435 replies to this topic

[JeremyStrain]

Well you have to pick your 12 out of that group. This would be my lineup along with reserves in order:

Paul, Westbrook, Williams
Bryant, Wade
Durant, Anthony
James, Love, Griffin
Bosh, Chandler

Love would get time at the 5 as well and I would like to sometimes see James and Durant play at the wings together with two bigs and a PG.

I like that 12. Kinda with Rondo would have been in there for DWill, but nitpicking the roster choices, not yours.

[mweb08]

Oh, ok I didn't know that. I like your 12 though. Barring a collapse, I don't see how this team doesn't win gold. Just imagine if Howard was healthy.

You could argue Howard is the most important player for the U.S. because he's the only true center that is really good. Otherwise, it's just Chandler and some PF's. Bynum would be a good replacement, but as a Laker fan, I wouldn't want to risk that.

[mweb08]

I like that 12. Kinda with Rondo would have been in there for DWill, but nitpicking the roster choices, not yours.

I'd probably take Rondo over DWill too, but with this team, the better jump shooter may be the way to go.

[BSLChrisStoner]

US Roster:
James
Byrant
Durant
Anthony
Chandler
Griffin
Paul
Williams
Love
Harden
Iguodala
Westbrook

[Pedro Cerrano]

One true center. I could see this being a problem against the Gasol brothers but probably not.

US should win gold easily but Spain would have a smallish shot if Rubio wasn't hurt.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Sporting News: Biggest threats
http://aol.sportingn...russia-lithuani


1. Spain
There was only one team to give Team USA a real scare in ’08, and it was Spain in the gold-medal game. The Spanish roster is loaded with NBA-level talent. Their best scorer is guard Juan Carlos Navarro, who played one season with the Grizzlies before returning to Europe, and averaged 18.7 points in leading the Spanish to last year’s Eurobasket championship.

Spain has some faces familiar to NBA fans, with Marc and Pau Gasol in the paint. The Spanish will be without point guard Ricky Rubio (torn ACL), but they have Jose Calderon on hand.

2. France
France lost to Spain in the championship game of last year’s Eurobasket, but in getting to the final, the French did a rare thing—played up to their ability. No question, the guy who took over for Les Bleus was Tony Parker, who averaged 22.1 points and 4.4 assists (Parker’s been cleared to play after recovering from an eye injury suffered during a melee between the entourages of hip-hop artists Drake and Chris Brown). But Nicolas Batum showed himself to be a threat with 13.8 points per game and 40.5 percent 3-point shooting.

While Joakim Noah will not play for France this summer because of an ankle injury sustained during the NBA playoffs, one guy to keep an eye on is Spurs draftee guard Nando De Colo, who had a memorable 21-point performance in a win over Lithuania at Eurobasket.

3. Argentina
Pau Gasol leads the non-U.S. NBA contingent in London. (AP Photo)

This is the final run for the great Argentina group that shocked the world by being the first international team to beat Team USA with NBA players, in the 2002 World Championship (The shock of the U.S. losing, of course, wore off with repetition). It is an experienced group, with Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, Pepe Sanchez and Luis Scola all over 30, and Carlos Delfino at 29—but “experienced” also means old.

Back home, this wave of players is known as the Golden Generation, because of their exploits, which include the gold medal in at the ’04 Games in Greece. It’s a prideful roster of players making a last stand, and that makes them dangerous.

4. Brazil
The Brazilians have a big and experienced roster, with three NBA forward/centers on hand: Nene, Anderson Varejao and Tiago Splitter. Add Leandro Barbosa, who has had his problems with the team’s coach, in the backcourt with Marcelo Machado and Marcelo Huertas, and there is talent here.

5. Lithuania
This could be an interesting team depending on the performance of young big man Jonas Valanciunas, chosen by the Raptors with the No. 5 pick in last year’s draft. Valanciunas is just 20 years old and was a surprise addition to the Lithuanian roster in last summer’s Eurobasket, where he responded with 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 15.7 minutes per game.

6. Russia
Defense is the name of the game for the Russians, who allowed a tournament-low 65.7 points per game in the Eurobasket championship. Former Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko is the unquestioned leader, and Denver center Timofey Mozgov is worth watching in the middle.

[SportsGuy]

And Griffin suffers knee injury! Horrible news for the Clippers if it is serious.

http://www.rotoworld...3/blake-griffin

Looks like Anthony Davis will replace him.

