Team USA Basketball 2024

[Redz]

Should be an amazing atmosphere for the the Gold Medal game. 

[liam]

I like having close games for team USA. It makes it much more fun. I still think the 1992 Dream Team was the best ever but I think if that team was in today's Olympics, no way would they be beating teams by 50+ points. Not a knock on today's team, I just think the world has caught up that even non-NBA players are not scared and can hang with our best.

That 1992 Dream team would still be beating teams by 40. They played as a team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTNIWbGmzGU

Just the passing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpMbpLa-ofU

And Draymond being Draymond: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpMbpLa-ofU

[ozgod]

I have a feeling JT and JB are going to want kerr?s neck this season when they play GS

It?s been a pretty disrespectful summer towards the Celtics

Especially if Kerr sits JT again for the gold medal game. I can understand the desire to play LeBum because he's basically the team's point guard, Steph is basically playing off ball as a shooter, Jrue is there to defend the opposition ball handlers, and KD is the all time leading US scorer and a microwave guy off the bench, but you can't tell me that Booker and Ant, who played 37 mins, are better than JT defensively and offensively. JT can cover more guys, he can play bully ball...I guess it was a really bad time for him to shoot like he turned into Ben Simmons 

[ozgod]

Curry is the greatest shooter ever. He?s the only player that I feel like every shot he shoots is gonna go in

What about the Celtics own Sam Hauser? 

What's funny is prior to this game he was shooting 5-20 from 3 and 10-28 overall...then he went Steph Curry on Serbia when his country needed him 

[ozgod]

This question may have already been posted, so forgive me for not wading thru 40 pages of comments.

Though it is technically impossible to create such a game due to roster overlaps, just for the sake of discussion - who wins 2024 Celtics vs 2024 Olympic team ?

2024 Celtics would win in 5 in a 7 game series IMO. They just mesh better as a team, everyone knows their roles. This Team USA team is getting by on sheer talent, they are largely overwhelming the opposition, but I think our team plays more as a team. Obviously Team USA's depth outstrips ours but our chemistry would give us the edge.

Now if Team USA had an 82 game season and playoffs to hone their combinations, then I think they would probably win. Over that long a period they would figure out how to play with each other, players would probably learn to sacrifice and defer when needed, and to step up when needed.

[SparzWizard]

Few things today...

-I did not want to listen to Warrior fans when they told us how overrated Kerr was as a coach. Boy they were right.

-Did not play JT (who would have defended and rebounded which they needed); played AD 4 minutes and once again ignored Halliburton. I am pretty sure those guys could have helped but Kerr still has not figured out how to play different combinations. He has an easy job really. One quarter the first 5, the next the next 5. What a cop out.

-I do not want the Celtics guys getting a ton of minutes. I prefer another banner. But I sure hope the disrespect JT and JB have gotten this season will fuel them to make a huge run again.

But come on. Tatum is the only American player that was first team NBA this season, won a NBA title, improved all other aspects of his game and he gets iced out for a small Booker and even D White who did not play well today.

-The more I watch Embiid, the less that guy concerns me this season. I do not care what the sixers brought in they aren't beating the Cs in a playoff series.

Well they did get Paul George, Eric Gordon, Caleb Martin, and Andre Drummond lol

[ozgod]

It?s hilarious the credit this lazy bum embiid will get for this performance over joker.
Just imagine if they swapped rosters lol

Brian Windhorst was creaming himself for Embiid after the game.

Embiid played one of his finest career games against Jokic, delivering 19 points and a fiery push in the second half that verified his place in Team USA history.

"Joel was everything," James said. "Made every big shot."

https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40783047/us-stuns-serbia-4th-quarter-rally-one-win-gold

One of his finest career games against Jokic...low bar indeed. No wonder he's called Brian WinEdited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. 

[tazzmaniac]

It?s hilarious the credit this lazy bum embiid will get for this performance over joker.
Just imagine if they swapped rosters lol

Brian Windhorst was creaming himself for Embiid after the game.

Embiid played one of his finest career games against Jokic, delivering 19 points and a fiery push in the second half that verified his place in Team USA history.

"Joel was everything," James said. "Made every big shot."

https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40783047/us-stuns-serbia-4th-quarter-rally-one-win-gold

One of his finest career games against Jokic...low bar indeed. No wonder he's called Brian WinEdited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. 

