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2010 World Championship

  • Thread starter Thread starter rikhardur2
  • Start date Start date
US still the favorite but Spain, Argentina have a chance

US still the favorite but Spain, Argentina have a chance

I think even with a team of second string guys, as long as Rose and Durant are on the team, and Odom off the bench, USA has to be favorites (not by much). Definitely lacking international experience, and Durant may struggle with all the hype and pressure on him - he has not performed well in his biggest games so far!
 
The main issue is not the players, but the fact that they will play together for a short time. Compare that to the euro teams who have played together for years and the results won't be pretty. What reason is there to believe it will be different from '06?
 
lebanon4ever said:
if USA is falling.. who's going to take it??? SPAIN without GASOL or ARGENTINA without GINOBILY???
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you are saying it like Gasol means to Spain what those 12 olympians means to US..
Spain became the world champion playin' without Pau Gasol in the final, remember..
and for example puertorican team had no problems kicking more or less same way assembled US team in the 2004 olympics..
Serbia (then Yugoslavia which meant Serbia with Montenegro) did it on american soil..
when not taking it seriously americans have a long history of failures on international competitions..
regardless of the competition problems..
someone will pop up 'cause americans again didn't take this tournament seriously..
and when saying seriously I mean putting their best team together..
whether it will be Spain, Greece, Serbia, Argentina or anyone else it doesn't matter.. it will happen..
 
Just wondering what some other Americans think, is anyone else kind of happy we're starting to become the underdogs (on this board at least). At first I was kind of pissed but now I'm kind of getting into the role. Course if the US does good in the friendlies that probably goes out the window...
 
2002 usa team had Antonio Davis and Reggie Miller both at their early 70s playing meaningful minutes.Can't compare that team to this one talent wise,it's a blasphemy.Still it's not like Serbs blew them off the court.They needed Gurovic to go crazy from the 3 point line to steal that match.
 
lebanon4ever said:
if USA is falling.. who's going to take it??? SPAIN without GASOL or ARGENTINA without GINOBILY???
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Isnt the Spain without Gasol the team that destroyed Greece (Greece who destroyed USA a game before) in the last WC?
 
Dtown said:
Just wondering what some other Americans think, is anyone else kind of happy we're starting to become the underdogs (on this board at least). At first I was kind of pissed but now I'm kind of getting into the role. Course if the US does good in the friendlies that probably goes out the window...
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Not exactly underdogs on this board. Im actually suprised that 39% thinks USA will win (12% margin from the second place): http://forums.interbasket.net/f71/who-do-you-think-will-win-13256/
 
Jon_Koncak said:
2002 usa team had Antonio Davis and Reggie Miller both at their early 70s playing meaningful minutes.Can't compare that team to this one talent wise,it's a blasphemy.Still it's not like Serbs blew them off the court.They needed Gurovic to go crazy from the 3 point line to steal that match.
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Wow! That what I call take something out of context.

Miller came had a great playoffs that year and he was a local hero. Antonio Davis still a 14/10 player at that point.

And their bigger lose was to Argentina in the 2nd phase (sending them directly to Serbia).

Blasphemy is compare Tyson Chandlers moment with 02 Antonio Davis.
 
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Jon_Koncak said:
2002 usa team had Antonio Davis and Reggie Miller both at their early 70s playing meaningful minutes.Can't compare that team to this one talent wise,it's a blasphemy.Still it's not like Serbs blew them off the court.They needed Gurovic to go crazy from the 3 point line to steal that match.
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Wasn't it Argentina who beat the USA first? And they had done it quite convincingly. Serbia's win was not that mythical anymore.
 
Jon_Koncak said:
2002 usa team had Antonio Davis and Reggie Miller both at their early 70s playing meaningful minutes.Can't compare that team to this one talent wise,it's a blasphemy.Still it's not like Serbs blew them off the court.They needed Gurovic to go crazy from the 3 point line to steal that match.
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nhf but talent wise when it comes to shooting abilities you can't compare any of todays members with Miller..
when I say today I mean this team that will represent USA on WC..
and not any of these players will reach that level..
ben wallace was then already one of the top defensive players in NBA..
Pierce was there as well..
back then you would probably be saying the same for that team as you are saying today for this team..
and the guys already mentioned Argentina game and that US team lost to Spain as well..
Spain back then was nowhere near the level they are now..
 
planaria said:
Not exactly underdogs on this board. Im actually suprised that 39% thinks USA will win (12% margin from the second place): http://forums.interbasket.net/f71/who-do-you-think-will-win-13256/
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To be fair that poll was made long before the entire Redeem Team jumped ship, and Amare and David Lee were removed from consideration.

As for the comparisons to the 2002 team, that team was better in the front court but far weaker in the back. Pretty much the opposite of this team. Under FIBA rules I'd rather have a weakness in the front court than in the guard spots.

Reggie was certainly the best pure shooter out there, but in 2002 wasn't the threat he was to drive the lane, he had Pierce but little else in the way of shooters to complement his game. Durant isn't the pure shooter Reggie was but has far more options to his game than Reggie had in the downside of his career, and more shooters around him to open the floor.
 
Dtown said:
Just wondering what some other Americans think, is anyone else kind of happy we're starting to become the underdogs (on this board at least). At first I was kind of pissed but now I'm kind of getting into the role. Course if the US does good in the friendlies that probably goes out the window...
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You mean underdogs for the gold medal? The USA are certainly less favored, but i don't consider them underdogs at all in the WC at all. They are probably still highly favored to get at least a bronze, (which will probably be to the USA as not getting any at all).
 
USA First Cuts Thoughts

USA First Cuts Thoughts

I agree w/cutting Tyreke Evans - his game doesn't fit international bball strategy - but really wonder about cutting McGee. McGee would have been a matchup nightmare for international squads and is one guy who doesn't need plays run for him to make an impact. Would have been a great backup at the 4 or 5. Similar to Lamar Odom except taller and better shot blocker. This is one move that US team could regret...
 
Dtown said:
To be fair that poll was made long before the entire Redeem Team jumped ship, and Amare and David Lee were removed from consideration.

As for the comparisons to the 2002 team, that team was better in the front court but far weaker in the back. Pretty much the opposite of this team. Under FIBA rules I'd rather have a weakness in the front court than in the guard spots.

Reggie was certainly the best pure shooter out there, but in 2002 wasn't the threat he was to drive the lane, he had Pierce but little else in the way of shooters to complement his game. Durant isn't the pure shooter Reggie was but has far more options to his game than Reggie had in the downside of his career, and more shooters around him to open the floor.
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We can go back and forth all day about comparing our current WC team to past teams.

Things going for this team- the coaching staff is intact, they understand the different tactics employed in the FIBA game versus the NBA game (and they presumably will make personnel choices based on those differences) they have taught U.S. players to respect the international competition and the scouting is much improved.

Things going against this team- youth. Inexperience with FIBA rules, FIBA refs, zone defense. They have more time to mesh prior to the WC with a tough schedule of games but they still don't have the years of experience playing together that other teams have.

The above factors will all be critical in how the US plays. The question is what will prevail? Will they fall due to their youth, inexperience and lack of cohesion or will they rise because of the changed mindset of U.S. basketball and the preparation of its coaching staff?
 
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