<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pakman:</div><div class="quote_post">And... I dont think adding Kobe would've helped much, if any. He's not a team player or atleast not the type of player Team USA could use.</div> I think before you can make a huge statement like that. You need to actually see him play with the team!! A lot of ppl (especially when the USA Team was winning every game by 20 pts.) were saying that kobe can't help the team, he's not a team player, he shoots too much, blah, blah, blah......All I was saying is at least give him a try and if he gets cut or destroys the so-called "team chemistry" then so be it but no one can tell what would have happened!!! Representing your country is suppose to be a honor, and that's why they have try-outs!! (And I was so glad that they decided to have try-outs for the USA Team, and give a chance to role players like battier who ended up being their only defensive player!!)
I'm curious as to how Kobe would have done. The team lacked a true leader and Kobe could have stepped up to the plate, aside from Anthony, Wade and LeBron didn't really impress me as leaders.
Kobe would definitely help team USA, but they need to work on things like defending a pick n roll before we can say they'll automatically win the gold.
That's the problem, the way the thread title bothers me. Will Kobe make an impact on team USA? Of Course, I'm positive. Will he lead his team to the gold medal? Who knows...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheFreshPrince:</div><div class="quote_post">Hinrich steppped up and hit two clutch threes, and melo did pretty good. I odubt kobe would have changed anything because bball is a team game, and thats why we lost</div> IMO it wouldnt of come to that we beat every team... but this is my opinion and speculation on my part.
Kobe would help no doubt, but would he stop the Greece offense which shot 62% on 101ppg against USA? Greece shot 56% for 80ppg in this tournament, #9th overall (USA was #1 with 103ppg @ 57%). Even Spain held Greece to under 50pts in the Gold Medal round. So let's look at this again: Greece in tournament: 80ppg @ 56% Greee vs USA: 101pts @ 62% Greece vs Spain: 47pts @ 32% Point is, Kobe is a great great player, but the reason we lost against Greece was inability to stop their offense. A lot of people argue our guys don't play defense, but Greece isn't a team that runs an offense that tests your man-2-man defense. They're a team who moves the ball around to get a good shot, which tests your help defense and rotations.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Moo2K4:</div><div class="quote_post">Actually, he really can't coach defense from the looks of it. They built the team around his coaching philosophy, and that is to get out, run, and score. It may be a simplistic assessment on my part, but it's true. If he could coach it, don't you think he'd at least put some emphasis on it? Become a team like the Mavs, a team that scores 100 but holds teams to 95. I think he'd do that if he could. However, he doesn't. He puts no emphasis on the defensive side of the ball, otherwise, they'd be giving up a lot less than 102ppg out in Phoenix.</div> It is a simplistic assessment IMO. The 102 ppg they're giving up isn't an indicator of their defense since they push the tempo which means more shot attempts and more open shots. Their OPP FG% is 45.4% which is 17th in the NBA, not a great defensive team by any means but not bad. It's about average but considering how many fast break opportunities there are in the game it's fairly impressive. D'Antoni is very good at employing zone defenses as well as double teaming opposing team's players (especially pressuring guys in the post) and luring opposing teams to take long jumpshots so they can get out on the break. There's also some good individual defenders on that team; Raja Bell, Kurt Thomas, Shawn Marion and guys like Diaw and Barbosa are decent, you think he tells those guys to forget about defense? Although it may not seem like it on the surface I think D'Antoni and the Suns really are focusing on defense now that they've got their offense at a high level. They just added Jumaine Jones and Marcus Banks who are both very solid defenders, they let Tim Thomas go, and Kurt Thomas and Raja Bell were added last offseason. IMO if you give D'Antoni talent he can figure out how to get the most he possibly can out of them, very much like a Don Nelson or Flip Saunders but he's got alot of experience with the international game and has also been a successful and respected NBA coach.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">IMO if you give D'Antoni talent he can figure out how to get the most he possibly can out of them, very much like a Don Nelson or Flip Saunders but he's got alot of experience with the international game and has also been a successful and respected NBA coach.</div>Yeah but those 3 coaches' teams have reps for building regular season teams rather than playoff teams. They'll overachieve in the regular season but eventually some team will expose them. Personally I thought D'Antoni's offense would be suicidal for such a young roster. Our offense should have been more disciplined except for Carmelo who thrived under that system. He's the only one who should've had the green light. Also, the players on USA were really better for a halfcourt offense and their NBA teams, for the most part, has been teaching them that. Obviously you want to run when there's opportunities but don't take a dumb shot or a 3pter.
