It stinks that they didn't win with a roster of NBA players. It also stinks that this team had 4 celtics on it and couldn't win. NO tatum again hurt. Kemba had a bad game as well and I didn't see if Brown did anything.
The olympics will be different because the Stars will play in that game. I was hoping they'd win and maybe we'd see 1 Celtic on the Olympic roster. I doubt that happens now.
Well, let's be fair - France is a pretty loaded roster as well. The are able to put out a 5-man lineup of
PG Nando De Colo (4-time All-Euroleague, Euroleague MVP)
Wing Fournier (NBA vet)
Wing Nkitilina (NBA vet)
Wing Batum (NBA vet)
C Rudy Gobert (NBA DPOY)
That's a 5-man lineup that would beast in the NBA. Very complementary players there. De Colo is 6' 5" and the real deal. Very talented ball-handler and shooter. Gobert is at least as good as anybody on Team USA's roster. The other guys are all legit NBA vets. And these guys all play well together.
The point is, Team USA just lost to a team that is really, really talented.
And a lot of it just came down to cold shooting. Folks might focus on Kemba shooting only 2 of 6 with 0 assists in the 4th period, but the real killer was Mitchell (0/3), Middleton (1/3) and Jaylen (0/1) combining to go only 1 of 7 in that 4th period. Not to mention the many times when Team USA players simply shied off of taking shots.
Fournier, Ntilikina, Batum? Beast in the NBA? Did I go to sleep and wake up in an alternate universe?
Did you miss the other two names? De Colo is a fantastic player who arguably would be at least close to fringe all-star level player in the NBA and Gobert is the freaking reigning DPOY.
I never said "Fournier, Ntillikina & Batum" were beasts in the NBA. I said that FIVE MAN LINEUP would be. And I'm not saying it would beat last year's Raptor's starting 5 or the prior year's GSW death lineup.
I'm just pointing out that would be a hell of a strong 5-man lineup that would compete very favorably in the NBA. It's got guards and wings that can shoot plus an elite big who can score on the roll and dominate on defense. That's a very potent recipe.
Are you serious? You realise De Colo actually had a (failed) NBA stint? He wasn't even a borderline starter in the NBA. That lineup would be a strong G-League team.
Yeah, um ... that was several years ago and he tried to break in on a Finals-bound San Antonio team loaded at guard/wing. That he couldn't get a ton of minutes as a rookie on a title-contending team with Parker, Manu, Kawhi, Green, Diaw & Jackson ahead of him is hardly a referendum on his abilities. It just wasn't a fit. So he returned to Europe where he was more comfortable, where he could get minutes and get paid. The NBA isn't the only possible path for everyone. (Side note: I wonder if he was extra motivated to play against a Popovic-coached team?)
To suggest a lineup that includes 4 guys who are already established NBA players (including one of the best big men in the game) would be only a "strong G-League team" is ridiculous. This isn't really a serious conversation if you are going with that.