Nigeria destroyed Argentina 94-71

[Lebron23]

Nigeria might be the real deal.

[DoctorP]

thats a legit ass whipping to a historically good team

[TheMan]

The men's national soccer team just beat Brazil's to take the Copa America so I don't think too many Argies even noticed or cared.

[BurningHammer]

Based Mike Brown is doing great with Okogie as his new LeBron.

[ELITEpower23]

International play has expanded beyond what anyone could have imagined, this isn't the 90s anymore.

But THIS is the 90s...Prepare to laugh your ass off

https://i.postimg.cc/FszpqfQn/Olympics-has-come-a-long-way.png

[ralph_i_el]

Ever think about why the NBA has a decent number of foreign stars, but role players are still usually American?

It's because the NBA has the cash to attract top worldwide talent, but a lot of folks are making good money playing outside of the US, who are just as good as NBA role players. A lot of these guys are NBA superstars because of what they can do with the ball in their hands. They can create shots for themselves, so they star on their NBA team. When you have 8 of those guys, you are wasting them. I can pretty much dial an ISO up at any time, so invariably a bunch of these guys are not going to get the opportunity to make plays with the ball. When they aren't doing that, do they really add a lot of value as defenders, rebounders, and ball movers? Maybe not. Who will do the dirty work? It can't just be Dray and Bam.

[DoctorP]

Ever think about why the NBA has a decent number of foreign stars, but role players are still usually American?

It's because the NBA has the cash to attract top worldwide talent, but a lot of folks are making good money playing outside of the US, who are just as good as NBA role players. A lot of these guys are NBA superstars because of what they can do with the ball in their hands. They can create shots for themselves, so they star on their NBA team. When you have 8 of those guys, you are wasting them. I can pretty much dial an ISO up at any time, so invariably a bunch of these guys are not going to get the opportunity to make plays with the ball. When they aren't doing that, do they really add a lot of value as defenders, rebounders, and ball movers? Maybe not.

didnt the USA change its system to try to create a more organic team? why are we at this stage again?

[ralph_i_el]

didnt the USA change its system to try to create a more organic team? why are we at this stage again?

Covid I guess. Seems like a lot of guys didn't want to come, and a few big names did. It's super unbalanced. Needs more size and a court general. There are only a few American floor generals who are respected enough for the role. They need a CP3 or Kyle Lowry.

It's not that this team is bad. They just seem flawed enough to be beatable. Folks aren't used to Team USA being mortal.

[TheMan]

Back in the 90s the Euroleague was considered soft, now it's the opposite :ohwell:

[DoctorP]

Covid I guess. Seems like a lot of guys didn't want to come, and a few big names did. It's super unbalanced. Needs more size and a court general. There are only a few American floor generals who are respected enough for the role. They need a CP3 or Kyle Lowry.

well if covid is a factor then so be it. seems like the usa could field a better team if it just put out an nba team like the suns and replaced Ayton with Love or Bam. Saric with Draymond, etc.

[DoctorP]

then again, the ceiling on a team with this much talent could be higher than the Suns. if they can get their shit together. the defense at the end of this game is a good sign of that

[ShawkFactory]

International play has expanded beyond what anyone could have imagined, this isn't the 90s anymore.

But THIS is the 90s...Prepare to laugh your ass off

https://i.postimg.cc/FszpqfQn/Olympics-has-come-a-long-way.png

Drazen and Kukoc were legitimately good players.

But international teams didn’t have the depth that they do now. Not that if would even matter is we sent our best like we did used to though.

[ELITEpower23]

Drazen and Kukoc were legitimately good players.

But international teams didn’t have the depth that they do now. Not that it would even matter is we sent our best like we did used to though.

No doubt, Drazen and Kukoc are legit but compared to the firepower of the 1992 Dream team it's a no contest. Not to mention all the other 1 star olympic teams listed that are mainly gold medal game fodder.

[3ba11]

Drazen and Kukoc were legitimately good players.

But international teams didn’t have the depth that they do now. Not that it would even matter is we sent our best like we did used to though.


Radja was a 20/10 all-star and completely dominant player... Petrovic and Radja are as good as nearly any duo in today's international comp

[ShawkFactory]

Radja was a 20/10 all-star and completely dominant player... Petrovic and Radja are as good as nearly any duo in today's international comp

Sure. That’s why I mentioned the top stars on that team, and how they were good.

