National Basketball Association "World Champs"

[Rasheed1]

I said that Team USA is paying the price for the lack of fundamentals that seems to be a trend in the NBA.

I dont agree at all....I dont think fundamentals is the problem....the problem is chemistry and team cohesiveness...

The USA team spends very little time together as a team developing their chemistry (especially their defensive chemistry)..

this hurt them alot when they go up against teams that have been playing together for 6,7 years...

[Diamonds]

I dont agree at all....I dont think fundamentals is the problem....the problem is chemistry and team cohesiveness...

The USA team spends very little time together as a team developing their chemistry (especially their defensive chemistry)..

this hurt them alot when they go up against teams that have been playing together for 6,7 years...

Rasheed, I agree that not practicing together for 3 weeks only isn't enough and is part of the problem, but previous versions of Team USA also faced the same situation.
I mean, yes, some of the other teams have been playing together for a long time, but it's for what, a month every 2 years? (on average, I guess). I personally didn't see the game against Greece, just highlights, but I saw Team USA getting KILLED by the same play over and over again. I never played competitive ball, but even when we had basketball in gym class, the teacher (who was actually a basketball coach) taught us various ways to defend it. Being burnt over and over by the same play for 40 minutes can't be blamed on lack practicing time, especially when the play in question is a pick & roll. Team USA didn't shoot well at all, and I think it's accepted by everyone that shooting is a dying art in the NBA. Same for free throws...I mean, it's an elimination game. For one player to choke that bad on the line in these types of game is acceptable, but a whole team of stars and superstars??

But yes, I do agree, Rasheed, 3 weeks definitely aren't enough to create a real team.

[RainierBeachPoet]

some good comments

here is what i agree with

the nba and international b-ball are different games; different rules/different rhythms; consistent within themselves.

the nba is the best league in the world; to many (usa) homers, this is the championship that really matters because we follow the nba closely and our rivalries are within the usa. fiba and the olympics creep up every couple of years and then we slap a "team" together and expect them to play as such

the international development of players and understanding of the game of basketball challenges usa hoops to rediscover what it means to play team ball. fundamentals, good shooters and good teamwork will always beat a team chock full of talent who dont work as well together and dont know their roles and how to share the ball effectively.

with the nba and the structure of contract negotiations, everyone is worried about stats which can, at times, severely affect the team game and chemisty

the nba champs should be called nba champs not world champs

it would be fun to watch the nba champ play the european/asian champs. one year they could play with international rules; the next year nba rules. a three game series would suffice. all money could go to international disaster relief efforts

[GOBB]

NBA = elite basketball league on earth, made up of players from around the WORLD competiting for a championship. Its alwaysw been this way and will forever be this way. When the original Dream Team buttphucked international comp, no one gave a crap what we called "world champs" at the time. Get a clue. If the world championship games were so much important and a direct representation of being world victors then tell all these damn international pricks to pack thier bags and leave America and the National Basketball Assosciation.

Dirk? What are you here for? Just million dollar contracts? Funny. Please leave. Go play with a bunch of lames who know how to play together in prepare for world domination.

Ask Manu, Dirk, Nene, Tony P why they are in the NBA and everything i said will be repeated in some way, shape or form. Fact.

*tosses those medals in ocean*

[Rasheed1]

I personally didn't see the game against Greece, just highlights, but I saw Team USA getting KILLED by the same play over and over again. I never played competitive ball, but even when we had basketball in gym class, the teacher (who was actually a basketball coach) taught us various ways to defend it. Being burnt over and over by the same play for 40 minutes can't be blamed on lack practicing time, especially when the play in question is a pick & roll.

The USA team failure against the pick & roll is exactly what I was thinking of when I said the chemistry is bad

[Diamonds]

[QUOTE=Rasheed1]The USA team failure against the pick & roll is exactly what I was thinking of when I said the chemistry is bad

[dejordan]

[QUOTE=Rasheed1]The USA team failure against the pick & roll is exactly what I was thinking of when I said the chemistry is bad

[Rasheed1]

Greeks are inferior athletically and I think simple adjustments on that pick & roll defense would've been enough.imo

Greeks are inferior athletically, but they are superior to the USA when it comes to chemistry and familiarity with each other...If the USA had good Team Defense they wouldnt allow the Greeks to run the same play over and over.....

and regarding fundamentals, if most NBA players have them, they hide thme very well. Too many players need the ball to be effective, and few are actually$ serious outside threats.

this is true, but that problem can be solved a few ways.....1 way is to shoot less threes and play better team defense...play high % basketball on offense and play together as a team on defense and the USA wouldnt have half the problems it does.......Shooting threes when that isnt your strength is just a dumb idea....USA is playing into the opponents hands....you designate one or maybe 2 players to shoot the outside shots for the sole purpose of keeping the floor spread, and then you play to your strength which is playing high % basketball in the paint...better defense also adds to easy pts of that defense....

