2014 USA Squad

[Jlamb47]

Rose
Harden
George
Durant
Davis

Irving
Curry
Thompson
Faried
Cousins

Lillard
Drummond


Its hard to predict who will be the 12 man roster especia
lly with the point gaurd position being so good. Who do yal think will make it ?
I chose Drummond over Millsap due to rebounding n defense. And leaving out Parsons, Wall and Bealwas tough as well

[Im Still Ballin]

I donno but Demarcus will be MVP. I know this.

[Jlamb47]

I donno but Demarcus will be MVP. I know this.
Yeah hel be a beast, I think Anthony Davis will do better.

[Rocketswin2013]

Rose
Harden
George
Durant
Davis was the lineup Coach K used the most so its probably the starting lineup

Bench should be
Curry/Wall
Derozan
Parsons
Millsap
Cousins/Drummond

Edit: Forgot Curry. Goodbye Irving.

[Jailblazers7]

Yeah, I think Wall should be on the team for sure. Team USA always does better when they have a guy like him in the line-up who is fine with feeding the talent around him and only taking like 5 shots. I would just tell Wall to go get me 12 assists and be a maniac on defense.

I'd probably leave Drummond off due to redundancy if they select Boogie and Faried. Millsap is a really good PF for international play so I'd rather have him.

[Jlamb47]

Rose
Harden
George
Durant
Davis was the lineup Coach K used the most so its probably the starting lineup

Bench should be
Curry/Wall
Derozan
Parsons
Millsap
Cousins/Drummond

Edit: Forgot Curry. Goodbye Irving.

I doubt they choose Derozan over Thompson, they probably want a off ball player with all the gaurds. I heard Millsap got pushed around by Drummonds in the 1st day of practice so i didnt choose him. Irving is gonna make it over Wall

[Thorpesaurous]

If it were me I'd leave Harden behind, but I know that isn't going to happen.

And I'd seriously consider leaving Rose behind for fear of him having to miss time, and even at his best his game isn't the most internationally adept.

I like Parsons as a fit because he can space and maybe play some 4. I like Milsap as an international big who'll help on the glass where we'll need it. Cousin's is a must. I'm a little worried about Drummond because his shooting and FT shooting will be a huge problem, and what he brings defensively could be keep in foul issues internationally.

[LoneyROY7]

Gonna be a coming out party for Anthony Davis.

[AboutBuckets]

Kind of pissed at Blake and Love for backing out, both of them would excel in the international game (cue Euroleague flaming me saying they would both be scrubs). DMC and Davis are going to simply terrorize other frontcourts though, with the exception of Spain. That's gonna be a tough matchup, and where we'll miss Blake and Love the most.

[Im so nba'd out]

my line up

PG Derrick Rose-Kyrie Irving
SG Klay Thompson-Stephen Curry-Bradley Beal
SF Paul George-James Harden
PF Kevin Durant-Kenneth Faried
C Anthony Davis-Demarcus Cousins

idc who the 12th man is he wouldn't get time anyway prolly parsons or something

[nathanjizzle]

why is their 4 pgs. i would think its rose, curry, lillard . rose and curry if it were 2. curry is a shoe in.

[Legends66NBA7]

12 man roster, right ?

PG - Derrick Rose/Stephen Curry/Damian Lillard
SG - James Harden/DeMar DeRozan/Klay Thompson
SF - Paul George/Chandler Parsons
PF - Kevin Durant/Anthony Davis
C - DeMarcus Cousins/Andre Drummond

That's the best overall players at each position. I'm assuming the coaches go at that direction.


Miss the cut

Bradley Beal
Kenneth Faried
Paul Millsap
Gordon Hayward
Kyrie Irving
Kyle Korver
John Wall


PG is tough, but I think Irving and Wall won't make it. I heard on the first day of practice that Rose looked "really good" and Tom Thibodeau an assistant coach on the team. Monty Williams will also vouch for Davis too.

[AboutBuckets]

Monty Williams will also vouch for Davis too.

Lol Davis needs no vouching, dude is a lock for the team

[Legends66NBA7]

Lol Davis needs no vouching, dude is a lock for the team

Yeah, forgot Griffin and Love aren't on the team. Scratch that.

[Jlamb47]

Yeah, forgot Griffin and Love aren't on the team. Scratch that.

Davis > Griffin n Love for international game
He brings the defense that they cant bring, and we need that more then offense

[NattyPButter]

Curry is making that team and he'll play a lot of 2 gaurd. They need him since he's the best 3pt shooter and on top of that he doesn't depend on flopping and fouls like Harden. Other guys who I know should make the team is Irving, Davis, Klay Thompson, Durant, Cousins, and Paul George

[ralph_i_el]

I know I'm biased but I'd take Wall over Irving for this team all day. Unleash him on D and let him get out in transition. No pressure on him to Iso or take midrange shots.

