I think it's the same problem it's been for the last decade, only caring about the name in the back instead of the name in the front. These NBA guys could care less about representing this country.... or at least they play like it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting magicfrankie:</div><div class="quote_post">Sure, based on talent Team USA should win every game, and the gap on athleticism is even bigger. One on one they will dominate, but not 5 on 5, not against the TEAMdefenses Spain, Argentina and Greece are able to throw at them. I don't see this team (or whichever 'dream'team USA will send to the Olympics) dominate the teams I mentioned, they surely won't beat these teams by 20+ points.</div> Let's assume this Team USA sticks to the plan and catches up with Greece, Spain, and Argentinia on a "team" level. Once you take the talent from these players and mold them into a team I don't see how anyone can compete. bruin007 in the future keep in mind it's hard to tell if someone is being sarcastic or not. Usually people use a smiley or put [sarcasm] in brackets so there's no misunderstanding.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Lakers4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">Lebronze James: "It all starts with me"</div> I'm a "Witness"
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm a "Witness" </div> Aren't we all? And if Kobe says they instead of we, he is a non patriotic hog.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Let's assume this Team USA sticks to the plan and catches up with Greece, Spain, and Argentinia on a "team" level. Once you take the talent from these players and mold them into a team I don't see how anyone can compete. bruin007 in the future keep in mind it's hard to tell if someone is being sarcastic or not. Usually people use a smiley or put [sarcasm] in brackets so there's no misunderstanding. </div> True.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Lakers4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">Lebronze James: "It all starts with me"</div> hahahahhaha
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trench:</div><div class="quote_post">What are you implying? That Kobe Bryant is not defense minded? 6-time All-Defensive Selection: First Team: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006 Second Team: 2001, 2002 How many does Lebron have? Melo? Wade? hmmmmm.... If anything, Kobe will be an asset on the defensive end of the ball. Kobe hasn't even been on Team USA's roster and everyone is already saying TEAM USA doesnt need Kobe. I've mentioned this time and time again. Let Kobe try out like everyone else. He deserves a shot at it. If he gets CUT, so be it... Dont hate.</div> that's not what I'm saying, what I mean is that Kobe will try to be another leader on this team, more is not always better, and Kobe to me does not play the Kind of euro basketball that it takes to win. But I might be wrong, so i do think he should at least get a shot, but that's just my opinion.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trench:</div><div class="quote_post">What are you implying? That Kobe Bryant is not defense minded? 6-time All-Defensive Selection: First Team: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006 Second Team: 2001, 2002 How many does Lebron have? Melo? Wade? hmmmmm.... If anything, Kobe will be an asset on the defensive end of the ball. Kobe hasn't even been on Team USA's roster and everyone is already saying TEAM USA doesnt need Kobe. I've mentioned this time and time again. Let Kobe try out like everyone else. He deserves a shot at it. If he gets CUT, so be it... Dont hate.</div> I totally agree!! There are a lot of sports writers that say that Kobe wouldn't fit b/c he shoots too much or cant play "team ball" or they need more defensive players.....blah blah blah How can they tell what would have happened?? Kobe only shoots a lot and averages 35 pts. b/c of the inexperience of his team. He doesnt shot that much during an all*star game. Plus Kobe would have been the best defensive player on that USA Team (maybe w/ the exception of battier). And by defense I dont mean going for the steal 40 feet away from their basket.....(wade) B/c as you can see it didnt work on more experienced teams like Greece!! Now, I not going to flat out say "if kobe had joined the team, they would have won, b/c like I said you cant tell what would have happened! But dont write him off like he won't make a difference or will destroy their so-called "team ball" strategy.
I agree that Kobe could help the team, as I'm sure anyone with a brain would think so...but to say the reason team USA lost was because they didn't have Kobe is a tad bit ridiculous, because there's no way of proving it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting huevonkiller:</div><div class="quote_post">Well we did lose to greece by 6 points. I believe we could have made this margin close with Kobe.</div> Or if they would have just made their dang-on free-throws!! Everyone that went to the line missed at least 3 freethrows, that's more than 6pts. Gosh!! That's just not focused!!
Missing FT was a huge reason why they lost. Like it or not, those charity stripe points are costly if not made. Kobe's one of the best FT shooters in the league. He goes spans without missing a single one. Im not saying he would have been 100%, but the guy just doesnt miss FT that count.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Let's assume this Team USA sticks to the plan and catches up with Greece, Spain, and Argentinia on a "team" level. Once you take the talent from these players and mold them into a team I don't see how anyone can compete.</div> I think its harder for Team USA to mold their players into better team players and humble themselves into lesser roles, because all their players are star players on their own respective teams. US probably won't ever catch up to Greece or Argentina on a "team" level, but because of their talent they don't have to. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Lakers4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">Lebronze James: "It all starts with me"</div>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting bruin007:</div><div class="quote_post">So I just watched Team USA get beat by Greece.... Greece? Do they even play basketball over there? Seriously Kobe needs to play why wasnt he on the team? Would he have made a difference?</div> No...basketball is an international sport now. And to answer you're question, yes he wouldve made a difference..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post">No, FIBA just took a whole bunch of guys off the street one day and gave them a basketball, and they somehow got good.</div> Give this guy a cookie. Thats quote of the year material right there.
A question I have, and I'm sure people in this forum could answer this, is how good can Kobe play off the ball? One of the main problems with Team USA's approach this tournament was that, despite adding specialists to last years' team (eg: Battier for defense, Johnson for shooting, etc.), the fundamental problem was still there. From the few games I've been able to watch, I thought the core was still unable to function without the ball in their hands (mainly Lebron). Colangelo and co. built this team the NBA way (choosing a couple standout players and trying to find players that complement them), but it doesn't work with international play. Take a look at the other successful teams (Spain, Argentina, etc.): they obviously have their foundational players (Ginobli, Gasol, etc.), but the teams are not built around them. Rather, those players are simply another piece of an entire team philosophy. It's easy to sit here and say "if the US had hit some more free throws, they would have advanced" or "Kobe could have provided the extra scoring/defense to push them over the top, etc." However, this team is clearly not maximizing the huge advantage it has in talent over the other nations. I think players like Kobe (excel at both ends of the court) should be on the team, but Team USA has eliminate the idea that it has to build around certain players. If Kobe (a players who has taken the exact opposite role on the Lakers) could handle that, then he should definitely be apart of them.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chutney:</div><div class="quote_post">It's quite stunning actually, seeing the parallells between USA basketball and Canadian hockey. Both countries are the birthplaces of the sport </div> Actually basketball was created by a Canadian....in Canada <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Lakers4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">Lebronze James: "It all starts with me"</div> Haha, what a douchebag. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chutney:</div><div class="quote_post">A question I have, and I'm sure people in this forum could answer this, is how good can Kobe play off the ball? </div> He is actually a great off the ball player. Kobe isn't such a ball hog that he has the ball in his hands 24/7. I'm sure someone on here can go into more detail but I'm goning to bed.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Franchise4Ever:</div><div class="quote_post">Actually basketball was created by a Canadian....in Canada </div> Yea I know, but the game spread faster in the US and developed mostly there. So I tend to think of it as an American game. If you want to be technical, some people believe that hockey began originally in the Netherlands.
I think Kobe actually plays better off the ball... During the championship years, he did alot of that and found alot of success.
