TeamUSA-Greece

[Kori Ellis]

Man, Mike and Mike in the morning freakin sucks balls, can I get a witness!! haha

Amen.

If I see it for a minute by accident when I'm flipping channels, I go crazy. I HATE their show.

[Kori Ellis]

Pls. tell me how can he not use Josh Howard in the second half? How come he allowed Wade to continue playing even though he doesn't pass the ball when he's getting tripled team?

You mean Dwight Howard. I don't know why he didn't get much playing time in the second half. He had a nice first half.

[JLH Fans]

[QUOTE=Spurologist]As much as I disliked the decision to keep him off the team, I don't think he would have made a difference. Poor Greece shooters made contested jumpers all night.

Well,they made many contested 3 in the 3.quarter,but the USA's defense completely collapsed as well. For example,Johnson was beaten badly 4-5 times at least.Greece made many 2 vs 2 play etc.
I ll be back but Argentina vs Spain is just have been started.

[Kibic]

agreed

as much as i like Bowen i think he would be a non factor


USA's coaching screwed up-players have more than enough talent to be molded into world champions, this is obvious to all

10x
Just talent is not going to make them World champions.
2 months of great coaching is not going to make them World champions.

[sendman]

And my two cents.
If Slovenian coach would lead his team the way coach K did, people over here would eat him alive. The way US team has played this game shows complete misunderstanding of the game played under FIBA rules.

[Kibic]

And my two cents.
If Slovenian coach would lead his team the way coach K did, people over here would eat him alive. The way US team has played this game shows complete misunderstanding of the game played under FIBA rules.

I do not think rules were any problem here.

[gospursgojas]

Props to Greece....

Coach K couldn't come up with an answer for the P&R

[WalterBenitez]

This is unfair I slept all the nigth and I couldn't watch this game

[dav4463]

Well I'm gonna go watch the Argentina-Spain game, it was good seeing a good amount of people either stay up or wake up just to see some basketball. Real basketball fans.

Hey, I'm still watching ! I love hoops. I watch Saved By the Bell in between commercials ! Kelly is so hot !

[sendman]

I do not think rules were any problem here.

Oh yes, they were. It was just ridiculous to watch US players try to penetrate Greek zone 1 on 5 for entire second half. Instead of fast ball movement and quick place exchanges they let the entire Greek defense collapse on a player that came under the basket and take forced shots.
U have to have a lot of understanding of the rules to know how to set your offense. Rules are the most important factor for team tactics and the way that game is played as whole.

[Russ]

Official USA biennial excuse template:

If only the US had [fill-in-the-blank], things would've been different.

But seriously, is what the NBA plays anymore really basketball? Or, on the other hand, is what FIBA plays really basketball?

In either event, these are two very different games and they translate to each other much less than we have assumed for years.

[Kibic]

Oh yes, they were. It was just ridiculous to watch US players try to penetrate Greek zone 1 on 5 for entire second half. Instead of fast ball movement and quick place exchanges they let the entire Greek defense collapse on a player that came under the basket and take forced shots.
U have to have a lot of understanding of the rules to know how to set your offense. Rules are the most important factor for team tactics and the way that game is played as whole.

They could play fast ball movement? Player fwho came under basket could pass on 3pt...? They just aren't good enaugh.

[Kibic]

Official USA biennial excuse template:



But seriously, is what the NBA plays anymore really basketball? Or, on the other hand, is what FIBA plays really basketball?

In either event, these are two very different games and they translate to each other much less than we have assumed for years.

Wasn't that just great BB game?

[temujin]

Rules?

Greece is a state the size of Indiana.
And with far less basketball players.

K cited the greek players by numbers. How good this numebr x was.
He doesn't have the foggiest idea who beat his team.

That's pretty amazing.

[temujin]

Manu played in Italy.
He won.

He played for Argentina.
He won.

He played for the Spurs.

He won.

The common issue was TEAM play.

Basketball is TEAM sport.

When you are sending Bowen home, you are sending a wrong message.