[Jlamb47]

I know I'm biased but I'd take Wall over Irving for this team all day. Unleash him on D and let him get out in transition. No pressure on him to Iso or take midrange shots.

TBH Wall would be a better fit. He passes well and plays better D. Irving would be a good off ball shooter though, along side Rose with very good ball handling

[NattyPButter]

I know I'm biased but I'd take Wall over Irving for this team all day. Unleash him on D and let him get out in transition. No pressure on him to Iso or take midrange shots.

True he does bring the defense and can be like Westbrook. I'd take him over Rose only because I can't trust Rose to not get injured again and screw up my PG position if he does go down. I'm also sure he has to get back to playing at a high level because when he came back the 1st time he wasn't the same.

[pegasus]

I hope Rose will make it. We need him to shake off the rust.

[ralph_i_el]

TBH Wall would be a better fit. He passes well and plays better D. Irving would be a good off ball shooter though, along side Rose with very good ball handling
Actually though Irving has shot poorly in spot up situations which is weird. Curry should have that role as the off ball guard

[Jon_Koncak]

I cant believe people putting Anthony Davis on pf in their squads.Havent you watched team USA in previous tournaments?Coach K goes small,hell Rudy Gay was playing center at some pint in 2010,i'm 100% sure Davis will play only at center.Kevin Durant,Paul George and maybe Parsons will play a lot as pfs.

Rose/Kyrie/Lillard
Harden/Curry/Thompson
George/Parsons
Durant/Millsap
Davis/Cousins

[Milbuck]

I cant believe people putting Anthony Davis on pf in their squads.Havent you watched team USA in previous tournaments?Coach K goes small,hell Rudy Gay was playing center at some pint in 2010,i'm 100% sure Davis will play only at center.Kevin Durant,Paul George and maybe Parsons will play a lot as pfs.

Rose/Kyrie/Lillard
Harden/Curry/Thompson
George/Parsons
Durant/Millsap
Davis/Cousins
Why though? It makes no sense when Spain is gonna be running with the Gasol bros, Ibaka, Mirotic, whoever else..we have an up and coming dominant C who just put up 23/12/3/2/1 on 56% TS, we should use him instead of forcing a PF into the C spot and a SF into the 4.

I just don't see how a Rose-Harden-PG-Durant-Davis lineup is better than a Rose-PG-Durant-Davis-Cousins lineup. It's more balanced with scoring from the inside and out, with much more size/length in the front court. Plus you get the advantage of not having a zero defense playing, ball-dominant loser in the starting lineup.

[JellyBean]

All I know is, Parsons will be on the squad.

[SOD 21]

The best five man unit for this team will be: Curry, Thompson, George, Durant and Anthony. These five players should be in the starting lineup and, in most situations, also their closing lineup as well, unless certain match ups dictate otherwise.

Harden should be on the bench leading the second unit. But his skills aren't necessary in the starting lineup because Curry and KD can handle ball-handling responsibilities and Thompson is a better catch n shoot player, not to mention he is used to playing off of Steph Curry. Thompson is also a superior defensive player to Harden.

[(e)]

I know I'm biased but I'd take Wall over Irving for this team all day. Unleash him on D and let him get out in transition. No pressure on him to Iso or take midrange shots.
I'd take Wall over Irving for just about any team. He's a way better defender. All the guys can score, you need defenders - especially when you got a dude like Harden lol

[Jon_Koncak]

Why though? It makes no sense when Spain is gonna be running with the Gasol bros, Ibaka, Mirotic, whoever else..we have an up and coming dominant C who just put up 23/12/3/2/1 on 56% TS, we should use him instead of forcing a PF into the C spot and a SF into the 4.

I just don't see how a Rose-Harden-PG-Durant-Davis lineup is better than a Rose-PG-Durant-Davis-Cousins lineup. It's more balanced with scoring from the inside and out, with much more size/length in the front court. Plus you get the advantage of not having a zero defense playing, ball-dominant loser in the starting lineup.

what you're writing might make sense but all i'm saying is that judging by the 4 previous tournaments coach K has decided to live and die by the small ball.I dont see him changing this even for the sake of Gasols/Ibaka.In 2012 final Love,an NBA pf played strictly as a center against Spain,with Lebron/Melo being pfs.

[SOD 21]

I also have serious questions whether Derrick Rose should be on this team or not. He is coming off multiple serious knee injuries, hasn't been healthy in a couple of years and struggled in the first month of the season last year. It is risky whether he will be able to stay healthy and whether he will have the desired impact.

I would much prefer Damien Lillard over him.

