2010 WC absentees

[FIBA Europe Basket2]

The 2004 squad got beat by Puerto Rico, Lithuania, and Argentina. This proposed USA team is worse than 2004. They would have a hard time beating other teams, not just Spain and Greece.

They also lost to Italy in 2004.

That team and again I don't think Boozer is even playing would still have a shot at a bronze I think. I'm not saying they would get it. They would have a problem against teams like Russia, France, Australia, Argentina, Slovenia, Serbia, Lithuania, even teams like Brazil, Turkey, Croatia and teams like that would be capable of beating that team.

What I'm saying is that the only teams that I think would easily for sure beat them would be Spain and Greece. They could also lose to teams like Russia, France, Argentina, Serbia, Lithuania, Slovenia and teams like that as well, but I think they would have a 50/50 chance to beat most of those teams and still to finish third.

That would be their best case scenario. But realistically, as you say with the lack of experience in that roster, if they did make a semifinal they would probably also lose the third place match. Teams like Spain, Greece, Argentina are likely to be in the semifinals and they are all very experienced teams. So maybe 4th place would be the good, or even best possible result for a US roster like that.

 

[Straight forward2]

And off course Greece is the main threat for USA after Spain because they beat them in WC 2006, not having in mind that since that time (when Kakiouzis and Dikoudis were doing big things and that team still was demolished by Spain in the final) they don't have a single new addition that could make a valid difference, I presume Not that I'm denying Greece is the final 4 contender.

 

[mbenga2]

And off course Greece is the main threat for USA after Spain because they beat them in WC 2006, not having in mind that since that time (when Kakiouzis and Dikoudis were doing big things and that team still was demolished by Spain in the final) they don't have a single new addition that could make a valid difference, I presume Not that I'm denying Greece is the final 4 contender.

Calathes looks good, though it's still too early to think he can make any difference, and Koufos...well, i don't know what the hell is going on with Koufos, a guy with so much talent and potential.

Anyway FIBAEuspanoulis just doing his thing. I agree that the US should be more concerned with Serbia, Turkey or Argentina, maybe even France if they ssend a full squad with parker, Noah, etc...

 

[Jon_Koncak2]

2004 Usa team had Marbury as their main pg,Mbengas hypothetical team has two of the best pgs of the last decade.No comparison there.2004 team's prime wing scorer and 3 point shooter was Jefferson(before he even developed a semi decent jump shot) along with Shawn Marion..I'd take Durant,Joe Johnson and fearless defender G.Wallace over them any day..And it's not as if the 2004 team failed terribly,they finshed 3rd,hell even the joke of a team that was 2002 would reach the finals had Gurovic not entered Jordan mode in the last 2 minutes of that quarter final.

Just by havin D-Will,CP3,Durant and Amare this team will be better than 2002-04 versions,under no circumstances i see them falling to 6th place.

 

[sinobball2]

Be it 2002 or now, Team USA always had and will have the best talent... but international game is all about experience, and 2002 USA NT's 6th place finish really proved that... I can totally see this hypothetical team finish at 6th or lower, but I think I would much rather discuss something that will actually happen

 

[Straight forward2]

Be it 2002 or now, Team USA always had and will have the best talent... but international game is all about experience, and 2002 USA NT's 6th place finish really proved that... I can totally see this hypothetical team finish at 6th or lower, but I think I would much rather discuss something that will actually happen

I would disagree on that. It depends what it means "talent". For example, 2004 team could hardly make a shot from downtown and two of their guards- Iverson and Marburry- looked like having real deal with insufficiency and that team was trying to make everything with the muscles in the low post. 2006 looked like playing without any game plan at all, not to mention non-communication on the court (ability to play for the team is a valid skill). Even really talented USA 2008 looked like offering physical pressure for overcoming opponents (while refs were very kindly offering that game-style for USA exclusively, and that's an opinion of some legitimate coaches as J. Kazlauskas) and such players as Howard had really big impact for the results. If I would try to explain why USA is so strong, I would mention physical advantage first of all, not talent generally. Sometimes it's eyes burning to see the "talent" of some NBA teams like Portland, where Miller is "climbing to the tree" again and again...

 

[sinobball2]

I think I meant individual talent. Would you agree now?

 

[Straight forward2]

I think I meant individual talent. Would you agree now?

I would agree that the team which overcomes other teams, playing with equal rules, could be reasonably called "talented". On other hand, when I'm making premise, that one things were allowed for USA and other for the rest (in the Olympics 2008) in the terms of physical play, I would disagree to call USA the most individually talented team.
Basically, you right, if the team wins due to the individual talent, even if that means only physical advantage, than USA is the most individually talented team. It's the sport after all and literally it's not an art. If it would be otherwise, I would surely disagree that USA individual talent which is based on physical advantage (subjective call however) is the most superior.

 

[Jon_Koncak2]

Even really talented USA 2008 looked like offering physical pressure for overcoming opponents (while refs were very kindly offering that game-style for USA exclusively, and that's an opinion of some legitimate coaches as J. Kazlauskas) and such players as Howard had really big impact for the results.

European teams like Cska,panathinaikos,greek nt and many others have been playing this kind of physical defense for years now.And ofcourse eurobasketball lovers have been praising it."That's real defense,nba is soft" that's what they were saying

Then Usa woke up and thought "hey we can play the same way too",and since the averagel american player is much stronger than the average spanish or lithuanian one the outcome was destructive.Only this time the same people who praised tough-physical defense started bitching about refs allowing it!!And so the book of excuses for Usa dominance after doping,travelling,Usa's population added a new chapter...

