2004 US Team

[InRareForm]

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1007/dwyane.wade.rare.photos/images/2004-us-team.jpg

Who was the main blame?

Larry Brown?

AI/Starbury backcourt?

MANU?

4down?

No passion?

[jeebus]

:lol what a shitty team

[pass1st]

Duncan, tbh

[ElNono]

lol Boozer and Odom...

[ElNono]

wow, didn't even remember RJ was on that team :lmao

[TE]

Lack of passion, inconsistency from both players and coaches, and no perimeter star play outside of AI.

Oh, and the players were far away from being competent in international basketball. The only thing that could've saved this team would've been a developed Lebron...even then, they would have struggled.

[jeebus]

wow, didn't even remember RJ was on that team :lmao

and L:lmaomar

and Emek:rollin

and B:lol:lolzer

and Chuckverson

and M:cryrbury

what a horrible team :lmao

[TE]

I still vividly remember the sight of dick fucking up time and time again during that 2004 summer. Sorry ass player that is the epitome of a scrub.

[InRareForm]

Popovich's hand on RJ lol.

[TE]

Popovich's hand on RJ lol.

:lol didn't even notice that...

[jeebus]

Popovich's hand on RJ lol.

and probably getting ready to whisper "prepare your anus".

[Reck]

:lol what a shitty team

:lol

Such a star studded squad.

:lolOkafor
:lolRJ
:lolObese Carlos Boozer

No wonder this team fucking blew. :lol

[MR.SILVER&BLack]

i cant really remember but wasn't Shaq supposed to be on this team but turned it down for some dumb reason?

[TE]

Shaq and Kobe were suppose to be on this team iirc

I know I'm forgetting others...like KG, can't really remember

[jeebus]

Shaq and Kobe were suppose to be on this team iirc

I know I'm forgetting others...like KG, can't really remember

Those were the years when everyone was bailing out on the olympics and world championships. I remember a lot of players not going because they didn't feel like it.

[VBM]

Brown and Pop refused to play the youngins. LeBron, Wade and Melo back then getting major run would have made a world of difference.

[JMarkJohns]

No perimeter play outside Iverson? Marbury just had his scoring recorded broke and was routinely one of the better players for USA. That said, if Marbury is one of you best players, your in trouble.

I blame lack of actual shooters and illused young players. Poorly constructed team that was coached to its own limitations by a coach who refused to adjust/adapt.

[Clipper Nation]

Starbury, RJ, Boozer, and Okafor's mere presence guaranteed a down year tbh....

[ElNono]

Brown and Pop refused to play the youngins. LeBron, Wade and Melo back then getting major run would have made a world of difference.

Actually, they did get some good burn back then... especially with TD being in foul trouble all the time. Wade was fairly good, but Melo and Lebron were pretty green back then.

[TE]

No perimeter play outside Iverson? Marbury just had his scoring recorded broke and was routinely one of the better players for USA. That said, if Marbury is one of you best players, your in trouble.

I blame lack of actual shooters and illused young players. Poorly constructed team that was coached to its own limitations by a coach who refused to adjust/adapt.

Marbury was a chucker, ball stopper, and he turned the ball over in critical junctures of the game. I don't see how that qualifies as good perimeter play.

I agree with your 2nd paragraph.

[Stabula]

Holy shit I totally forgot Dick was on this team. What the fuck??

[Pero]

Biggest reason is lack of training.

[JMarkJohns]

Marbury was a chucker, ball stopper, and he turned the ball over in critical junctures of the game. I don't see how that qualifies as good perimeter play.

I agree with your 2nd paragraph.

As was Iverson, and Marbury was routinely one of the better players. Just his and Iverson's good wasn't good for FIBA play.

[-21-]

Guys like Marbury, Okafor, Boozer, RJ being on the team and coaching/training...

Just imagine if KG, Shaq, and Kobe played...

[dunkman]

Biggest reason is lack of training.

[TimmehC]

Got damn what a shitty roster.

[monosylab1k]

:lol not one person on that team could consistently hit a 3 pointer, who in the hell picked that roster for international play?

[Spurtacus]

RJ :lmao

[Latarian Milton]

that team is pretty screwed up and it's easy to figure out when the team had no true PG but a shitload of small forwards who made up half of the squad.

[BRHornet45]

sons Duncan was the main blame. the stats and facts have been discussed and exposed before. see below ...



another thing sons is not only did Argentina sweep and mop the floor with Duncan's U.S. team in 2004 (the most crucial game of their Olympics which Duncan shit the bed and only scored 10 points, 6 rebounds, and turned the ball over 3 times see link below) ... but even Lithuania beat them as well. yes Lithuania!

http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/game/p/gid/A/grid/38/rid/3822/sid/3183/_/2004_Olympic_Games_Tournament_for_Men/statistic.html

(btw another interesting tidbit ... Ginobili stepped up for his country and delivered 29 points in that game while Duncan couldn't do shit for us)




so just to set the record straight with statistical facts. Tim Duncan was clearly the best player on the 2004 Olympic team, I mean it was his team. However in the two biggest games for the U.S. team in 2004 Duncan was pretty much nowhere to be found ...


Semi-Finals vs Argentina

Argentina: 89
USA: 81

Duncan: 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 turnovers


Top USA Performer

Stephon Marbury: 18 points (8 of 15 shooting)




Bronze Medal Game vs Lithuania

USA: 104
Lithuania: 96

Duncan: 6 points (1 of 7 shooting)


Top USA Performer

Shawn Marion: 22 points (9 of 15 shooting), 6 rebounds, 3 steals



http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/event/p/gid/A/grid/38/rid/3822/sid/3183/_/2004_Olympic_Games_Tournament_for_Men/schedule.html




http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200935

[sehui]

Duncan's never good playing with an all-star caliber roster.

