2003 Team USA vs. Team USA 2008

[Lebron23]

Who wins in a best of 7 series?

NBA Rules
FIBA Rules

Team USA 2003

http://www.usabasketball.com/historyimages/mtoa_2003.jpg

C- Tim Duncan
F- Elton Brand
F- Tracy Mcgrady
G- Vince Carter
G- Allen Iverson

Bench



C- Jermaine O'Neal
F- Kenyon Martin
F- Nick Collison
G- Ray Allen
G- Mike Bibby
F- Richard Jefferson


Team USA 2008


http://thehoopdoctors.com/online/wp-content/uploads/teamusa.jpg

C- Dwight Howard
F- LeBron James
F- Carmelo Anthony
F- Kobe Bryant
G- Dwayne Wade


Bench

C- Chris Bosh
F- Carlos Boozer
F- Tayshaun Prince
G- Michael Redd
G- Chris Paul
G- Deron Williams
G- Jason Kidd

[Zak]

I would go wtih 2008, 10 times out of 10. The 2003 team only has a slight advantage in terms of big man with Duncan being the best of the lot.

[1987_Lakers]

2008, without hesitation.

[Skyscraper]

Jason Kidd was also on the 2003 squad.

But to answer your thread:

I agree with teh second poster. 2008 wins hands down 10 out of 10 times,

Prime Duncan would be a monster if it were the Spurs playing. Rather, it's a team of NBA superstars and they are not going to initiate a slow offense by dumping the ball to Duncan first. Besides we saw what happened to Duncan with FIBA rules in 2004...

Also, the Canswer is on the team.


Jason Kidd back in 2003 slightly more of a scorer than he was in 2008. But the biggest difference with the 2008 team is the superior reboudner in Howard and his outlet passes to Kidd flanked by great runners and finishers.

Besides with Kobe on the team, what else do you need?

[kurple]

Also, the Canswer is on the team.

03 AI = Greatness

[1987_Lakers]

03 AI = Greatness

41 FG%

[NuggetsFan]

I'd side with 2008 pretty easily.

[Lebron23]

I think the 2008 USA Olympics team is the 2nd best Team USA that was ever assembled.

LeBron, Howard, Kobe, Wade are good defenders, and they probably own Duncan (Bronzecan), Carter, Pierce, and Iverson in the 4th quarter.

[Bodhi]

NBA or FIBA rules, I'd take 2008 in 4.

The only position the 2003 team has an advantage at is center with Duncan, and like someone else said, that 2003 team isn't going to let Duncan run the offense. McGrady might also have an advantage depending on who he's matched up against, but it really wouldn't make a difference.

[Skyscraper]

Of course, it is easy to forget just how good that 2003 team was.

Everyone was in their primes and had some dead eye shooters, whether pure like Ray Allen and Mike Bibby (relatively speaking for MB) or streak shooters like Carter and TMac.

Can't really call anyone on the 2008 team a dead eye shooter other than Michael Redd and Carmelo (if only because of the reduced three point line distance)

That in itself may lend the 2003 team some credit if they played under FIBA rules cohesively.

The only reason Kenyon martin and Richard Jefferson made teh team was because they were coming off of the 2003 Finals. They had no business being there. But then again, someone like Paul Pierce was being ostracized by Team USA officials and Kobe was in Colorado doing this thing

[OneMoreSucka]

08 sweep.

[Samurai Swoosh]

Also, the Canswer is on the team.
Uhh, Allen Iverson was one of the best players on both USA teams he played for ... both 2003, and the horrendously disappointing 2004 team. 2003 team was undefeated and was very good, but I don't think they have the overall defensive intensity the 2008 team has ... plus 2008 has arguably better wings, and guards. 2008, but that 2003 team was very good. Ashame it wasn't reassembled identicly the following year for the Olympics. It would've been a much different outcome, IMO, if it had.

[godofgods]

2003.

[MeLO MvP 15]

2008 would win pretty easily, not only talent wise but that team had GREAT chemistry

[L.Kizzle]

Who wins in a best of 7 series?

NBA Rules
FIBA Rules

Team USA 2003

http://www.usabasketball.com/historyimages/mtoa_2003.jpg

C- Tim Duncan
F- Elton Brand
F- Tracy Mcgrady
G- Vince Carter
G- Allen Iverson

Bench



C- Jermaine O'Neal
F- Kenyon Martin
F- Nick Collison
G- Ray Allen
G- Mike Bibby
F- Richard Jefferson


Team USA 2008


http://thehoopdoctors.com/online/wp-content/uploads/teamusa.jpg

C- Dwight Howard
F- LeBron James
F- Carmelo Anthony
F- Kobe Bryant
G- Dwayne Wade


Bench

C- Chris Bosh
F- Carlos Boozer
F- Tayshaun Prince
G- Michael Redd
G- Chris Paul
G- Deron Williams
G- Jason Kidd
LOL at 2008 winning 10 out of 10 times.

03 VC/Mac/AI = 08 Bron/KB/Wade
03 Duncan > 08 Dwight
03 O'Neal/Brand > 08 Boozer/Bosh
03 Ray Allen >> 08 Redd
03 Kidd/Bibby = 08 Kidd/CP3
03 Martin << 08 Melo
03 Nick << 08 Prince
03 Jefferson and 08 Williams

[Bodhi]

LOL at 2008 winning 10 out of 10 times.

