United States has the superstars in their starting lineup but once again they are lacking outside shooters. The lineup should be Wade, Joe Johnson, James, Brand, and Howard. Chris Paul is a very poor outside shooter.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SunnyD @ Jul 27 2006, 09:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I would too, but he's Washington's point. That's why Hinrich should be on the roster.</div>Thats what i was thinking. The team is only going to have 1 true PG now
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Jul 27 2006, 10:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>United States has the superstars in their starting lineup but once again they are lacking outside shooters. The lineup should be Wade, Joe Johnson, James, Brand, and Howard. Chris Paul is a very poor outside shooter.</div>Johnson doesen't need to start. I'm sure he'll get plenty of PT to come in and shoot.
No true PG outside of Paul isn't the problem....too many scorers is. Gilbert, Bron, Wade, Melo, and likely Kobe and Pierce....it is overkill. Not to mention the big men that will need the ball. I say cut Gilbert, only allow Pierce OR Kobe, not both, and keep Kirk.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Jul 27 2006, 11:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>No true PG outside of Paul isn't the problem....too many scorers is. Gilbert, Bron, Wade, Melo, and likely Kobe and Pierce....it is overkill. Not to mention the big men that will need the ball. I say cut Gilbert, only allow Pierce OR Kobe, not both, and keep Kirk.</div>I somewhat agree,I agree with you that Paul isn't the problem and that the problem is too many scorers.But IMO we should keep both Kobe AND Pierce and cut either Kirk or Gilbert.
Then you get 2 more pure scorers! If it is too much the way it is, according to you, then that is overkill!
Once again I don't like the starting lineup. The outside shooting is more important in the Olympics than anywhere else and US Team continues to neglect that.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Jul 28 2006, 05:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Once again I don't like the starting lineup. The outside shooting is more important in the Olympics than anywhere else and US Team continues to neglect that.</div>The Olympic 3 is like college 3. Wade, LeBron and Paul can all shoot it, as well as Gilbert, Kirk, etc... Not to mention if/when Kobe and Pierce make the team, they will be lights out.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Jul 28 2006, 09:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The Olympic 3 is like college 3. Wade, LeBron and Paul can all shoot it, as well as Gilbert, Kirk, etc... Not to mention if/when Kobe and Pierce make the team, they will be lights out.</div>Lebron is respectable but Wade and Paul are very poor outside shooters. They got a mid range game but not an outside game.
Umm, Pierce is a 36% 3 point shooter....that is better than Bron. And once again, the Olympics 3 is midrange jumpshot in the NBA...Wade, Bron, Kobe, Pierce, Gilbert, Hinrich etc.. can all hit that with ease. Hell, even Brand can step out that far, and judging by Amare's improvements and some flashes in that 1st game he played this year, he can also hit it. Of course you don't want them necassarily taking those kinds of shots, but they can still hit them. 3 point shooting won't be a problem. That is unlike 2004 where RJ and AI were only decent 3 pt shooters.
2 things I don't understand about this lineup otherwise it's great. Firstly Gilbert Arenas behind Chris Paul? Gilbert is more expreience than Chris Paul, however still younger, and better. Another issue that comes up for me is Amare Stoudamire behind Josh Howard, don't get me wrong I repsect both Howard and Paul, it is true that Amare is coming back from a knee injury however he's been working on it in the team USA workouts and the summer league.
Amare is at about 75% right now. I was surprised he even made the World Championship team. Arenas is younger than Paul?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GArenas @ Jul 29 2006, 12:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Another issue that comes up for me is Amare Stoudamire behind Josh Howard, don't get me wrong I repsect both Howard and Paul, it is true that Amare is coming back from a knee injury however he's been working on it in the team USA workouts and the summer league.</div>It's Dwight Howard, not JHo. I don't know why they chose to put him in front, but as is well-documented, I don't pay much attention to eastern conference.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GArenas @ Jul 29 2006, 01:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>2 things I don't understand about this lineup otherwise it's great. Firstly Gilbert Arenas behind Chris Paul? Gilbert is more expreience than Chris Paul, however still younger, and better. Another issue that comes up for me is Amare Stoudamire behind Josh Howard, don't get me wrong I repsect both Howard and Paul, it is true that Amare is coming back from a knee injury however he's been working on it in the team USA workouts and the summer league.</div>He's a pure PG, while Gil is more of a scorer (something the Olympic team already has enough of).It's Dwight Howard, and while Amare may be better, they still have to see how Amare will come back from the injury. Dwight is also taller than Amare, grabs more rebounds, so he is more suitable for center. That means Amare will be going at it with Elton for PF.
2 weaknesses I see in this team is interior defense and outside shooting. 3 point shot is not quite midrange. It is a little further but it makes a big difference in percentages unless you like outside shots.
Well I'm not expecting Bron or wade to hit 48-49% from out there, but they will do fine with that range. And with those good bench players, and likely Kobe and Pierce, there will be more than enough 3pt shooting.