[RedBlackAttack]

I'd be very surprised if Kyrie Irving is not on the team. With Coach K running things, it would be pretty shocking. He has done nothing but rave about Kyrie for years.

It seems as if Kyrie's game gets better and better depending on how good his teammates are. It's easy to say that about any player in the league, but the difference is that, with every opportunity he has had to play alongside the best players in the league, he usually looks like he more than belongs with them.

If people remember, the peak of his hype so far in his young career came between his rookie and second season when the U.S. Olympic team was in preparation for London. That's when all of the clips were being leaked of him going crazy while on the Select Team against Team USA. The reports coming out of that camp were pretty amazing. I even remember Coach K and guys on Team USA saying that he really belonged on the Olympic team, even as a 20-year-old.

Articles like this one were circulating across the Internet:

Kyrie Irving excelling against Team USA (http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/07/10/team-usa-camp-kyrie-irving/)

Excerpt:


After beginning training camp with a couple of five-minute scrimmages that were open to the media, U.S. Olympic coach Mike Krzyzewski has pulled the curtain shut.

The last four days have featured games divided into four 10-minute quarters between Team USA and the select team, which consists of younger NBA players. Media has not been allowed to watch.

Although statistics have not been made available, the message from those who are Coach K-approved is that there has been one player who has consistently excelled – 20-year old Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a member of the select team.

That’s not to say the Olympians have not had many moments. Any team with LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Deron Williams is going to put on a show. And then there is Blake Griffin, a.k.a. Human Highlight Film 2.0, who has put on a private dunking exhibition for those allowed in the gym.

But Irving, who had 11 points in a 14-11 select team victory on the first day of camp, has been consistently excellent, and although the next Olympics in Brazil is four years away, it may not be too early to predict that he has locked up a position on the team.

“Kyrie Irving is a player that literally you could move from one court to the other court,” Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo said, referring to shooting drills that have the Olympic team and the select team on adjacent courts.

“He’s that far advanced in terms of his talent, it appears. He’s made a good showing here. He had a terrific rookie season in the NBA and certainly he will be one of the leading candidates going forward.”


The things people are saying about Anthony Davis right now? That's what the hype was like for Kyrie, except even more intensified.

Then, during last year's All-Star Game -- when many were questioning if he should be on the team -- he was the best player in the game. You can say it doesn't mean anything and I would agree, but borderline All-Stars usually look a bit out of place when they get on the floor in those games. You can see a difference between those guys and the elite players, even in an All-Star Game. Kyrie belonged and then some.


That's why I have little doubt when he steps on the floor with the best guys competing for Team USA, he'll probably light it up.

I also think it makes the potential of him next to LeBron and maybe Love with the Cavs that much more intriguing. He may be the type of guy who just plays really well next to other great players... that isn't a trait that every player in basketball has.

We'll see.

[secund2nun]

PG -Curry- Lilliard, Irving
SG- George-Thompson,
SF- Durant, Harden, Parsons
PF- Davis-Faried
C- Cousins, Drummond

F going small. Go big. Rose would be a waste of roster space if on the roster.

[Graviton]

Damn shame Westbrook couldn't take part. He would be a beast with those small lineups.

[JUDGE WITNESS]

inb4 drose knee falls off

[raprap]

Wall should make it over irving. Better fit.

[I<3NBA]

This is how I would pick that squad

PG Wall/Curry
SG George/Lillard
SF Durant/Parsons/Thompson
PF Davis/Faried/Millsap
C Drummond/Cousins

I would leave off Rose for pity. The man's done nothing but get injured. He doesn't need getting injured on an international game. Let him play for the Bulls before he ends his career.

I would leave off Harden too. That man is a cancer and a no good, lazy ass defender.

I would leave Irving too. A team with Durant needs a pass first PG. While Curry is a scoring PG, he's a 3 pt specialist so he stays on the team.

MVP prediction? Davis

[(e)]

This is how I would pick that squad

PG Wall/Curry
SG George/Lillard
SF Durant/Parsons/Thompson
PF Davis/Faried/Millsap
C Drummond/Cousins

I would leave off Rose for pity. The man's done nothing but get injured. He doesn't need getting injured on an international game. Let him play for the Bulls before he ends his career.

I would leave off Harden too. That man is a cancer and a no good, lazy ass defender.

I would leave Irving too. A team with Durant needs a pass first PG. While Curry is a scoring PG, he's a 3 pt specialist so he stays on the team.

MVP prediction? Davis
You're going to leave 2 starters off the team? :facepalm

Rose, Wall
Harden, Curry
George, Thompson
Durant, Cousins, Faried
Davis, Drummond

Irving, Beal, Lillard play for final spot. I'd rank them in that order.