03 VC/Mac/AI = 08 Bron/KB/Wade
03 Duncan > 08 Dwight
03 O'Neal/Brand > 08 Boozer/Bosh
03 Ray Allen >> 08 Redd
03 Kidd/Bibby = 08 Kidd/CP3
03 Martin << 08 Melo
03 Nick << 08 Prince
03 Jefferson and 08 Williams


Really?

I mean do you really believe that is true or are you just trolling?

[L.Kizzle]

Really?

I mean do you really believe that is true or are you just trolling?
OK I lied, 08 Wade was inured though so, he wasn't 09 Wade. Maybe 08 by a smidget (maybe not).

[Samurai Swoosh]

OK I lied, 08 Wade was inured though so, he wasn't 09 Wade. Maybe 08 by a smidget (maybe not).
Did you even watch the games?

:oldlol:

D. Wade of the Olympics in 2008 was his coming out party in terms of showing he was more than back from his injury and what he would come to play like in 2009. I think he was the second highest scorer on the team, and he came off the bench for christ sakes.

[Samurai Swoosh]

C- Tim Duncan < Dwight Howard
F- Elton Brand < Carmelo Anthony
F- Tracy Mcgrady < LeBron James
G- Vince Carter < Kobe Bryant
G- Allen Iverson > Chris Paul

C- Jermaine O'Neal = Chris Bosh
F- Kenyon Martin < Carlos Boozer
F- Nick Collison < Tayshaun Prince
G- Ray Allen > Michael Redd
G- Mike Bibby < Deron Williams
F- Richard Jefferson > Jason Kidd

Oh yeah for the record, if any of you ever actually watched Team USA 2003 and 2004. Tim Duncan, the all world PF we know him as, was terrible by his standards and capability levels in both of his Team USA sessions. Duncan is the better player than D12, but given how both played, D12 outplayed him in his stints with Team USA.

The vast majority of those individual matchups go to Team USA 2008 ... then ontop of it that the primary core of the 2008 team had played together for 2 - 3 straight summers, had vastly superior chemistry. And this is really a no brainer.

[Samurai Swoosh]

the team that could've went in 2000 to represent Team USA, IMO, would've been a team that actually given the ages and number of players in their prime during that time, compared to the mostly aged past their prime players ... would've actually been a team that I'd say could've beat the "Dream Team" fairly handily.

Potential Team USA (2000)

C - Shaquille O'Neal / Tim Duncan
PF - Chris Webber / Kevin Garnett
SF - Grant Hill / Vince Carter
SG - Kobe Bryant / Ray Allen / Reggie Miller
PG - Gary Payton / Jason Kidd / Allen Iverson

[dyna]

LOL at 2008 winning 10 out of 10 times.

03 VC/Mac/AI = 08 Bron/KB/Wade
03 Duncan > 08 Dwight
03 O'Neal/Brand > 08 Boozer/Bosh
03 Ray Allen >> 08 Redd
03 Kidd/Bibby = 08 Kidd/CP3
03 Martin << 08 Melo
03 Nick << 08 Prince
03 Jefferson and 08 Williams

:rolleyes:

[Micku]

Wasn't Wade on the bench in the 08 team?

Anyway, I would say the 08 team would win.

[AirJordan23]

41 FG%
You mean the Iverson that shot 56% from the field and 54% from 3 point line (granted it was shorter) while nearly averaging 4 assists? It's pretty irrelevant what he did in the NBA that year because the topic is strictly related to USA basketball.

:oldlol: @ anyone saying 2008 Team USA wins in a blowout. It's clear these clowns never saw the '03 team play. The '03 team dominated the same '04 gold medal winning Argentinian team with guys like Manu, Noicioni, Oberto, etc. Faced them twice and beat them 106-73 and 94-86. They had great interior defense with JO, Duncan and KMart. Also provided some shotblocking. JO was named to the all tournament team iirc. Kidd and McGrady were the two best perimeter defenders on the team. There was a play where McGrady totally bullied Casiano from Puerto Rico in an exhibition game. Locked him down, shoved the ball away from him, gave him a nasty look and threw it down. Carter put up a highlight reel that year just like he did in 2000. Kidd and Bibby ran the point to perfection. Bibby was a great fit for the international team. His defense was actually not that much of a problem since that team had great TEAM defense. Bibby shot something like 60% from 3 and played smart, sophisticated basketball. Kidd and KMart had great chemistry due to being teammates at NJ. Guys like Ray Allen, Bibby and AI shot great %s from the 3 point line. Carter and T-Mac weren't any slouches in shooting either.

Brand provided some great post play along with Duncan and JO. And please don't confuse Duncan of '04 with '03. Duncan in '04 struggled a LOT MORE than in '03 due to various reasons such as not having a true PG or deadly shooters. He did have them in '03 and Duncan dominated. Especially on the glass. I have a couple of games of that team on tape. Might put them up on YouTube so you people can educate yourself.

Here's a mix of this team from Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bviMPm7vNm4

[jrong]

03 VC/Mac/AI = 08 Bron/KB/Wade

Are you actually being serious here? Kobe, Bron, and Wade represent the best "big three" since the 80s. The only one out of the first group who at any point in his career had ability on par with this trio is T-Mac, and of course, injuries destroyed his chance to stay at that level.

[baller42590]

08 all the way they have way more depth!