# USA Men's Basketball



## rooster cogburn (Jul 15, 2004)

Did anyone else watch the USA Men's Basketball team get pummeled by Puerto Rico on Sunday? It looked to me like they weren't even trying to play. No Defense, No Sense of team cooperation, the Puerto Ricans made our NBA pro's look silly.  They all need to drop their egos and start playing real basketball as a team, anyone else agree?


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## 870 XPRS (Mar 12, 2003)

Yeah, it was a pretty ridiculous display. Carlos Arroyo is the only NBA player for Puerto Rico and not a very good one at that. I think they'll still win the gold. They just have to play a little defense and the team aspect of the game should(SHOULD) come around.


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## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

Just watch the NBA on any given night...looks about the same. No defense, No team play, all about who gets to first.


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## bigblackfoot (Mar 12, 2003)

All i have say is fricking PATHETIC. I mean come on PUERTO RICO? Give me a break.


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## 870 XPRS (Mar 12, 2003)

bigblackfoot said:


> I mean come on PUERTO RICO?


that says it all


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## Ryan_Todd (Apr 11, 2004)

i think if you took the t-wolves roster and sent them to athens they would do better than this "dream team".


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

I have always thought that you need a few of the lessor known players to do the dirty work. You know those little things like set picks, dive for loose balls, rebound, and that pesky little thing called DEFENSE!! This is pathetic! A good college team could beat Puerto Rico. But the key word here is team...not a bunch of spoiled millionaires. :eyeroll: :eyeroll:


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## MOSSBACK (Jun 10, 2004)

When Allen Iverson is your team captian youknow you are doomed.

Yeah they got beat last night...... BY 19 FEAKING POINTS

I seriously doubt they will make it out of pool play and even make it to the metal round.


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## Schemy (Aug 5, 2004)

The biggest problem is the style of play. The international game is pure basketball. The NBA game is just 1 on 1. You saw this year what team ball would do, ie pistons. This squad will not win gold, because they don't have role players, each guy is a go to guy. You need role players to win at this game. Another problem is they can't beat a zone defense to save their lives. They can't shoot. I can't say that the NBA is the best basketball around, it is the highest paid, most publicized, most watched, but by far not the best. Basketball players should be able to shoot. There wasn't one guy that was hitting any jumpers. To me that shows they aren't great players like they think, just great one on one players.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

MOSSBACK said:


> When Allen Iverson is your team captian you know you are doomed.


Isn't that the truth....


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

So far they're more like the "Bad dream team." I agree Allen Iverson captain??? He still needs a guardian. uke:


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

They are phenominal atheletes, pee poor shooters. They have about 5 guys that play the same way. You can't win like that. They have a slew of small forwards there and our only big man is a native of the virgin islands!!! SAD. I blame it on Stu Jackson and the bums that turned him down. Basically we have a glorified college team over there right now. Fundamentally we are so far behind it is painfull. But we have never been more atheletic. To bad they can't find a way to dunk everytime down the court.


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## 870 XPRS (Mar 12, 2003)

Kobe, T-Mac, Shaq really only care about themselves and their money. Obviously kobe is in some legal trouble and needs to find himself in jail for a few years as well. But KG what is going on with him, WHY would he not play in the olympics. It's ridiculous that some of these athletes get some money in their hands and decide that they really don't care about our country anymore. We got how many service men and women fighting for us and what we believe is right and these guys can't take a couple months out of their golf and smoking weed and prostitutes or whatever these athletes do, to represent us. Instead we are moched by many as Puerto Rico whoops our A$$, then we barely get past lowly greece. I really hope the blame goes on those that chose not to go rather than those that did. I do question their heart somewhat but how about those that didn't go.


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## pjb1816 (Sep 8, 2003)

Like schemy said the reason these guys are doin so bad is that international basketball is a different game from the NBA. There are completely different styles of playing and different rules. Not to mention that these guys are obviously having shooting problems too. Shooting 3 for 24 from outside and and overall 34 percent against rico is just sad. They did the same thing last night too against greece. They only shot 4 for 21 from the outside and had 19 turnovers.

This team is not goin to medal with the way they are playing right now.

-Phil


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## MOSSBACK (Jun 10, 2004)

pjb1816 said:


> Like schemy said the reason these guys are doin so bad is that international basketball is a different game from the NBA.
> 
> The previous dream teams did'nt seem to seem to have any problems with international rules.


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## 870 XPRS (Mar 12, 2003)

You said what i was thinking, if it was such a different game, why wouldn't NBA team try to adapt to more of an international styel.


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

In a way i agree. The u.s. game has turned very physical and has turned into a "wear" the other team down with 1 on 1 play game. Internationally the game is still based on moving the ball for a wide open shot and hitting it.

In the 80's and early 90's if you weren't a center and couldn't hit a jump shot you wouldn't find a team to have you in the nba. But more emphasis has been put on length and potential than probably should be. 1/2 of nba players can't put a beach ball in the ocean any longer, but they are far superior in strength and atheletic ability to yesterday's player.

After shooting a combined 7-45 from 3 point range in the first 2 games i wonder how we won a game. These guys have serious quick feet, quick hands, insane jumping ability, and a jump shot that needs serious work.


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## mr.trooper (Aug 3, 2004)

Thats It! we just lost to Lithuania...LITUANIA. what the heck are they thining!!!!!!!!!! whats next: andora................THE VATICAN?????????


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## stoeger (Aug 20, 2003)

Stick a fork in them they are done. I heard on the radio that everytime the USA loses the winning team shoots fireworks off in their village all night.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Hey arn't you suppose to be out scouting??? :lol: oke: :bop: :rollin:


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## win4win (Sep 8, 2003)

mr.trooper said:


> Thats It! we just lost to Lithuania...LITUANIA. what the heck are they thining!!!!!!!!!! whats next: andora................THE VATICAN?????????


Lituania is one of the better international teams so it isnt that much of a shocker compared to the loss to PR.


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## stoeger (Aug 20, 2003)

Sorry Porkchop, I wont get out today. Just doing some last minute things before I go in tommorrow for surgery. The birds that I found will still be there in a week.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Just giving ya hell!!! Good luck with the surgery. But I have to ask ya once the sex change is fully complete do we have to call you MsStoeger??? oke:


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

DUN......It's over, they lost to Argentina. That's right one gym in the whole damn country and they still beat us. Next time hopefully the leave the junior varsity at home and bring some playas.

I think the boys found out though what happens when u play finess ball mixed in with some physical play instead of just grabbing and pulling at everyone. It's funny. Tim Duncan never gets in foul trouble in the NBA...in fact he is sometimes called soft, and he goes over there and was in foul trouble pretty much the whole tourney. Show's you how we play over here, and why you need a good chiropractor and surgeon.


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

870 XPRS said:


> Kobe, T-Mac, Shaq really only care about themselves and their money. Obviously kobe is in some legal trouble and needs to find himself in jail for a few years as well. But KG what is going on with him, WHY would he not play in the olympics.


I'm pretty sure it was because he's getting married this summer.


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