USA Dreamteam vs Aust. Boomers

[amat]

I agree, I heard a lot of complete idiots on another board I'm going to slamming Team USA before these games for having Kidd at the starter and not Paul but they don't realize that this is an Olympic Team not an All Star team. Kidd is perfect for the international style of play as is Deron who is the PG of the future. Paul is an amazing player and imo the most talented point guard ever bar Magic. But when he's at his best, he has the ball in his hands more then anyone on the court and he needs his team to move with him and find lanes which is what the Hornets are so good at. Great energy player but Kidd and Williams are much better fits for the team because they don't have to be the number 1 guys on the court at all times and like you said provide that ball movement and floor spacing. Paul is a great energy player off the bench and I really like the chemistry him and Prince have worked up on the offensive end but when you have a team Lebron, Kobe, Melo and Howard, you don't need a 5'11 point guard to be the focal point of your offense and the one to make things happen.

[Salty]

I agree, I heard a lot of complete idiots on another board I'm going to slamming Team USA before these games for having Kidd at the starter and not Paul but they don't realize that this is an Olympic Team not an All Star team. Kidd is perfect for the international style of play as is Deron who is the PG of the future. Paul is an amazing player and imo the most talented point guard ever bar Magic. But when he's at his best, he has the ball in his hands more then anyone on the court and he needs his team to move with him and find lanes which is what the Hornets are so good at. Great energy player but Kidd and Williams are much better fits for the team because they don't have to be the number 1 guys on the court at all times and like you said provide that ball movement and floor spacing. Paul is a great energy player off the bench and I really like the chemistry him and Prince have worked up on the offensive end but when you have a team Lebron, Kobe, Melo and Howard, you don't need a 5'11 point guard to be the focal point of your offense and the one to make things happen.

Exactly it's a completely different game to NBA and the team needs to adjust accordingly. If they kept treating it as allstar games, they'd keep losing. But when they play as a team they are unstoppable. The only question on there D would be down low, teams have been getting some easy points on them.

[amat]

Yeah I think it's just a matter of adjusting to the trapezoid down low and I think the US tried to get players with more range and athleticism like Bosh and Howard, and international big men are really good these days. I'm not to worried though about it because of how much hell teams have had just trying to get the ball inside, this is the peskiest defense I've ever seen there are just no lanes out there because of all the length and playmaking ability they have.

For the future I would really like to see them work on their set offenses instead of having to rely so heavily on getting up and down. It's just so different from the NBA or even NCAA style of play though it is just so condensed and cramped it seems even though it's just a couple feet different it definitely takes getting used to as so much of the game in the NBA is floor spacing and then that gets thrown off.

I'm excited to see Ricky Rubio, I don't think he got playing time against the US when they played Spain earlier or at least I didn't see it. Would like to see what all the hype is about, if the Pistol Pete comparisions are worthy and if he will be an impact PG if he makes the leap to the draft in the next year.

[amat]

Eh, I have something on my midn. I wish the US never lost. Like ever, I wish they never would have lost in the last Olympics, it really just sucked. I like it better when the games weren't treated as competitive games but rather just showcases.

Then they go and let Carlos Arroyo slice and dice them, Carlos Arroyo.

This just seems cheapened by all that, I love basketball it is second only to boxing for me but I would rather just see the US smashing on people and that not be news but rather just what is expected. Of course it is still expected now but there is the possibility they could be beat and it just makes it less fun for me. It's not a nationalistic thing at all, wouldn't care if it was Cuba that was making it a mockery, just want to see that again but most likely never will we be able to see it again. I guess it's a good sign as the sport is becoming unbelievable internationally but it's just a bit sad.

De ja vu, whoa.