 

[Straight forward2]

European teams like Cska,panathinaikos,greek nt and many others have been playing this kind of physical defense for years now.And ofcourse eurobasketball lovers have been praising it."That's real defense,nba is soft" that's what they were saying

Then Usa woke up and thought "hey we can play the same way too",and since the averagel american player is much stronger than the average spanish or lithuanian one the outcome was destructive.Only this time the same people who praised tough-physical defense started bitching about refs allowing it!!And so the book of excuses for Usa dominance after doping,travelling,Usa's population added a new chapter...

But it's that what makes international forums so exciting, right? I was thinking about that thing- how can refs make right call when hypothetically stronger player brakes down the softer player? It might look like a foul, but than refs might realize that it happened because of the "obvious" different power each player posses. BUT how exactly could that difference could be/is measured? In my point of view, they could go in two ways: to call a foul no matter what players are in conflict OR to try to make these subjective calls about how sharply average American are stronger than average Spanish or Lithuanian...

 

[mvblair2]

Rondo won't even get an invitation.

Four Join US Roster, Rondo Out - May 5, 2010, by Chris Sheridan, ESPN News

...Jerry Colangelo, managing director of the U.S. federation, said Rondo had declined the invitation through a phone call from his agent, Bill Duffy, who said Rondo would be unable to attend because of unspecified family commitments.

 

[DarkoMVP2]

That team has 3 top 10 players (Durant, Paul and Deron). Besides, the problem with those previous teams was not talent, it was 1. selfish players 2. lack of experience together and 3. lack of shooting. That proposed team, though, has good shooting with Durant and the guards besides Rose. It is also not a selfish team - instead of Marbury or Iverson, it has the best two point guards in the game, and for example, Boozer and Love are very good passers for big men. The one problem is lack of experience, but certainly it would still be a top 3 favorite - it would only not get top 6 in the same sense that any team might in a single elimination tournament.

 

[kerdito2]

That team has 3 top 10 players (Durant, Paul and Deron). Besides, the problem with those previous teams was not talent, it was 1. selfish players 2. lack of experience together and 3. lack of shooting. That proposed team, though, has good shooting with Durant and the guards besides Rose. It is also not a selfish team - instead of Marbury or Iverson, it has the best two point guards in the game, and for example, Boozer and Love are very good passers for big men. The one problem is lack of experience, but certainly it would still be a top 3 favorite - it would only not get top 6 in the same sense that any team might in a single elimination tournament.

Previous teams had shooting problems? they had very good shooters on each team: Carmelo Anthony, Micheal Redd, Pierce, Finley, kirk Hinrich, Joe Johnson.
I agree on the experience thing, it was a totally new thing for all those players and they needed someone to step up in big games, they got that guy in both Kobe and Kidd in the last Olympics and Lebron gain the needed experience and showed what he can really do.

 

[J-Mart2]

Tony Parker

 

[mbenga2]

Marc Gasol has confirmed he'll play.

 

[rikhardur2]

Marc Gasol has confirmed he'll play.

You bad boy

 

[Victorious2]

And off course Greece is the main threat for USA after Spain because they beat them in WC 2006, not having in mind that since that time (when Kakiouzis and Dikoudis were doing big things and that team still was demolished by Spain in the final) they don't have a single new addition that could make a valid difference, I presume Not that I'm denying Greece is the final 4 contender.

That Greece team included players who were too young and inexperienced (Vasilopoulos and Bourousis) or to slow (nightmare Papadopoulos).

Now Bourousis and Sofo have become solid centers. Vasilopoulos and Zisis can not be guaranteed a place in the NT roster even though they've become better. And players who no longer play for the team have been replaced with younger ones with equal (if not more) talent. Like Printezis for Dikoudis.

Roster wise, I think Greece of 2010 can assemble the most talented Greek team ever, but the chemistry is much more important and that is still a question mark. If coach Kazlauskas does a good job, Greece IMO should be right under Spain and USA.

 

[Victorious2]

Marc Gasol has confirmed he'll play.

First he said he wouldn't play so that Kobe would decide not to play either. When Kobe said the word, Gasol changed his mind and officially confirmed to play.

He's an opportunistic manipulator.

 

[mvblair2]

Looks like Dwight Howard might need to be added to the list of USA absentees:

Howard Wavering About Playing for US - By ANTONIO GONZALEZ, Associated Press, May 31, 2010

Dwight Howard might not play for USA Basketball at this summer’s world championships...

It was the first time Howard has publicly wavered about playing in this summer’s world championships. He had stayed firm on his commitment all season even as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and other stars expressed doubts about participating because of impending free agency.

“I haven’t decided what I’m going to do,” Howard said after the Magic’s end-of-season meeting. “I’m just going to get some rest and think about that later on.”...

Howard said he would let USA Basketball know of his intentions “soon.”....

LeBron, Wade, Howard, and Bosh are all uncommitted right now.

 

[Gytaz2]

Jasikevičius is officially out too. Looks like Lithuania won't have any high quality guards once again (Kaukėnas is questionable too, Šiškauskas definitely out), let's just hope that Kemzūra injects some young talent instead of Delininkaitis, Lukauskis and similar players. On the other hand, the return of Macas, if he's ready, would be cool.