Team USA Basketball (coach, playoffs, finals, olympics)

[Scott Summers]

Group A: Argentina, Australia, Croatia, Iran, Lithuania, Russia.

Group B: Angola, China,Germany, Greece, Spain, USA

Roster

#15 Carmelo Anthony
#4 Carlos Boozer
#12 Chris Bosh
#10 Kobe Bryant
#11 Dwight Howard
#6 Lebron James
#5 Jason Kidd
#13 Chris Paul
#14 Tayshaun Prince
#8 Michael Redd
#9 Dwyane Wade
#7 Deron Williams

Preliminary Round
August 10th 10:15pm USA vs China
August 12th 8:00pm USA vs Angola
August 14th 8:00pm USA vs Greece
August 16th 10:15pm USA vs Spain
August 18th 8:00pm USA vs Germany

Quarterfinals
August 20th USA vs 4th place team from Group A (pure speculation)

Semifinals
August 22nd USA vs A2/B3 winner (pure speculation)

Finals
August 24th USA vs ? (USA will win gold and of course this is pure speculation).

The schedule can be confusing, sorry. I would go on the USAbasketball site to view the schedule (or fiba.com).

[Scott Summers]

I know people love to knock the Yanks but nobody can touch us if you approach this correctly. Really, the only teams that can F with us is Spain and Argentina with Russia being a darkhorse in this thing. The Hellas aka Greece beat (barely) us last time but that was a fluke so the Yanks (that's what the world call us) will be for real. Time to get what's ours. If the US play cat and mouse with the world then we'll lose but our best is head and shoulders above the next best teams ( Espana aka Spain).

[Canes2006Champs]

I think the USA will capture gold, but I cant see another team like the 1992 dream team that was beating teams by like 60 points. International basketball has gotten better.

[Scott Summers]

I agree with you regarding the points margin being sub 60. I think we can beat teams from Africa and Asia by that margin but Oceania and Europe are different. I think the best we can do against the big dogs of the world is 25-35 points. Argentina is weaker than they were in the past and Spain seems to be better than they were, but I think they can only hang with us for three quarters.

[Mathguy]

This team has 2 things the past teams didn't have.
1) They can play defense especially perimeter D is critical given the short 3pt. line.
2) They can shoot.

We lost before because we sent a team of street ball hogs.

This team should MAUL people.

[mattyj46]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

This team has 2 things the past teams didn't have.
1) They can play defense especially perimeter D is critical given the short 3pt. line.
2) They can shoot.

We lost before because we sent a team of street ball hogs.

This team should MAUL people.

I agree, the pressure on Team USA is immense, they should beat everyone comfortably but you just never know with international basketball, personally I think they'll go through and take the gold, I can't see anyone else beating them but funnier things have happened.

[Housemartin]

...I'm not sure.

NBA is the best league in the world and you have the best players, but if you want to win Olympics or World Championship (like some years ago...) you must have the best team and I'm not sure about that.

Best players? yeah...But these kinds of player are very selfish, very useful for NBA games, but not for play against other kind of teams.

Maybe USA will be the champion (great difference in one-to-one), but if doesn't happen it won't be for me a surprise.

That's my poor opinion.

[dorado0359]

Wasn't Coach K the head coach when they loss the gold in the last Olympics? If so, I wouldn't bet on them to win the gold this time.

[Housemartin]

No, in Olympics 2004 (Athens, Bronze) Larry Brown was the coach.
But yes, coach K was head coach in World Championship (2006, Bronze)

But coach isn't the problem: too many all stars and no team

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Housemartin

No, in Olympics 2004 (Athens, Bronze) Larry Brown was the coach.
But yes, coach K was head coach in World Championship (2006, Bronze)

But coach isn't the problem: too many all stars and no team

Yep and they sent some guys like Kirk Heinrich...sorry but he's no Chris Paul or Kobe...and Jason Kidd was past his prime and hurting (others were hurt too) They also sent Lebron who was nowhere near the player he is two years later.

I personally think the world championship team was intentionally packed with young guys to get experience for the Olympics.

The 2004 Olympics team...sigh.
Tim Duncan - hurt
Allen Iverson - Look at what he has done to Denver in the playoffs....nuff said.
Boozer, Wade, Carmelo and Lebron - Kids back in 2004 and not ready
Emeka Okafur - seriously....ugh.
Amare Stoudamire, Lamar Odom, Sean Marion - not at their peak and at that time not strong defenders. (Marion has changed that)

I pin that one on taking kids and Allen Iverson in his own words "taking over games"......yep, old Allen going to score 30 on 8-28 shooting and crappy Defense.

Here was AI leading the team to crushing defeat against...Puerto Rico....>.<
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