He's pretty abysmal in the all-star games (except for like one year), maybe he really just can't thrive in a system that isn't in San Antonio.

[Juggity]

sons Duncan was the main blame. the stats and facts have been discussed and exposed before. see below ...

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200935


From that thread:



Opening its training July 26, after 15 practices and six exhibition games, the U.S. opened the Olympics against Puerto Rico on Aug. 15. Facing a team they had defeated three times and by an average of 23 points a game in 2003, and a team the U.S. had beaten by 25 (96-71) in Jacksonville 16 days earlier on July 31, 2004, the USA's frigid 34.7 percent shooting from the field spelled trouble as Puerto Rico opened up a 22-point lead at halftime and then fought off every U.S. comeback attempt to earn a decisive 92-73 win. Lost in the loss was Duncan's inspired effort of 15 points, 16 rebounds (11 offensive), five steals, four assists and two blocked shots in 36 minutes.



Regrouping two days later, the USA behind 17 points by Iverson, who was playing with a fractured thumb on his shooting hand, fought off host Greece and its boisterous home crowd 77-71 to get its first win. Continuing preliminary round play on Aug. 19, the U.S. fought tooth-and-nail with Australia for three quarters, then outscored the Aussies 24-12 in the fourth quarter to earn an 89-79 victory and improve to 2-1. USA co-captains Iverson and Duncan paced the U.S. Duncan finished with 18 points on deadly 7-of-11 shooting, and grabbed 11 rebounds, AI added 16 points, while Marion made 8-of-10 shots and scored 16 points also.



Facing unbeaten Lithuania on Aug. 21, a team that had challenged the USA in the 2000 Olympic semifinals before ultimately falling short by two (85-83), the USA led 84-79 with just over three minutes to play, but was unable to hold on as Lithuania made big shot after big shot to rally back for a crushing 94-90 victory. Jefferson led the USA effort accounting for 20 points, while Duncan posted his third double-double in four Olympic games, compiling 16 points (6-7 FGs) and 12 rebounds. Two days later, the U.S. again bounced back from a loss and easily defeated an overmatched Angola squad 89-53 to close out preliminary round play as Duncan recorded a team leading 15 points in just 13 minutes of action.



The USA as a team ranked second among the 12 Olympic teams in scoring, averaging 88.1 points a game. Grabbing 38.9 rebounds a game, the U.S. ranked first in rebounding and outrebounded its opponents by an Olympic best margin of 10.8 rpg. (38.9 rpg. to 28.1 rpg.). The U.S. also ranked first in blocked shots (3.75 bpg.) [mostly due to the presence of Duncan], first in assists (15.13 apg.) and steals (10.63 spg.), and ranked second in turnover margin (+3.00).



Iverson established a new single game mark for 3-point shots attempted, launching 10 versus Puerto Rico to pass Reggie Miller's previous record of eight (versus China,7/26/96), and Duncan's 16 rebounds against Puerto Rico tied the USA single game record of 16 set by Jim Brewer (versus Australia, 9/28/72).



Duncan tied the U.S. mark for most rebounds in an Olympics with 73 (9.1 rpg.), equaling the mark set by Kevin Garnett in 2000.



Iverson FG%: .378
Duncan FG%: .567

[pass1st]

sons Duncan was the main blame. the stats and facts have been discussed and exposed before. see below ...










http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200935

Son you see May & Walsh make short work of the European champions? They are determined to tap some Brazilian ass

[BRHornet45]

lmao again Spur fan bragging about Duncan having good performances against pussy teams like Puerto Rico, Lithuania, and Austrailia! listen to yourselves sons!

the bottom line is that Duncan shit the bed when it counted. he couldn't do shit when the U.S. needed him.... but hey! he sure did dominate Puerto Rico!

[DontStopBelieving]

Duncan's never good playing with an all-star caliber roster.

He's pretty abysmal in the all-star games (except for like one year), maybe he really just can't thrive in a system that isn't in San Antonio.

Yeah, that must be it.

[Trainwreck2100]

Duncan got shitted on by those refs look at his PT that being said they lost the gold cause some idiot gave Manu a 4 point play late in the semi game

[BRHornet45]

ah ok son so its the refs fault that Duncan has never been anything outside of Pop's system and why he couldn't beat out Argentina and fucking Italy in the Olympics? lolz

[Trainwreck2100]

ah ok son so its the refs fault that Duncan has never been anything outside of Pop's system and why he couldn't beat out Argentina and fucking Italy in the Olympics? lolz

look at his playing time and efficiency rating

[BRHornet45]

lol sons some of you Spur fan trying to defend Duncan's epic bed shitting in the Olympics remind me of black people defending OJ Simpson. just turn the other cheek to the complete obvious facts and deny.

[Banzai]

How the fuck did this team win bronze???

[TDMVPDPOY]

rj also signed a 40m extention that summer that he didnt live up to, even when rep his country

[Trainwreck2100]

lol sons some of you Spur fan trying to defend Duncan's epic bed shitting in the Olympics remind me of black people defending OJ Simpson. just turn the other cheek to the complete obvious facts and deny.

there's a reason nobody ever called duncan out for that year, he was rarely ever on the court, can't score when you don't play

[fevertrees]

tim duncan the biggest disgrace of nba superstars right cause of this.

[Budkin]

I remember hearing Timmy was disgusted with a bunch of those guys' effort.