***Official Olympic Basketball Thread***

[Eddie20]

I also really like Nikola Mirotic.

I love Teodosic. What an offensive player. One of the best, if the not best, passer(s) in the world. Every pass is on the money and the shooter doesn't have to adjust. Such an important, an underrated trait, is putting passes at the numbers.

[SparzWizard]

Looks like USA will face Serbia in the gold medal round. This time, they better put them away for good lol. That 3-point margin the last time these two squared off makes USA look very beatable!

[Big333223]

Deandre is really good.

Definitely underrated, even by many basketball commentator types.  Apparently it's become very easy to undervalue dominant rebounding and interior finishing.

He was the best player on the floor for the USA against Spain. I was super impressed. This game made me start thinking about what it would look like to pair him with Horford.

[Stig]

Nobody talking about the Serbia vs Aus game? I've never seen a good team so beaten up by another in international games. Great game plan from the Serbia coach, can wait to see how they compete with USA tonight

[gift]

I can't believe many people are noticing individual players in this tournament like it's some sort of revelation or indication of their talent level. There's not a player of note in this tournament that does not have a much larger body of work that is more representative.

Guys, you already know these players!

What I find more interesting in these tournaments is how well players fit together and how they play as teams.

[Adelaide Celt]

Nobody talking about the Serbia vs Aus game? I've never seen a good team so beaten up by another in international games. Great game plan from the Serbia coach, can wait to see how they compete with USA tonight

Serbia's defending was immaculate and we absolutely crapped the bed. Guess we were due for a bad game.

I don't think we have a hope in hell against Spain. Still very pleased with the team's efforts for the vast majority of the Olympics.

[Stig]

Nobody talking about the Serbia vs Aus game? I've never seen a good team so beaten up by another in international games. Great game plan from the Serbia coach, can wait to see how they compete with USA tonight

Serbia's defending was immaculate and we absolutely crapped the bed. Guess we were due for a bad game.

I don't think we have a hope in hell against Spain. Still very pleased with the team's efforts for the vast majority of the Olympics.

It's a pity, only one point away from a medal. But this Aus team has a great future, most of the core is young enough for another Olympic or two (maybe minus Anderson?), while Spain, Brazil, Argentina, France are all aging badly. Next time Aus probably still have the best chance to upset USA.

[walker834]

USA basketball is a joke.  Overpaid ballhogs. It's been this way for the past 15 years or so. The original Dream Team was the real deal.

If any country had any talent and played smart basketball and defense they'd beat this team.

The difference between the original dream team and this one is the original team actually knew how to play basketball and were smart skilled unselfish players.  These guys are dumb as stumps and don't understand the game.

The NBA is a huge fraud.

[A Future of Stevens]

Cousins looks dominant out there. Rebounding, passing, cant be guarded on the interior so they just foul him.

Up until his activeness the game had been all isoing. He hasnt made any stupid defensive lapses today. Only one by deandre in the first.

[walker834]

A couple big shots by durant and they couldn't handle cousins inside.

I don't think one guy on this team would make the original dream team though.  Maybe durant over Laettner but they had to take one guy from college back then.

These guys might have the physical talent but they aren't nearly as skilled and their understanding of the game is not close.

All their points are on steals and breakaway dunks.  Or just muscling inside.  They can't play in the half court.

[Big333223]

USA basketball is a joke.  Overpaid ballhogs. It's been this way for the past 15 years or so. The original Dream Team was the real deal.

If any country had any talent and played smart basketball and defense they'd beat this team.

The difference between the original dream team and this one is the original team actually knew how to play basketball and were smart skilled unselfish players.  These guys are dumb as stumps and don't understand the game.

The NBA is a huge fraud.

Someone is cranky.

[A Future of Stevens]

A couple big shots by durant and they couldn't handle cousins inside.

I don't think one guy on this team would make the original dream team though.  Maybe durant over Laettner but they had to take one guy from college back then.

These guys might have the physical talent but they aren't nearly as skilled and their understanding of the game is not close.

All their points are on steals and breakaway dunks.  Or just muscling inside.  They can't play in the half court.

I think that you could sub durant in for mullins. This is in no way a disrespect to mull, as I think alot of people under rate him. However, durant is just an amazing long scorer. He also could just come off the bench and play his game in the flow of the game and not worry about being the man.

Other than that, yea you are spot on.

[walker834]

There's some good passing. That's the first time I've seen that.  Also like Durant and Cousins. Paul George isn't bad either.

[GreenFaith1819]

Nice, Team USA.

Keep it up.

[gift]

Reminding me of 2 years ago in the gold medal game of the FIBA World Cup where USA beat Serbia 129-92.