Trouble ahead for team USA?

[TheBigAristotle1]

Team USA has been destroying the competition, winning all five games by an average margin of +43 points. However, the stats also reveal some potential problems for this team.

Team USA is shooting only 33% from behind the arc, which is okay but not great. More importantly, Only two players are shooting better than 33% from behind the arc: Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.

Carmelo Anthony is 14 for 24 on 2-point shots, but only 10-32 from 3-point range. Paul George shot 6 for 8 on 2 point shots, but went 4-12 from behind the arc.

After George and Melo the numbers start getting really ugly:

Draymond Green: 1/9 from 3
Demar Derozan: 0/3
Kyle Lowry: 4/14
Jimmy Butler: 1/4
Kyrie Irving: 2/9
Harrison Barnes: 3/10

If you exclude Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson team USA shot 27% from three point range.

Team USA has been winning by dominating in the paint and at the line, shooting 129 for 210 on 2 point shots (61.4%), and going to the line 45 times more per game. This isn't going to last.

The refs are going to be a lot less friendly in Rio, the teams are going to be bigger and more physical, and the defense is going to get more intense. Team USA could very well lose, and if they do lose it will be to a bigger team like Lithuania/Serbia/Spain that packs the paint and zones like crazy.

People underestimate how easy it is to lose in a one and done tournament; Durant/Klay could go cold, another team could get hot from outside, etc. Random chance combined with match-ups, I give team USA 50/50 odds (edit: To win Gold)

Edit: One more thing, is coach K smart enough and ballsy enough to play the players who are playing well? Will he bench Kyrie if he's throwing up bricks and turning it over? Let's wait and see.

Edit2: Stats can be found here http://www.usab.com/mens/national-team/stats.aspx

[Fire Colangelo]

The 3 ball will eventually fall for team USA

[RedBlackAttack]

I might be slightly concerned if Spain was at full strength, but they're the only team that would have the potential of hanging with this team. Kyrie Irving shot >60% from three in the World Championships in 2014. I have a feeling his perimeter shots will start falling. The same goes for any number of other guys on this roster. There really isn't a poor outside shooter on the roster except for our big guys.

The fact that they've all shot so poorly and still have coasted in every exhibition game speaks to the dominance. Those include huge wins over Venezuela, China and Argentina, all of which were good enough to qualify for Rio.

I doubt we're challenged.

[IGOTGAME]

I might be slightly concerned if Spain was at full strength, but they're the only team that would have the potential of hanging with this team. Kyrie Irving shot >60% from three in the World Championships in 2014. I have a feeling his perimeter shots will start falling. The same goes for any number of other guys on this roster. There really isn't a poor outside shooter on the roster except for our big guys.

The fact that they've all shot so poorly and still have coasted in every exhibition game speaks to the dominance. Those include huge wins over Venezuela, China and Argentina, all of which were good enough to qualify for Rio.

I doubt we're challenged.

all those teams won't make it past pool play, they all are horrible. I think they will be some close games but the US should pull it out. One thing to watch out for will be their lack of a playmaker...if things get tough I'd expect turnovers.

[RedBlackAttack]

all those teams won't make it past pool play, they all are horrible. I think they will be some close games but the US should pull it out. One thing to watch out for will be their lack of a playmaker...if things get tough I'd expect turnovers.

When you're beating teams by 40 and 50 points, I'd hope they wouldn't be able to make it past pool play. The fact that Team USA is beating teams who even qualified that bad makes a statement for this team.

Team USA runs an offense that doesn't require a conventional PG. In fact, that has become the trend with the best NBA teams as well. This isn't 2004 where guys are trying to go one-on-one and work the post.

This team passes extremely well as a unit, has incredible depth/athleticism, a bunch of shooters, great defensive wings, and great offensive rebounding.

Like I said, it would be one thing if there was another top international team out there like Argentina or Spain in 2012... but no team in this year's Olympics has the horsepower to stay close with this squad, imo.

There is no one that will stay within 20 points. Just my personal opinion.

[bdreason]

Thing is, none of the other teams are great at shooting. If the games get close, team USA is going to put the ball in KD's hands, and nobody in this tourney can guard him.

Also, I expect our shooting to improve as the tourney continues. Irving, Klay, and KD are enough to keep the defense honest.

[Meticode]

Meanwhile in the first game Irving hits his first 4 three points and makes three consecutive trips down the court and sinks three in a row for the team.

[IGOTGAME]

When you're beating teams by 40 and 50 points, I'd hope they wouldn't be able to make it past pool play. The fact that Team USA is beating teams who even qualified that bad makes a statement for this team.

Team USA runs an offense that doesn't require a conventional PG. In fact, that has become the trend with the best NBA teams as well. This isn't 2004 where guys are trying to go one-on-one and work the post.

This team passes extremely well as a unit, has incredible depth/athleticism, a bunch of shooters, great defensive wings, and great offensive rebounding.

