Demar and Kyle team USA thread

[JamesNaismith]

Not really disagreeing with you. Sure, at some point "transcendent" talent will even trump incompetent coaching - that's why it's called transcendent. This begs the question of: why are teams with few or non-NBA talent able to hang with NBA all-stars these days? Is there a huge gap in coaching, system, chemistry?

Well yeah there is definitely a gap in the coaching and I would also say some effort (which also effects how well coached they are). These guys come in thinking they are just going to stomp teams. You can see they're fairly over confident. They just expect that given their level of talent their going to just walk through their opposition and they're learning it's not that simple. I mean look much goofing around goes on in the practices and off court. Almost all of them are acting like this is some retreat for great players to bond and play some pick up ball. Jordan, Bird, Magic's Dream Team was hyper competitive. As much as they enjoyed the opportunity to play together when you watch stories about that group, they were really going at each other in practice. They all felt like they had a point to prove (besides the world teams likely improving).

These guys are all buddy buddy with each other and again just seem like they're getting reps in, playing around and the lack of focus shows (in combination with not being as talented as previous versions). Again I 100% the coaching needs to be much better (ie/ running better sets and getting these guys to stop horsing around so much) but a lot of this falls on 1. not having the best talent out there 2. not taking the task serious enough especially consistently before actually playing in the games.

[rightsideup]

Frankly some talanted people did not come but on this team if the starters struggled the bench turned up the defensive intensity and demoralized the opposition but the opponents were a notch lower in talent. I think this is still possible with guys like Paul George, Butler,Lowry and others being defensively engaged.

[golden]

Well yeah there is definitely a gap in the coaching and I would also say some effort (which also effects how well coached they are). These guys come in thinking they are just going to stomp teams. You can see they're fairly over confident. They just expect that given their level of talent their going to just walk through their opposition and they're learning it's not that simple. I mean look much goofing around goes on in the practices and off court. Almost all of them are acting like this is some retreat for great players to bond and play some pick up ball. Jordan, Bird, Magic's Dream Team was hyper competitive. As much as they enjoyed the opportunity to play together when you watch stories about that group, they were really going at each other in practice. They all felt like they had a point to prove (besides the world teams likely improving).

These guys are all buddy buddy with each other and again just seem like they're getting reps in, playing around and the lack of focus shows (in combination with not being as talented as previous versions). Again I 100% the coaching needs to be much better (ie/ running better sets and getting these guys to stop horsing around so much) but a lot of this falls on 1. not having the best talent out there 2. not taking the task serious enough especially consistently before actually playing in the games.

What? Are you calling this year's Team USA an inferior talented squad? Which international team has talent even remotely close to what Team USA is putting out there. Durant, George, Klay, Draymond & Butler are legitimately top 15 NBA players - all 2 way players. Based on talent alone, they should be steam-rolling. Are you saying Team USA actually NEEDS Curry & Kawhi to be competitive? That's ridiculous.

[draps]

Having a ball hog like Harden is the same problem, though, and Westbrook to a lesser degree. If nothing else, this year's version of Team USA is proving that system, ball movement and chemistry/fit actually matter. Just in case there was anybody out there who still believes you can put the best talent on the floor and expect to steam-roll everybody. Talent-wise, USA could probably assemble at least 3 teams each on their own, more talented than any individual country.

I think they could come up with at least 5 no problem, probably a lot more.

[JamesNaismith]

What? Are you calling this year's Team USA an inferior talented squad? Which international team has talent even remotely close to what Team USA is putting out there. Durant, George, Klay, Draymond & Butler are legitimately top 15 NBA players - all 2 way players. Based on talent alone, they should be steam-rolling. Are you saying Team USA actually NEEDS Curry & Kawhi to be competitive? That's ridiculous.

Yeah it is ridiculous...that you're jumping to that conclusion when no one said that other than you. So why don't you relax and stop putting words in my mouth?! Thanks in advance.

They obviously don't NEED them to be "competitive" which is piss poor word to describe it to begin with seeing as how they are winning. Being "competitive" usually implies that teams are losing by a considerable margin but moving on from your poor use of the word and silly assumption.