That’s why I also mentioned that the depth that these many of the teams have now is far more advanced. It’s a fact. A couple teams have a starting 5 of guys who either were all stars or who are currently effective players. That just didn’t exist for full teams in the 80s or 90s.

And then I also mentioned that we just don’t have our best playing due to the way the schedule was this year. And of course the injuries

None of this makes Jordan worse at basketball in case you were worried.

[3ba11]

Sure. That’s why I mentioned the top stars on that team, and how they were good.

That’s why I also mentioned that the depth that these many of the teams have now is far more advanced. It’s a fact. A couple teams have a starting 5 of guys who either were all stars or who are currently effective players. That just didn’t exist for full teams in the 80s or 90s.

And then I also mentioned that we just don’t have our best playing due to the way the schedule was this year. And of course the injuries

None of this makes Jordan worse at basketball in case you were worried.


And I was just pointing out that the Yugoslavia team was comparable to today's international teams, yet the Dream Team still stomped them because the game wasn't just a 3-point contest, so actual talent/skill mattered and decided things.

Otoh... Nowadays, the team that shoots threes better wins, so you could build robots to beat team USA, let alone actual humans like Nigeria or Patty Mills' Australian team... lol..

[ShawkFactory]

And I was just pointing out that the Yugoslavia team was comparable to today's international teams, yet the Dream Team still stomped them because the game wasn't just a 3-point contest, so actual talent/skill mattered and decided things.

Otoh... Nowadays, the team that shoots threes better wins, so you could build robots to beat team USA, let alone actual humans like Nigeria or Patty Mills' Australian team... lol..

That was the dream team. This team has Jerami Grant and Darius Garland getting significant minutes

[3ba11]

That was the dream team. This team has Jerami Grant and Darius Garland getting significant minutes


The starting 5 is basically all-nba players - KD, Lillard, Beal, Tatum, plus a bunch of other all-stars

The US has always had FAR more talent than the opposition, in any year... so there's no excuse, except that the game is a 3-point contest, so talent/skill doesn't matter anymore.

if a team of bums can shoot threes better, they can win - that's how the game is played - the basketball has been removed from the game - it's just threes now.. enjoy watching our stud ballers get their asses handed to them by a bunch of 3-point shooters

[DoctorP]

The starting 5 is basically all-nba players - KD, Lillard, Beal, Tatum, plus a bunch of other all-stars

The US has always had FAR more talent than the opposition, in any year... so there's no excuse, except that the game is a 3-point contest, so talent/skill doesn't matter anymore.

if a team of bums can shoot threes better, they can win - that's how the game is played - the basketball has been removed from the game - it's just threes now.. enjoy watching our studs get their asses handed to them by a bunch of 3-point shooters

well make your ****ing threes and stfu!! :lol

stupid excuses

[ShawkFactory]

The starting 5 is basically all-nba players - KD, Lillard, Beal, Tatum

The US has never not had FAR more talent than the opposition, in any year... there's no excuse, except that the game is a 3-point contest, so talent/skill doesn't matter anymore - if a team of bums can shoot threes better, they can win - that's how the game is played - the basketball has been removed from the game - it's just threes now.. enjoy

Basically all nba whatever team is not equivalent to the best. When you add in all the injuries and the international talent and the fact that this team has played together literally for a week? Not overly concerned but even if they don’t win. No AD, Paul, lebron, Harden, Curry, Kawhi, Klay, Kyrie etc.

You could take 8 guys off the team and replace them with the guys I mentioned. Literally

[3ba11]

Basically all nba whatever team is not equivalent to the best. When you add in all the injuries and the international talent and the fact that this team has played together literally for a week? Not overly concerned but even if they don’t win. No AD, Paul, lebron, Harden, Curry, Kawhi, Klay, etc.


Team USA has the best player in the tournament, and 4 of the top 5 or 6 after that.

So there's no excuse, except that it's a 3-point contest, which means that being a good player doesn't actually matter

[ralph_i_el]

You clearly didn't watch the game tonight.

[ShawkFactory]

Team USA has the best player in the tournament, and 4 of the top 5 or 6 after that.

