2012 London Olympics

[cardenales]

Common, next summer team USA should have Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, that should be the starting five. From bench, Kevin Durant, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh etc, etc

You dont think that is not a Dream Team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This team is better that all teams that play with NBA players in this past whole decade.

[Ciscorlie Horford]

Common, next summer team USA should have Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, that should be the starting five. From bench, Kevin Durant, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh etc, etc

You dont think that is not a Dream Team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This team is better that all teams that play with NBA players in this past whole decade.

We don't know if by then Kobe will still be physically in on piece. Judging from his showing in the playoffs it a [pears as it his knee have already given up on him. So most Likely Kobe will either come of the bench by then or not be on the team at all.

And mark my words, Chris Paul will be injured by them too. And Carmelo will not make final cut in my honest opinion.

In my opinion this is what is going to happen
Starting 5:
pg-Deron Williams
sg-Dwayne Wade
sf-Kevin Durant
pf-Lebron James
c-Dwight Howard

Bench:
Derrick Rose
Stephen Curry (will be there as the 3 pt. Specialist)
Russell Westbrook
Rudy Gay
Griffin
Love
LaMarcus Aldridge (by then Aldridge will have already been solidified as a super star thus leaving Bosh out of the team)

13th replacement player: Amare Stoudemire (at the end stoudemire will not make the final cut because of his defense, the team don't need any more offense and Coach K emphases on defense choosing LaaL over him.)

[Raze Lupin]

Common, next summer team USA should have Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, that should be the starting five. From bench, Kevin Durant, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh etc, etc

You dont think that is not a Dream Team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This team is better that all teams that play with NBA players in this past whole decade.

No sir! That would be a very good team. It would still be far from "The Dream Team". Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Karl Malone, Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin, Clyde Drexler, Micheal Jordan, Magic Johnson, John Stockton.

Because of those names and their accomplishments is why we don't call these new teams the dream team. These new teams are great BUT they are not legendary. They are no "Dream Team".

[CKR13]

We don't know if by then Kobe will still be physically in on piece. Judging from his showing in the playoffs it a [pears as it his knee have already given up on him. So most Likely Kobe will either come of the bench by then or not be on the team at all.

Yes, Bryant's sagging game on the post season was duly noted but Bryant's season this year has been better than his 2007-2008 season but by 2012, Bryant could no longer be the same player like in 2008. My verdict is Bryant to come off the bench.

And mark my words, Chris Paul will be injured by them too. And Carmelo will not make final cut in my honest opinion.

I will not discount the possibility of Paul choosing to rest for the off-season because of injuries and his impending free agency.

But at the moment, I would rather have Paul and Williams over Rose and Westbrook. Third stringer could be Curry due to his shooting.

Wade and Bosh are undecided at the moment to re-commit for 2012. Then I'd rather have Eric Gordon and Lamarcus Aldridge / Blake Griffin in tow.

[saalsapr]

With exception to Argentina and the US, all the above European teams you metioned including Croatia, France, Slovenia, Italy, Germany are better than the rest of the American teams. Well, to be honnest, Brazil and Puerto Rico could also be there with some mid level to good European teams, but I am sure that the rest of the American teams can't be anywhere near the best European teams mentioned above. They are more on par with Israel, Poland, Bulgaria, Bosnia and the likes.

Really?

So I guess that Turkey and Greece beating Puerto Rico by a combined 5 points (even though combined, they shot 32 more free throws than Puerto Rico in their games) makes them such dominant performances that Puerto Rico has no chance against them.

Also correct me if Im wrong, but I remember Brazil crushing Croatia, and losing to Slovenia by two or three points in the Worlds, but I guess they also have no chance to beat the strong european teams.

[Dtown]

Any predictions on the 7 teams that will qualify for the Olympics this year?

For me

Australia
Angola
Iran (unless Yao plays)
Spain
Lithuania
Brazil
Argentina

[Federoy]

Any predictions on the 7 teams that will qualify for the Olympics this year?

For me

Australia
Angola
Iran (unless Yao plays)
Spain
Lithuania
Brazil
Argentina

Good picks. Australia and Angola are academic, but there might be some movement in other places.

Automatic-- USA, Great Britain

Europe--Lithuania, Serbia

Asia--Iran

Americas--Brazil, Puerto Rico

Africa--Angola

Oceania--Australia

At-large--Turkey, Spain, Russia

[saalsapr]

Good picks. Australia and Angola are academic, but there might be some movement in other places.

Automatic-- USA, Great Britain

Europe--Lithuania, Serbia

Asia--Iran

Americas--Brazil, Puerto Rico

Africa--Angola

Oceania--Australia

At-large--Turkey, Spain, Russia

Wow its hard to pick against Argentina in their turf with a full team. Only way they lose is if age strikes them when they least expect it.