USA needs to develop plays it can run offense and develop a good chemistry on defense...

[xxxSuperStar]

Does everybody remember that this was year one of an actual program where these guys will be playing with each other for years to come and they got third place (without many star players partcipating)? Pretty good in my opinion.

They will continue adding players to the plan thus making it just like every other country has for years.

Due to the popularity and wonderful sport that basketball is, it was clear that just throwing a team together for 3 weeks during summer couldn't cut it, so this was step 1 in a needed plan and I look forward to more of the USA's elite players playing and coming together as a unit over the next two years and into the future.

Until then Spain are the world champs fair and square.

Also, remember we'll get a good look at some of the exhibition games slated to take place this NBA preseason pitting the Spurs and Suns against some of the Euro Leagues best teams including Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv.

[SmokyMcNasty]

It's just semantics. Who cares? You're arguing for the sake of arguing.

The Super Bowl winner have always been called the world champs (despite football only being popular in America). The Stanley Cup winner = world champs. Why the hell do they call it World Series when MLB games are played exclusively in the US? I don't know. My point is: who really gives a shyt?

No, the NBA champs didn't beat the entire world. But the NBA champs have always been called the world champs. Who knows how long that dates back to... Nobody seemed to have a problem with it 10 years ago when we were smoking the entire world by 60+ points on average in FIBA competition.. but now that the rest of the world has finally caught up, they're offended that we call the NBA champs world champs?

[iounas]

I have always wondered about this..It sounds very shady.
It would be the same if a winner of European champions league (football) declared themselves as world champions, but they of course dont do it although estimated value of one of their players is bigger than value of all players from international teams and playing in big European clubs is a dream for many players..
I mean it doesnt matter how good you are, you cant call yourself a world champion if there is no official competition for it..

Winning Spanish primera division makes you Spanish champion..
Winning English premiership makes you English champion..
Winning European champions league makes you European champion..

Winning NBA makes you ...

[Huey Freeman]

Let's start the World Club competition already.

[Lakas Fan Yo]

Let's start the World Club competition already.

It starts this year. The winners from all continents except Europe and North America. Europe and North America send the winners from the second divisions (Eurocup and D-League).

NBA was invited and refused as usual and sent the D-League champs instead, because of that the Euroleague also refused and so also sent their second division champs.

However, for next year the NBA has been invited again and so far is considering doing it. The Euroleague's position is that they will compete as long as the NBA champs do. Once again it is the NBA that is blocking this.

Obviously the NBA is terrified at the prospect of the NBA champs losing a game to the Euroleague champs.

[All Net]

It starts this year. The winners from all continents except Europe and North America. Europe and North America send the winners from the second divisions (Eurocup and D-League).

NBA was invited and refused as usual and sent the D-League champs instead, because of that the Euroleague also refused and so also sent their second division champs.

However, for next year the NBA has been invited again and so far is considering doing it. The Euroleague's position is that they will compete as long as the NBA champs do. Once again it is the NBA that is blocking this.

Obviously the NBA is terrified at the prospect of the NBA champs losing a game to the Euroleague champs.

It has more to do with it being pointless from the NBA side of things. It really is a lose/lose situation. A win and who cares..thats what is suppose to happen. A loss and all hell breaks loose.

And who decides what rules they play, euro rules are alot different to NBA rules.

[Huey Freeman]

It has more to do with it being pointless from the NBA side of things. It really is a lose/lose situation. A win and who cares..thats what is suppose to happen. A loss and all hell breaks loose.

And who decides what rules they play, euro rules are alot different to NBA rules.

I think by that point they should be using those new FIBA rules.

Those go into effect in 2010 I'm pretty sure (longer distance 3 point line, larger court, rectangular key, restricted area arc, etc.).

.