Last season, they played against each other once and Embiid put up 41pts and 10 rebs.  The prior season they also played once and Embiid put up 47pts, 18reb and 5ast.  So this was just another good performance by Embiid against Jokic. 

[SHAQATTACK]

I wonder will the DNP s have any future effect on JT s stock ?

[Who]

Embiid did look the most confident of the bigs going up against Jokic and attacking him. He was comfortable putting Jokic on the defense. Always good to wear down offensive players like Jokic by making them play some defense.

[TheBig3]

Same excuse as game 1

https://athlonsports.com/olympics/team-usa-steve-kerr-breaks-silence-on-second-jayson-tatum-benching-at-paris-olympics

[Kernewek]

It?s hilarious the credit this lazy bum embiid will get for this performance over joker.
Just imagine if they swapped rosters lol

Brian Windhorst was creaming himself for Embiid after the game.

Embiid played one of his finest career games against Jokic, delivering 19 points and a fiery push in the second half that verified his place in Team USA history.

"Joel was everything," James said. "Made every big shot."

https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40783047/us-stuns-serbia-4th-quarter-rally-one-win-gold

One of his finest career games against Jokic...low bar indeed. No wonder he's called Brian WinEdited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. 

Last season, they played against each other once and Embiid put up 41pts and 10 rebs.  The prior season they also played once and Embiid put up 47pts, 18reb and 5ast.  So this was just another good performance by Embiid against Jokic.

Agreed - I think Dons' post from a couple pages back has a lot of merit. If these guys weren't 'the enemy' during the regular season I think people would feel differently.

[Vermont Green]

Few things today...

-I did not want to listen to Warrior fans when they told us how overrated Kerr was as a coach. Boy they were right.

-Did not play JT (who would have defended and rebounded which they needed); played AD 4 minutes and once again ignored Halliburton. I am pretty sure those guys could have helped but Kerr still has not figured out how to play different combinations. He has an easy job really. One quarter the first 5, the next the next 5. What a cop out.

-I do not want the Celtics guys getting a ton of minutes. I prefer another banner. But I sure hope the disrespect JT and JB have gotten this season will fuel them to make a huge run again.

But come on. Tatum is the only American player that was first team NBA this season, won a NBA title, improved all other aspects of his game and he gets iced out for a small Booker and even D White who did not play well today.

-The more I watch Embiid, the less that guy concerns me this season. I do not care what the sixers brought in they aren't beating the Cs in a playoff series.

Well they did get Paul George, Eric Gordon, Caleb Martin, and Andre Drummond lol

Health is the big IF for PHI but Embiid + George + Maxey if formidable.  Oubre, Martin, Lowry, Gordon, Drummond, is some decent depth.  I like our top 3 vs. their top 3, and I think our depth is better, but there is plenty to be worried about with PHI.

[No Nickname]

I have a feeling JT and JB are going to want kerr?s neck this season when they play GS

It?s been a pretty disrespectful summer towards the Celtics

Especially if Kerr sits JT again for the gold medal game. I can understand the desire to play LeBum because he's basically the team's point guard, Steph is basically playing off ball as a shooter, Jrue is there to defend the opposition ball handlers, and KD is the all time leading US scorer and a microwave guy off the bench, but you can't tell me that Booker and Ant, who played 37 mins, are better than JT defensively and offensively. JT can cover more guys, he can play bully ball...I guess it was a really bad time for him to shoot like he turned into Ben Simmons 

It's not just Tatum's shooting woes.  When he has played, he looks like he's not fired up, and more important, he doesn't play smart team basketball.

He's extremely talented, obviously.  But he stops ball movement, he just sits in the corner or wings at times with little off-ball movement, and he doesn't box out on defensive boards.

It would be one thing if he was just an offensive weapon like Durant, but he doesn't have that skillset (at least in these Olympics). 

He should be playing like he did for Duke when he was a freshman.  Play smart, team ball, pick-and-choose your spots since you're not the alpha dog (and only when they're there, not when it feels like it's just "your turn to shoot!"), and make quick, sharp passes, move and cut, set screens, and be energized on defense.

Some guys just "get" the game of basketball.  Jrue does.  Derrick White does.  They know when to just get out of the way and when to be assertive.  Tatum doesn't.

[Donoghus]

Cooz chimes in on Tatum/Kerr.