USA and Great Britain

Asia- Philippines (LMAO Laban Pilipinas!) No Imma go with China

Africa- Angola

Oceania-Australia

Americas- Argentina, Brazil

Europe- France, Serbia

Wildcard- Spain, Lithuania, Puerto Rico

[Ciscorlie Horford]

Automatic-- USA, Great Britain, Australia

Europe--France, Serbia

Asia--Korea

Americas--Argentina, Brazil

Africa-- Côte d'Ivoire

teams that will quialified At the qualifier--Dominican Republic, Spain, Slovenia

Wildcard- Spain, Lithuania, Puerto Rico

there is no wildcard


only one Australia now

[saalsapr]

Frace
Serbia

Argentina
China

Automatic-- USA, Great Britain, Australia

Europe--France, Serbia

Asia--Korea

Americas--Argentina, Brazil

Africa-- Côte d'Ivoire

Oceania--Australia

At-qualifier--Dominican Republic, Spain



there is no wildcard

Sorry, I know its not called wild cards as Puerto Rico participated in the last qualifiers at Greece. I just have a habit of calling them wild cards.

Also I would like to know how many Australia's there are in the world.

[Dtown]

For the additional qualifiers next year I have

Serbia, Turkey, France (Puerto Rico being the darkhorse for an upset.)

[Federoy]

Wow its hard to pick against Argentina in their turf with a full team. Only way they lose is if age strikes them when they least expect it.

USA and Great Britain

Asia- Philippines (LMAO Laban Pilipinas!) No Imma go with China

Africa- Angola

Oceania-Australia

Americas- Argentina, Brazil

Europe- France, Serbia

Wildcard- Spain, Lithuania, Puerto Rico

Yeah, age is exactly why I'm betting against them. The Argentines are still a powerful force in the Americas, but their core players (Ginobilli, Nocioni, Scola, and Prigioni) are getting a little long in the tooth, so it's important that CABB start infusing the NT with youngblood now or this team is going to have a hard time getting past Puerto Rico or Brazil for a trip to London next year. My prediction is that either Brazil or PR is going to shock them in the tournament semi-finals and they're going to be on the outside looking in.

Even if they fail, they can still make the tournament if they get a favorable draw in '12 Wildcard Tournament, but that's still a difficult road. They would be going up against good European squads most likely on European soil.

[saalsapr]

Yeah, age is exactly why I'm betting against them. The Argentines are still a powerful force in the Americas, but their core players (Ginobilli, Nocioni, Scola, and Prigioni) are getting a little long in the tooth, so it's important that CABB start infusing the NT with youngblood now or this team is going to have a hard time getting past Puerto Rico or Brazil for a trip to London next year. My prediction is that either Brazil or PR is going to shock them in the tournament semi-finals and they're going to be on the outside looking in.

Even if they fail, they can still make the tournament if they get a favorable draw in '12 Wildcard Tournament, but that's still a difficult road. They would be going up against good European squads most likely on European soil.

I agree, in fact Im hoping both Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic upset the south americans and qualify.

Way I see it, Brazil is the south american D.R. with their three(now 4) NBA players. Id personally take Horford over Varejao and Splitter any day of the week. At this stage of his career we will have to see how Barbosa performs, and Nene for me is the x factor no DR could contain. When they do play, I hope Villanueva plays team basketball and stops shooting bricks.

Flores, Villanueva, Horford

vs

Barbosa, Varejao, Nene

Main matchups right here, and DR has got to be careful against Machado and Splitter too. They could do it with the right game plan.

Argentina on the other hands fits more as the south american Puerto Rico. Reason Im not counting Argentina out (besides the obvious) is because even if they are an old team, I dont think in this tournament most teams have what it takes to, how we say in Puerto Rico, make Argentina "sudar la gota gorda", make them exhaust themselves for wins.

Barea, Vassallo, Peavy

vs

Ginobili, Delfino, Scola

Puerto Rico has also got to be careful of a possible lineup of Ginobili, Delfino, Nocioni, Scola, Oberto. Thats a big lineup to have someone like Barea on court. Good thing they are not as athletic as Miami's lineup of Wade, Miller, Lebron, Haslem, Bosh.

[Mindozas]

I agree, in fact Im hoping both Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic upset the south americans and qualify.

Way I see it, Brazil is the south american D.R. with their three(now 4) NBA players. Id personally take Horford over Varejao and Splitter any day of the week. At this stage of his career we will have to see how Barbosa performs, and Nene for me is the x factor no DR could contain. When they do play, I hope Villanueva plays team basketball and stops shooting bricks.