Like I said, it would be one thing if there was another top international team out there like Argentina or Spain in 2012... but no team in this year's Olympics has the horsepower to stay close with this squad, imo.

There is no one that will stay within 20 points. Just my personal opinion.

We don't know how this team actually plays as a unit bc they have only played the corpse of Argentina, Venezula and China (I'll wait until after Serbia). You don't learn much about a team in these games except that they are athletically several levels ahead (we already knew that).

I think that Team USA will win pretty easily, but someone will come within 20 points. I'm pretty confident in that.

[RedBlackAttack]

We don't know how this team actually plays as a unit bc they have only played the corpse of Argentina, Venezula and China (I'll wait until after Serbia). You don't learn much about a team in these games.

I think that Team USA will win pretty easily, but someone will come within 20 points. I'm pretty confident in that.

Before I start talking about this group losing, I'll have to see a team hang around with them for more than a couple minutes.

And, I'm going back to the 2014 World Cup when I say Team USA has crushed everyone recently. Our roster isn't exactly the same, but I'd say the competition might have actually been better in those games (really good Spain team at home, Serbia, France, etc).

I know that the 2012 Olympic team had a lot of big names, but that team actually had some close games.

That ceased happening two years ago at the WC. Whether it is the rest of the world dropping off a bit or these guys being more comfortable playing in an international setting or a combination of things...

I just don't see competition for this team.

[Euroleague]

I have said here for years and years now, Team USA will never lose another game in FIBA basketball, as long as the current rules and current reffing criteria are in place.

All of the scheduling, all of the bracketing, all of the current game rules, and all of the reffing style is 100% purely designed to make sure Team USA never loses.

I really think if all of these same criteria stay in place (they have been that way since 2007), that Team USA could not possibly lose more than one game every 50 years.

Eventually, at some point, FIBA will be exposed as a criminal organization and be shut down.

Until then, Team USA is only losing if the bookies call in a fix, or the refs suddenly grow a conscience and call a 50/50 game.

[AintNoSunshine]

I have said here for years and years now, Team USA will never lose another game in FIBA basketball, as long as the current rules and current reffing criteria are in place.

All of the scheduling, all of the bracketing, all of the current game rules, and all of the reffing style is 100% purely designed to make sure Team USA never loses.

I really think if all of these same criteria stay in place (they have been that way since 2007), that Team USA could not possibly lose more than one game every 50 years.

Eventually, at some point, FIBA will be exposed as a criminal organization and be shit down.

Until then, Team USA is only losing if the bookies call in a fix, or the refs suddenly grow a conscience and call a 50/50 game.

That meltdown doe

[IGOTGAME]

I have said here for years and years now, Team USA will never lose another game in FIBA basketball, as long as the current rules and current reffing criteria are in place.

All of the scheduling, all of the bracketing, all of the current game rules, and all of the reffing style is 100% purely designed to make sure Team USA never loses.

I really think if all of these same criteria stay in place (they have been that way since 2007), that Team USA could not possibly lose more than one game every 50 years.

Eventually, at some point, FIBA will be exposed as a criminal organization and be shit down.

Until then, Team USA is only losing if the bookies call in a fix, or the refs suddenly grow a conscience and call a 50/50 game.

haha, I will admit that it seems like they are always in the easier pool but isnt that what happens when you are #1.

[Sarcastic]

Thought this would be about another brothel incident.

[nathanjizzle]

I have said here for years and years now, Team USA will never lose another game in FIBA basketball, as long as the current rules and current reffing criteria are in place.

All of the scheduling, all of the bracketing, all of the current game rules, and all of the reffing style is 100% purely designed to make sure Team USA never loses.

I really think if all of these same criteria stay in place (they have been that way since 2007), that Team USA could not possibly lose more than one game every 50 years.

Eventually, at some point, FIBA will be exposed as a criminal organization and be shit down.

Until then, Team USA is only losing if the bookies call in a fix, or the refs suddenly grow a conscience and call a 50/50 game.

pls stfu idiot

[ILLsmak]

haha, I will admit that it seems like they are always in the easier pool but isnt that what happens when you are #1.

It's crazy that team USA is so good. There's no way we should be beating people by 50 points on the regular. Never losing...

Something is wrong, for sure. We do have way more athleticism, but you'd think there would be some other team that could contend.

I get that dudes are prolly just out there having fun losing to team USA, but those margins are like number 1 seed ncaa vs the play in 16... where the talent gap is so huge it's ridiculous.

The talent gap shouldn't be *that* huge. Like if you took a team of NBA 12th men, you'd think you would be able to not lose by 50. Maybe we need like 2 team USAs. West USA and East USA haha, or something... it's just stupid how stacked we are and how boring it is. Why would anyone watch or care about them smashing 3rd world countries by 50 every year?

-Smak