http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news/story?id=3457058
They should go farther than the last team. Anything is better than the embarrassment of losing to Puerto Rico and Lithuania with the amount of talent we put on the floor. I would say the best thing about this team is Coach K is leading it.
However, Wade is coming off a knee injury and I'm not convinced Kobe is a great teammate.
The biggest thing to overcome from the last olympics is playing as a team. I think Coach K is one of only a few who can accomplish this with this group of players.
np
The team has only one legit center though Howard is a great one. And only two power forwards. If they face a team that can bang inside and get some of the big men in foul trouble, they'll have to rely on jump shots and that's always dicey. Prince seems out of place on this squad and his spot should have gone to a big man.
Originally posted by no1marauderI think Prince is a great addition to the squad because he is a great defensive player. He may not be as good a scorer but basketball is not only about scoring.
The team has only one legit center though Howard is a great one. And only two power forwards. If they face a team that can bang inside and get some of the big men in foul trouble, they'll have to rely on jump shots and that's always dicey. Prince seems out of place on this squad and his spot should have gone to a big man.
Originally posted by no1marauderThis is my concern as well. Rather than Prince, I think Wade and Paul are out of place. Why do we need that many guards? What is that three point guards and three shooting guards? I would gladly give up Wade or Paul for Tyson Chandler.
The team has only one legit center though Howard is a great one. And only two power forwards. If they face a team that can bang inside and get some of the big men in foul trouble, they'll have to rely on jump shots and that's always dicey. Prince seems out of place on this squad and his spot should have gone to a big man.
Originally posted by GalaxyShieldBecause they have been building the team a long time before the 2008 Finals and none of the Celtics made the cut. Anyways, compare the USA starters to the Celtics starters.
Why isn't there a single Celtic on the team?
PG - Jason Kidd, Rajon Rondo Adv. USA
SG - Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen Adv. USA
SF - LeBron James, Paul Pierce Adv. USA
PF - Carmelo Anthony, KG Adv. Celtics
C - Dwight Howard, Kendrick Perkins Adv. USA
Originally posted by neonpeon41Yea, I am skeptical about Wade too, but about Kobe, apparently you didn't watch the FIBAs Americas tournament last year, Kobe sacrificed his offense and focused solely on defending the opposing team's best man. So yes, he is a good teammate. Expect a lot of Kobe to LeBron alley oops this August.
However, Wade is coming off a knee injury and I'm not convinced Kobe is a great teammate.
Originally posted by MoneyManMikeDon't start this BS again. There's no way Paul could be left off the team if he wanted to play. And Wade is a much better player than Prince who won't play if the games are on the line. Tyson Chandler would have been a good pick over Prince.
This is my concern as well. Rather than Prince, I think Wade and Paul are out of place. Why do we need that many guards? What is that three point guards and three shooting guards? I would gladly give up Wade or Paul for Tyson Chandler.
How do you Laker feel about Kobe's decision to have surgery AFTER the Olympics which will probably mean he'll miss the start of the Laker season?
Originally posted by no1marauderPrince is on the team because we need great perimeter defenders and he is one of the best. International big men shoot really well (as opposed to banging down low) and thus we need more 4's to cover them. Duncan was on the team in 2004 and he was at a disadvantage. This team has been upgraded with shooters (Redd) and defenders (Prince), and is loaded at point (Kidd, Paul, and Williams). If they don't win gold we never will.
The team has only one legit center though Howard is a great one. And only two power forwards. If they face a team that can bang inside and get some of the big men in foul trouble, they'll have to rely on jump shots and that's always dicey. Prince seems out of place on this squad and his spot should have gone to a big man.