Being an "inferior" talent would only be in reference to past squads which is in fact true and again it is not needed (read that back again so you get it). I'm pointing out that much of their problems would be alleviated with better ballhandlers, floor generals and passers like Curry and Westbrook which I don't see how that can even debated and that a lockdown defender like Kawhi would also make things much different if you had him shutting down their best player which essentially alters the opposition's offense as a whole. But yes please repeat about the coaching etc that I already AGREED on (read that again as well). While also pointing out how more focused and locked in the Dream Team like Jordan's was which will also have a major effect on how well they perform on court. Not sure why that had to be explained again for you but there you are.

[Deino]

I think the USA team issues are driven by numerous factors,aside from chemistry and dedication it's not hard to see some playing hero ball while not really engaged defensively.
Certainly some capable (and unselfish)floor generals can help the cause to make some ends meet on the floor,but it's really tricky (even for coaching staff) to get everybody on the same page considering how big some egos they have on the team to deal with.
With the amount of talent they have on this team they should not only win but also with dominance.

[rocwell]

So it's Croatia or Argentina for USA in the quarters

[rightsideup]

So it's Croatia or Argentina for USA in the quarters

imagine if Serbia and Croatia were one team

[rocwell]

Australia-Lithuania
Spain-France
USA-Argentina
Croatia-Serbia

Tasty, tasty matchups!!!

[rocwell]

Green's summer summed up in one picture

[JamesNaismith]

Didn't know where to put this but thought it was interesting/hilarious...

K-Hump > Phelps

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/kris-hu...223141230.html

"...Humphries competed at the national level at 10 years old, and left several other swimmers in his wake.

One of those swimmers was a skinny kid from Baltimore named Michael Phelps.

In his youth, Humphries clocked the fastest times nationally in six different events: the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 50-meter butterfly, 50-meter backstroke, 50-meter breaststroke and 200-meter individual medley.

At his peak, Humphries held three national records for his age bracket. His records for the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle lasted more than 18 years. Those records have since fallen, but he still holds 12 age-bracket records in his home state of Minnesota.

Much to Phelps’ fortune, Humphries got tired of dominating him and the field. Humphries decided to concentrate on basketball after he burnt out on swimming. An 11-year NBA career, millions of dollars and one nationally televised marriage later, he doesn’t seem to regret this move too much.

With his fiercest boyhood bully out of the way, Michael Phelps was cleared to become the greatest swimmer of all time..."

[Maury]

Didn't know where to put this but thought it was interesting/hilarious...

K-Hump > Phelps

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/kris-hu...223141230.html

"...Humphries competed at the national level at 10 years old, and left several other swimmers in his wake.

One of those swimmers was a skinny kid from Baltimore named Michael Phelps.

In his youth, Humphries clocked the fastest times nationally in six different events: the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 50-meter butterfly, 50-meter backstroke, 50-meter breaststroke and 200-meter individual medley.

At his peak, Humphries held three national records for his age bracket. His records for the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle lasted more than 18 years. Those records have since fallen, but he still holds 12 age-bracket records in his home state of Minnesota.

Much to Phelps’ fortune, Humphries got tired of dominating him and the field. Humphries decided to concentrate on basketball after he burnt out on swimming. An 11-year NBA career, millions of dollars and one nationally televised marriage later, he doesn’t seem to regret this move too much.

With his fiercest boyhood bully out of the way, Michael Phelps was cleared to become the greatest swimmer of all time..."

That's great 😂.

[KeonClark]

That's great 😂.

There's actually some merit to the article..not humphries specifically (but maybe) just more the fact that not a lot of people take swimming all that seriously and there's probably people that could beat Phelps but chose other avenues. Hell probably some nba players with these 7 foot wingspans

[ball4life]

There's actually some merit to the article..not humphries specifically (but maybe) just more the fact that not a lot of people take swimming all that seriously and there's probably people that could beat Phelps but chose other avenues. Hell probably some nba players with these 7 foot wingspans

And that is why, Usain Bolt, not Michael Phelps, is the greatest Olympian of all time.


oh, and not you Carmelo you are not the one either.

[Maury]

There's actually some merit to the article..not humphries specifically (but maybe) just more the fact that not a lot of people take swimming all that seriously and there's probably people that could beat Phelps but chose other avenues. Hell probably some nba players with these 7 foot wingspans

Yah apparently Tim Duncan was a great swimmer when he was younger and he still swims now which helps him stay in great shape.