who only passes when he's going to get an assist or get on SportsCenter would be a better point guard than a guy who has been a true point guard since his rookie year and since the first day of his rookie year has turned his team into a contender.

Honestly I bet the guy you're responding to is probably another one of your newly created usernames.

Rose looked like trying to find his balance, but I wouldn't say he was that awful. Yes he didn't shoot well most games (but not all, he had a good quarter final, I believe it was the quarter final), he had turnovers out of trying to force something spectacular, but also some good flashes of his great runs to the rim. He scored 0 points in the final, but with 6 assists he was the US player with most assists in that game. He'll be back.

Paulo

Don't insert common sense and understanding of basketball into this thread full of ridiculousness! They have stats, donchaknow. Stats tell you everything you ever have to know because a basketball game is actually played on the box score, not on the court.

[Bad Boys 2882]

Good to see CHBB has taken time off from his American flag burning to let us all partake in more of his childishness here...oh wait, not really.

Internet tough guy routine at its best. "where I'm from?" They do a lot of drive by internet shootings in your "hood," poindexter? LOL

USA 63 wins, rest of the world zero. Enjoy drowning in your own tears. Winners do not care what the losers think. We're winners. And you're a loser. Just like every other game over the last eight years you've desperately wanted USA to fail, but that's why we're Americans and you're not.

[usagre]

Good to see CHBB has taken time off from his American flag burning to let us all partake in more of his childishness here...oh wait, not really.

Internet tough guy routine at its best. "where I'm from?" They do a lot of drive by internet shootings in your "hood," poindexter? LOL

USA 63 wins, rest of the world zero. Enjoy drowning in your own tears. Winners do not care what the losers think. We're winners. And you're a loser.

give that moron a break, after all he is a 76ers fan. can you imagine watching that team play 82 games last year? no wonder he doesn't have a clue. and i can guarantee you he is not old enough to go back to the moses malone, dr j days. i doubt he even goes back to the 2001 season. oh wait according to him i am quoting and talking to myself.

[Bad Boys 2882]

Serbia has a club called the 76ers too?

According to him Mirotic and Bogdanovic are "superstars," so I sincerely doubt he's ever watched an actual NBA game. The ends of NBA benches are filled with European "superstars" like that, LOL

[usagre]

Serbia has a club called the 76ers too?

According to him Mirotic and Bogdanovic are "superstars," so I sincerely doubt he's ever watched an actual NBA game. The ends of NBA benches are filled with European "superstars" like that, LOL

some of the players he knocks is comical. top of the list being kevin durant. and according to him derrick rose is a "true point guard". a true point guard who chucked up about 20 threes and hit one in this tournament.

[Joško Poljak Fan]

This thread used to be too good to get closed just like that. If you guys have some personal matters you want to discuss which mostlikely wouldn't interest anyone else, feel free to use private messages.

[kamikaze]

American basketball player DeMarcus Cousins hit back at a reporter who asked him if he could correctly locate Slovenia
Cousins hails from Alabama, and it is not clear how the reporter responded
Several fans have commended Cousins for his reply on Twitter, calling it 'well done' and 'classic'

BxAzQxaCMAA6_Pz.jpg

Classic moment:
European journalist to DeMarcus Cousins: "Do you know where Slovenia is?"
Cousins: "No, do you know where Alabama is?

[carlo]

Chairman Jerry Colangelo's reflections on 2014 USA Basketball success.

...everything came together, the stars were aligned.

That was a really magic year at all age/competition levels, 100% target achievement.

[Raze Lupin]

USA 2014 members and candidates are all shining bright!
Klay Thompson....

[Giorgos Alexopoulos]

hi guys..i know it too early..but..
do you have any informations about the all-stars that will play at the olympics?