Flores, Villanueva, Horford

vs

Barbosa, Varejao, Nene

Main matchups right here, and DR has got to be careful against Machado and Splitter too. They could do it with the right game plan.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I remember, Barbosa and Varejao won't play in NT this summer, right That would make Brazilian chances way more complicated and I suppose they might need next year's qualifiers to get into Olympics.

My predictions would be:

Europe: Spain is a lock I suppose, then hard to tell, let's say France, maybe they finally will show smth on international stage.

Americas: Argentina is a lock, then would pick Brazil, but with their missings, I'd say Puerto-Rico

Africa: no brainer - Angola

Asia: Iran

Oceania: Australia

Teams goin' to Additional qualifiers:

Europe: Lithuania, Serbia, Greece, Russia
Americas: Brazil, Dominican Rep., Canada
Africa: Nigeria, Ivory Coast
Asia: China, Lebanon
Oceania: New Zealand

[Ciscorlie Horford]

I agree, in fact Im hoping both Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic upset the south americans and qualify.

Way I see it, Brazil is the south american D.R. with their three(now 4) NBA players. Id personally take Horford over Varejao and Splitter any day of the week.

if you didn't you were a fool. There is a reason why Splitter is a benchwarmer, Varejao is the Starting center of teh worst team in the nba and Horford was an all star, a all NBA 3rd team and had the best PER for a center other than Howard and Andrew Bynum (but he only played for half the season anyway)

At this stage of his career we will have to see how Barbosa performs, and Nene for me is the x factor no DR could contain. When they do play, I hope Villanueva plays team basketball and stops shooting bricks.

You must have forgot, the finals centrobasket, when Villanueva could not miss a thing and out-shot the whole PR team even though he was injured and could not even move one of his legs, and no one in the entire PR team could guard him, He butt-raped and impregnated Ricky Sanchez, Renaldo Balkman and Nathan Peavy 8, he was basically winning the whole game by himself, too bad at the end he didn't have any help from his teammates other than Fortuna

Flores, Villanueva, Horford

vs

Barbosa, Varejao, Nene

Main matchups right here, and DR has got to be careful against Machado and Splitter too. They could do it with the right game plan.

Varejao is not going to be there which is fine because they still have Splitter and Nene, IMO they are both better than Anderson "la maquina de flopeo" Varejao

Flores is not going to be in the starting lineup so that Barbosa vs Flores matchup is not going to happen, Also, I heard that Barbosa had surgery this summer so he might not play. he is going to be our sixth man. We are trying to get Sammy Mejia, he was the French league MVP this year. but his wife is expecting a baby this summer, so he might not play, in that case James Feildeine would most likely be the starting 2, or even Kelvin Pena (if he make the team, but it is not likely to happen if everybody plays anyway)

therefore, the match-ups will:

Flores vs Alex, Huertas vs Garcia, Machado vs Mejia/or Feldeine, Splitter vs Villanueva, Nene vs Horford
Brazil has obvious advantages with Alex and Splitter, I think Huertas won't be able to stay in rhythm with a Garcia's height in front of him, and if Mejia comes, then Machado will have nightmares all year long with Mejia, if Mejia does not come then Machado will eat Feldeine alive for dessert.

Overall Brazil will win this game I don't not expect the DR to win, Brazil bench is much more stronger. I lot of people are making to much deal about Barbosa and Varejao absences. Varejao is more of an obstacle than anything else with Splitter and Nene, on the roster, and Barejao.

I also think, Brazil will be too much for Puerto Rico. 2 years ago or so Brazil and Puerto Rico were at the same level, but not now, Brazil has a new generation coming that will be the subject of much talk in the upcoming years but in Puerto Rico is going in the other direction, they don't give opportunities to the new young talent, so they go to waste and end up playing in bad leagues like in Mexico, Venezuela, third rated regional leagues in the RD and third world countries in Europe because they can't even get playing time in their own professional league in Puerto Rico. Remember this Puerto Rican team with all their best players abailable lost to the weakest team in the World Championship and was embarrassed by Trinidad & Tobago, and had trouble with a team like Belice in the first half of their match up in CentroBasket while Brazil was the only team in the World Championship talented enough to beat USA, they actually almost did but the refs gave the game to the Americans with a bunch of phantom calls. and they were the only team in the world that came even remotely close to doing that, the European super powers could not do it, they were all blown out by 20-30 points Brazil lost by 1 I think at the last second with the ball on their hands. I think Brazil is much a bigger threat than Argentina I don't care he they have home core advantage, have you been to Argentina anyway? their crowd isn't even loud all they do is chat football soccer songs all game long and start jumping around with local club banners and stuff, that is not a hostile environment for a professional basketball player that is a party on the honor. I can not wait to see a 60 years old semi-retierd Fabricio Oberto who has not played basketball for like 2 years try to defend Nene