So there's no excuse, except that it's a 3-point contest, which means that being a good player doesn't actually matter

Sure. No hunger or chemistry at all. It’s an exhibition. There’s no center.

Yea eventually we should win but KD arrived at camp after a disappointing loss less than two weeks ago. Give it a second..

[ralph_i_el]

Sorry, Tomas Satoransky is just better than Zach Lavine folks.

[3ba11]

https://i.makeagif.com/media/5-09-2019/0q1LhD.gif





You clearly didn't watch the game tonight.


According to Popovich, we don't have to watch the game - we can just look and see who shot better from three to see who won - that was Australia, which explains how Patty Mills, Exum and Ingles defeated KD, Lillard and Beal...

[ralph_i_el]

https://i.makeagif.com/media/5-09-2019/0q1LhD.gif







According to Popovich, we don't have to watch the game - we can just look and see who shot better from three to see who won - that was Australia, which explains how Patty Mills, Exum and Ingles defeated KD, Lillard and Beal...

Well Pop and I watched this game, did you?

[miggyme1]

Its not all about talent. The talent has to mesh. The reason the 2004 team lost was not because of talent or lack thereof. It was because the pieces didnt fit. Ai and stephon marbury on the court together??? Two ball dominant guards that couldnt/wouldnt really defend at a high level. Tim duncan was prolly the best player on the team but he played so passive or maybe it was the because of the system that he looked like a high school player most games. It was just a bad group of talent. Wade,bron and melo were rookies just enjoying the ride…they were pups and didnt grasp how much different international play was at the time.

[Bronbron23]

Nigeria might be the real deal.

No they aren't. Neither is Argentina. Both teams are relatively mediocre.

[ImKobe]

Its not all about talent. The talent has to mesh. The reason the 2004 team lost was not because of talent or lack thereof. It was because the pieces didnt fit. Ai and stephon marbury on the court together??? Two ball dominant guards that couldnt/wouldnt really defend at a high level. Tim duncan was prolly the best player on the team but he played so passive or maybe it was the because of the system that he looked like a high school player most games. It was just a bad group of talent. Wade,bron and melo were rookies just enjoying the ride…they were pups and didnt grasp how much different international play was at the time.

Duncan thrived off ball movement and great team basketball, he was not dominant like Shaq or Hakeem, no matter what the stats in some of those PO series might tell you. That + the combination of deep Playoff runs + playing with inexperienced 03 draft guys & average playmakers like Marbury & AI made it a terrible fit.

'08 and '12 teams dominated because they played hard on the defensive side of the ball, which is what the coaching staff + Kobe & J.Kidd set the tone for when they first got together in '07 and it led to huge blowouts as they got stop after stop & thrived in transition due to their overwhelming athletic ability, something these recent USA teams have been sorely lacking in comparison. Weak leadership & lackluster effort is why USA has not been dominating over the past 3 or so years.

[ShawkFactory]

Duncan thrived off ball movement and great team basketball, he was not dominant like Shaq or Hakeem, no matter what the stats in some of those PO series might tell you. That + the combination of deep Playoff runs + playing with inexperienced 03 draft guys & average playmakers like Marbury & AI made it a terrible fit.

'08 and '12 teams dominated because they played hard on the defensive side of the ball, which is what the coaching staff + Kobe & J.Kidd set the tone for when they first got together in '07 and it led to huge blowouts as they got stop after stop & thrived in transition due to their overwhelming athletic ability, something these recent USA teams have been sorely lacking in comparison. Weak leadership & lackluster effort is why USA has not been dominating over the past 3 or so years.

This is such a myth. The Spurs didn't start to even remotely play that brand of ball until Duncan already had 3 rings.

The 2010-2017 Spurs offense was what you are talking about. The 1999-2004 Spurs offense was "give the ball to Duncan, and if he gets doubled get ready for an open look".

Seriously...go watch a 2002 Spurs game. There's a reason why he was the back to back MVP.

[kawhileonard2]

Nigeria might be the real deal.

Would have beaten a team with Lebron on it as well.

[Iverson3]

Would have beaten a team with Lebron on it as well.

LeBron when he played for Team USA had a 83 points led against Nigeria