[Oriole85]

Kind of curious what everyone thinks of Kobe's beating the Dream Team comments. I don't think they could, but even if they could think it was pretty stupid comment. It was called the Dream Team for a reason --- getting MJ, Magic, and Bird to play on the same team was really something. And I doubt will see anything like that again. They absolutely crushed the competition. This much goes without saying, we will not be seeing this team do that. The rest of the world is a lot better and that was due to in part the success of the Dream Team.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Kind of curious what everyone thinks of Kobe's beating the Dream Team comments. I don't think they could, but even if they could think it was pretty stupid comment. It was called the Dream Team for a reason --- getting MJ, Magic, and Bird to play on the same team was really something. And I doubt will see anything like that again. They absolutely crushed the competition. This much goes without saying, we will not be seeing this team do that. The rest of the world is a lot better and that was due to in part the success of the Dream Team.

I have no doubt the current Dream Team (and every other DT) could beat the original. The question is how often? If they played a 100 times, I might take the '92 team 66% of the time, but they'd certainly be beatable.

Bird was at the end of his career, was not much of a factor. Magic obviously had some ability left, but wasn't the player he was.

Do agree with you that the rest of the world has greatly improved, largely in-part to the impact of the '92 team.

Check out the other Dream Team thread for more.

[SportsGuy]

YEa, the way people cried about that comment is ridiculous.

Kobe didn't say this team is better...just that this team could beat that team.

Of course they could.

[Oriole85]

I have no doubt the current Dream Team (and every other DT) could beat the original. The question is how often? If they played a 100 times, I might take the '92 team 66% of the time, but they'd certainly be beatable.

Bird was at the end of his career, was not much of a factor. Magic obviously had some ability left, but wasn't the player he was.

Do agree with you that the rest of the world has greatly improved, largely in-part to the impact of the '92 team.

Check out the other Dream Team thread for more.

ESPN released some simulations last night, I think it was like 55-45%. And some Vegas casino said the 1992 team would be 8 point favorites.

Well it's true that some of the more marquee players were at the end of the line, it was really something getting three of the best players of all-time on the same court.

I get that athletes are always getting better, but to me that 1992 team will never be duplicated. Hence, the Dream Team label. As good as some of the players are on this current team, it doesn't have the same cache to it.

This debate reminds a bit of GW's Kentucky over Wizards statement. Not so much in that this is as likely to happen as this is, but a wide difference of opinions.

[Oriole85]

YEa, the way people cried about that comment is ridiculous.

Kobe didn't say this team is better...just that this team could beat that team.

Of course they could.

Kobe was stirring the pot and as I said I thought it was a dumb to go down that road and I think Coach K did as well. The reaction is sort of expected.

[mweb08]

The '92 team would most likely win as the they were just better overall and had much better bigs. I do however think they'd have a lot of trouble dealing with the PG's of the current team. They'd also have a lot of trouble having their 4 (Chuck/Malone) guard LeBron.

Now if Howard and Wade were healthy, then I think it becomes a pretty even match-up. Howard can play with Robinson and Ewing and a healthy Wade is better than most of the players on the original DT. Remember than Bird really doesn't even count for this and while Magic was still great, he was far from at his peak at that point as he had been retired for a year.

[You Play to Win the Game]

MJ chimed in on this whole debate - http://espn.go.com/o... ... team-boast

"For him to compare those two teams is not one of the smarter things he ever could have done,"

[Adam Wolff]

Pippen said during the game tonight that the 92 team would win by 25.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Great. Pippen is the most overrated player in NBA history so he's got that going for him.

[BSLChrisStoner]

[
4. Brazil
The Brazilians have a big and experienced roster, with three NBA forward/centers on hand: Nene, Anderson Varejao and Tiago Splitter. Add Leandro Barbosa, who has had his problems with the team’s coach, in the backcourt with Marcelo Machado and Marcelo Huertas, and there is talent here.

US vs. Brazil tonight.

[Chris B]

Location: London, United Kingdom
Opening Date: July 27, 2012
Closing Date: August 12, 2012
Website: www.london2012.com

Schedule and Results: http://www.london201...le-and-results/

USA London 2012 Homepage: http://www.london201.../united-states/

[Chris B]

Pretty neat to see where all of the athletes will be living.

http://xfinity.comca... ... hero_media

About 17.000 athletes will be living there for about a month.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Brazil up 29-25 with 4 mts left in the 2nd.