Kobe would have definitely helped the team in more ways than one. But to say that winning the gold is automatic with Kobe is going overboard. I think the team that was sent could have won the gold, and though Greece played well, I think the team itself had a lot to do with the loss. I feel that the direction of how the team is composed is on the right track and the U.S. team just fell short. It's not just about sending an All-Star cast, but it's getting the right players, a mix of star players and supporting casts. The 1992 Dream Team will not be duplicated, they were in a different class. That was a literally a "Dream" cast. What made them special was the fact that they were able to set aside their ego's and play as a "Team". What happened to the last U.S. teams were the result of players with big ego's trying to do their own thing. Trash talking, dances after dunks are pretty to look at but gave out ugly results (remember the 6th place finish?). While Kobe could have been a factor it wouldn't guarantee the gold.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AMS_ice:</div><div class="quote_post">I feel that the direction of how the team is composed is on the right track and the U.S. team just fell short. It's not just about sending an All-Star cast, but it's getting the right players, a mix of star players and supporting casts.</div>Prior to the Greece game, had you said this comment you would've been looked at as someone who doesn't like the USA or just doesn't know much about basketball. The players were meshing, the defense was ranked #1, as was the offense. Everything was clicking and the USA was undefeated. They beat opponents on average of 25ppg (rounding off). If not for that, just for the simple facts that we brought in role players like Battier, Hinrich, Howard, Miller. Even the superstars on the team played roles at times with playmaking and rebounding. Saying comments like that, before the Greece game, would get you weird looks. Now it's just easy to pass it off on typical stereotypes like "USA has egos, they have no role players, they lack chemistry, they can't shoot, they can't play the international game, etc".
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Heat4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">Prior to the Greece game, had you said this comment you would've been looked at as someone who doesn't like the USA or just doesn't know much about basketball. The players were meshing, the defense was ranked #1, as was the offense. Everything was clicking and the USA was undefeated. They beat opponents on average of 25ppg (rounding off). If not for that, just for the simple facts that we brought in role players like Battier, Hinrich, Howard, Miller. Even the superstars on the team played roles at times with playmaking and rebounding. Saying comments like that, before the Greece game, would get you weird looks. Now it's just easy to pass it off on typical stereotypes like "USA has egos, they have no role players, they lack chemistry, they can't shoot, they can't play the international game, etc".</div> What the #@!#!? Hey dude, I root for the U.S. team. Didn't I just say that I liked the direction the team is going?... The team had better balance of star players and role players, and like I said, the U.S. team could have won the gold even without Kobe. And again, like I said, they just fell short. I was just pointing out that how players are selected and how it's better now than before. Now there is balance, unlike the previous teams that lacked role players. Chill man... Seriously man, read my post again.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Heat4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">Prior to the Greece game, had you said this comment you would've been looked at as someone who doesn't like the USA or just doesn't know much about basketball. The players were meshing, the defense was ranked #1, as was the offense. Everything was clicking and the USA was undefeated. They beat opponents on average of 25ppg (rounding off). If not for that, just for the simple facts that we brought in role players like Battier, Hinrich, Howard, Miller. Even the superstars on the team played roles at times with playmaking and rebounding. Saying comments like that, before the Greece game, would get you weird looks. Now it's just easy to pass it off on typical stereotypes like "USA has egos, they have no role players, they lack chemistry, they can't shoot, they can't play the international game, etc".</div> I think almost everyone would have agreed with his comment. You can't just rely on all superstars, you need a mix of guys that can do the little things.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Moo2K4:</div><div class="quote_post">Hard to build the team around Kobe when he's not on the WC roster. You neglect that he had surgery I guess, which kept him out of the Worlds.</div> Isn't he playing in 2008?
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe probably wouldn't have gotten a huge amount of minutes, simply because that'd mean LeBron or Wade or Melo would have gotten minutes eaten up</div> Uh....Melo's minutes would've been the first to go, then Wades then Brons. There would be no way in hell that Kobe wouldn't be a starter.
Melo would be the least likely out of the big 3 to lose minutes, because of Kobe. His post game is an asset that Kobe can't replace and he's more of a small forward than a shooting guard.
you guys forgot an important part: denfense.... kobe is one of the best defender in league... the impact that kobe have to the usa team not only on offense but on defense
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting st60111119:</div><div class="quote_post">you guys forgot an important part: denfense.... kobe is one of the best defender in league... the impact that kobe have to the usa team not only on offense but on defense</div> Kobe's strength defensively is his one-on-one defense. But that wasn't our problem.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting phunDamentalz:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe wouldn't have changed JACK. The very idea that Kobe would have changed the outcome IS A PART OF THE REASON why U.S.A. didn't win gold. The whole idea of we need a superstar, etc. It has nothing to do with choking; the guys on team USA are professional ballers and among the very best in the world and all have hit big shots in their career, the idea that Kobe is one level beyond is stupid cause he's not, he's mortal, don't you get it? Wade is one of the clutchest guys out there and he couldn't beat Greece by himself. Take kobe off the pedestal for once. And besides the 81 points what has he done since Shaq left? NOt that much.</div> Without Shaq he is still the best all around player in the world. Name one other player that is one of the best defenders, and can score the way he can........ you can't. Kobe definately would have helped the team. There wouldn't have been three captains, there would have been one, Kobe Bryant. Those other guys were too young and too inexperienced. For once can we all admit that having the greatest player in the game on your team would help?
