After seeing the "Redeem Team" perform at the Olympics a couple years ago, and seeing this Durant-led team cruise to double-digit victories throughout the elimination round, we've learned a lot about the cast of USA basketball. So, armed with this knowledge--and your knowledge of "the international game"--build your best 12-man Team-USA, using active players. Include positional and mpg breakdown.
PG: Williams (18), Paul (15) SG: Kobe (20), Wade 20), Roy (2) SF: James (25), Durant (25), Anthony (5) PF: Bosh (17), Duncan (15) C: Howard (20), Stoudemire (18) Starters Wade Kobe Durant James Howard
Pretty much. Except (assuming he's 100% healthy) I'd start Paul over both Williams and Wade. I think he's better than either, and I'd love to have another fantastic three point shooter out there next to Durant. Besides, Wade did a great job in the super-sub role last time. If it ain't broke...
Taking chemistry into account (you can't play 12 guys and egos will be hurt) 8-man rotation: Paul, Williams Wade James, Durant Carmelo Howard, Bosh Specalists/insurance: Oden (center) Odom (do-it-all PF, provided he's not washed up 2 years from now) Gordon (3 pt shooting, 2-guard depth) Westbrook (on the ball defender, 3rd PG)
To further my point, I say the US team doesn't go gold without Durant this year. The strategy for every team is to crowd the middle to neutralize athleticism, and hope the US has a bad shooting night from 3. It might've worked in the Gold Medal game if Durant hadn't been a flame thrower out there, because everybody else was ice cold from three. I might be tempted to also start Carmello at PF and leave Bosh on the bench. Mostly because it allows you to play Durant more minutes. I'd be pretty tempted to just use James/Anthony/Durant at the 3/4 positions for the full 48, or at least as long as it's competitive.
I was thinking of the 2012 Olympics and that he may pass. He will be 34 with lots of mileage (especially if the Lakers continue to go to the Finals and there's no lockout), already has a gold medal etc. Although he might go just to add to his resume. Anyway, I don't really think he will be needed, especially with Durant now in the mix.
PG - Paul (25) Rose (15) Westbrook (bench) SG - Bryant (25) Wade (15) Roy (bench) SF - James (20) Durant (20) PF - Bosh (25) James (10) Josh Smith (bench) C - Howard (25) Oden (10) Bosh (5) I left off Deron Williams and Carmelo Anthony because I don't think they would accept no guaranteed minutes. I see a 9-man rotation with Westbrook, Roy, and Josh Smith being wild card off of the bench and Bosh/James being part of an insane pressing unit for 5 minutes or so a game (Paul/Bryant/Durant/James/Bosh good God!). I included Oden assuming in this make-believe world that he will be injury-free.
With Roy (and the Blazers) injury history, I'm not sure he'll accept an invitation for the Olympics. Maybe if he plays 80+ injury-free games for the next two years, but it's a little doubtful. Although if healthy Roy probably will be a better SG than Bryant by then.
Yeah, and I'm also a homer. Injuries aside, I can see Roy being fine with not getting minutes, and you're right in that Brandon may be a better SG than Bryant in two years. So ... assuming Kobe turns down an invite, I'll start Wade, put in Roy for 12-15 minutes as a back-up, and add an Eric Gordon, Steph Curry, or even a Mike Miller as a zone buster in place of Bryant.
PG Paul (25), Rondo (15) SG Wade (25), Roy (15) SF Durant (30), James(10) PF James(20), Bosh (20) Center Howard(20), Oden(15), Bosh(5) I think the Key to international play is having an unselfish team that is willing to give up the ball and create plays which is why their are a few people I left off (Carmelo, stoudamire). PG: I chose PG's who have great passing abilities and can create for their teammates. I left Williams off even though everyone I picked I wanted to be able to defend, and that reason is because I wanted Rondo on the team and felt he would be better as a backup then either willaims/paul because of his ability to offensive rebound and be a great defender. SG: I left off Kobe because he will be 34 and I doubt will want to play and the fact he will be 34 and has already started to fade. The #1 reason though is i'm a blazer fan and #$%^ Kobe. SF: Durant is a must, he is really the only volume scorer who does not create for his teammates. On this team he wouldn't be the #1 option so you wouldn't see the stagnant offense that the US team sometimes had this year when Durant was throwing up shots everytime he got the ball. James of course is the best player on the court but below i'll explain why he is a backup at the SF position I left off Carmelo because I am not a fan of his game. He is such a talented scorer but he seems to think he doesn't have to play defense and is primarily a jump shooter. It came down to either having Durant or Carmelo for me and I chose Durant. PF: I think James is a natural PF who has just played SF his entire career because of his ball handling skills. With the team having so many ball handlers putting James at PF and making him play off the ball a lot will be interesting, but with a player as talented as James it shouldn't effect his game that much. Bosh is behind James and will average more minutes at PF then James who will split his minutes between PF and SF. I debated having Kevin Love on here because of his ability to get into the post and rebound, but with having Howard on it I thought he would be redundant. Center: Howard is the best Center in the league and an offensive enigma but on this team the fact his offensive game isn't their doesn't matter, and his defense is what will. Just give him garbage minutes and let him roam the paint. Oden if he is healthy gives you a big man who can overpower centers (especially the ones we saw this year) and get to the basket. With a defensive duo of Howard/Oden the paint will be on lockdown. I also have Bosh playing some minutes at Center because of the fact Howard/Oden attract fouls like flies to a midden heap. I expect both to be in foul trouble a lot. I think that team has the ability to be an unselfish person and not rely on 1 person to do the heavy lifting, almost all of them could do it. With everyone on that team save for a few being unselfish players who create for their teammates opens up the floor and will allow for a lot better looks.
The International game is a whole different ball game. IMO, there's no better 'International PF' than Carmelo Anthony. PG: Chris Paul SG: LeBron James SF: Kevin Durant PF: Carmelo Anthony C: Dwight Howard Second unit: PG: Deron Williams SG: Dwayne Wade SF: Brandon Roy PF: Chris Bosh C: Amare Stoudemire
PG: CP3 (starter), Williams (bench) SG: Kobe (starter), Wade (bench) SF: James (starter), Melo (bench) PF: Amare (starter), Bosh (bench) C: Howard (starter), Oden (bench) Personally I don't think it is much of a debate. Rose is lightyears behind CP3 and Deron. All other SG's are lightyears behind Kobe/Wade. Durant one-dimensional game is lightyears beyond the well-rounded LeBron and Melo. Duncan is too old leaving Amare and Bosh as the only superstar Americans that come to mind. Howard is the obvious starter and Oden is clearly the most dominant when healthy. Brook is just a stat-monkey on a bad team and Bynum (when healthy) doesn't equal Oden (when healthy), so I'm not sure who else could back up Superman.