[sendman]

They could play fast ball movement? Player fwho came under basket could pass on 3pt...? They just aren't good enaugh.

Oh don't sell me this crap of how they are not good enough. They are good enough. But, if somebody teaches you lifelong that you must take a shot under the basket no matter what (show time that will give that player $$$ in NBA) then that player doesn't develop some other aspects of the game like passing at the right time to other player that is prepaired to recive such a pass. US offense didn't look smooth for 9/10 of the time. Only few times they managed to crack down Greek defense with those kind of plays. On the other side Greeks were selling P&R for about 25 minutes and there was no answer from US bench.
It was pathetic to watch US efforts. Hinrich and CP were completely clueless and Spanoulis looked like monster, and we all know that he isn't. He is good, but not that good.

[WalterBenitez]

Manu played in Italy.
He won.
He played for Argentina.
He won.
He played for the Spurs.
He won.
The common issue was TEAM play.
Basketball is TEAM sport.
When you are sending Bowen home, you are sending a wrong message.

You are rigth about TEAM (Not that stuff of Manu wining in every place), I think USA trust more in individuals skills like NBA does (with few exceptions, of course) , rather than the TEAM effort.

I also undertand that the lack of SuperStar in FIBA's world trend/push the game to TEAM perspective, besides that ... I got mad when Bruce was left out; even that USA BBall is going in the rigth direction when they decided to create a process, but they chose a bunch of stars.

Probably less stars an more role player would be the key to States recovering the place they like to have.

[temujin]

You are rigth about TEAM (Not that stuff of Manu wining in every place), I think USA trust more in individuals skills like NBA does (with few exceptions, of course) , rather than the TEAM effort.

I also undertand that the lack of SuperStar in FIBA's world trend/push the game to TEAM perspective, besides that ... I got mad when Bruce was left out; even that USA BBall is going in the rigth direction when they decided to create a process, but they chose a bunch of stars.

Probably less stars an more role player would be the key to States recovering the place they like to have.

To me a star is somebody that wins a playoff game by scoring ZERO points, but making the crucial block in the last seconds.
To me a star is someone that knows how to win.
Bowen is a star.
James is not. For the time being, he is circus.

[sendman]

The mighty have fallen….again!
Now they can go home and SALUTE the nation.

[velik_m]

Rules?

Greece is a state the size of Indiana.
And with far less basketball players.

K cited the greek players by numbers. How good this numebr x was.
He doesn't have the foggiest idea who beat his team.

That's pretty amazing.

what else do you expect from a coach who thought there are 30sec attacks in FIBA?

[sendman]

what else do you expect from a coach who thought there are 30sec attacks in FIBA?

[Kibic]

Oh don't sell me this crap of how they are not good enough. They are good enough. But, if somebody teaches you lifelong that you must take a shot under the basket no matter what (show time that will give that player $$$ in NBA) then that player doesn't develop some other aspects of the game like passing at the right time to other player that is prepaired to recive such a pass. US offense didn't look smooth for 9/10 of the time. Only few times they managed to crack down Greek defense with those kind of plays. On the other side Greeks were selling P&R for about 25 minutes and there was no answer from US bench.
It was pathetic to watch US efforts. Hinrich and CP were completely clueless and Spanoulis looked like monster, and we all know that he isn't. He is good, but not that good.

Yes and then he is not good enough to be the World champion!
No hard feelings!

[MarkCuban]

Manu played in Italy.
He won.

He played for Argentina.
He won.

He played for the Spurs.

He won.

The common issue was complaining then getting rule changes in your favor.

Basketball is about complaining then getting rule changes in your favor.

When you are sending Bowen home, you are sending a wrong message.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I'm glad they got Coach K to run this thing. Attention all Duke opponents: the pick and roll is your friend

[samikeyp]

Congrats to Greece....they played a great game and earned a great win. Its going to be a learning process for Team USA but I still think they are on the right path. Despite the opinion of most international fans of Americans...I can give credit where it is due. Hopefully we can get a Bronze.