OT - 2012 Dream Team - Who do you keep and who do you start?
I just saw this on ESPN's facebook page and I thought it could bring up some pretty interesting conversations.
The Finalist Roster for the 2012 United States Olympic Men's Basketball team consists of:
- Carmelo Anthony
- Blake Griffin
- Kobe Bryant
- Tyson Chandler
- Anthony Davis
- Kevin Durant
- Rudy Gay
- Eric Gordon
- James Harden
- Andre Iguodala
- Lebron James
- Kevin Love
- Lamar Odom
- Chris Paul
- Russell Westbrook
- Deron Williams
The roster is going to be 12 players, who would you cut and who would you start?
I would definitely start:
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Lebron James (loved him as a PF in the finals)
C: Kevin Love
I would cut Rudy Gay and Andre Iguodala because of the abundance great of small forwards on the list, KD, Lebron and Melo. I think I would then cut Eric Gordon and Lamar Odom based on the talent above them. The two that it would depend how they practiced is definately Anthony Davis, and James Harden.
back surgery or something
cut: Gordon, Melo, Odom, and Harden.
Start: Paul, Kobe, Durant, James, Griffin.
Blake griffin is not a center. I like chandler. Defense and boards are all you need out of that position with the amount of scorers they have.
Unfortunately there really aren't many centers on the team. Love is a PF as well. Chandler is the only true C. I'll take my chances with Griffin at least you know he will be faster and more athletic than his defender.
capable as a center in Olympic play.
Blake Griffin is a highlight machine, but Kevin Love is your starter (if not Chandler for the sake of size in the paint). Love does everything well. He can score inside and out, rebound, defend, pass, and, unlike Griffin, make free throws. Blake Griffin can't do a handful of those things at even close to an Olympic level.
When looking at our lineup, you'd think we'd beat every team by 50+ points. Kobe, Durant, and Lebron on the same team smh
Spain will give the US trouble.
Somehow Serge Ibaka is now Spanish, thus they will have a frontline of Gasol, Gasol and Ibaka. The sheer size of those three will be hard for the US to handle.
Unfortunately for Spain - and all of basketball really, because he's so fun to watch - they lost Rubio.
The two Gasols, Ibaka and whoever else is on their squad assembles a good NBA team at best. Rubio would have been a huge boost for them, but we will dismantle Spain along with the rest of the world. Is this me being a homer? Nope.
Amurrica
France could give us a game - they have Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum, Joakim Noah, a few others.
One thing to remember is that international basketball has a lot of weird rules, like no goaltending. Also, the international 3-point line is pretty short. We fell short in '04 in part because everyone outshot us from downtown.
I don't understand how teams like France stand a chance against us...we are the freaking USA, we put our best athletes in this sport. France/Spain should only be kicking our ass in soccer. We say we suck at soccer, and place an excuse stating "we put our best athletes in basketball and football". Now when the olympics come we could lose to Spain, so frustrating.
Well, we should win gold - we're the clear favorite. But we have some things working against us:
1. It's a single-elimination tournament (after the group stages), and those are always a little unpredictable. If it were like the NBA Playoffs, with best-of-seven series, the U.S. would win every time.
2. As noted above, international basketball has some different rules, which can put us at a disadvantage (the NBA is about the only the league in the world that doesn't follow all of the FIBA rules), because the other countries have guys who grew up with those rules.
If there is no goaltending, that means Anthony Davis is definitely not getting cut.
I'd start Deron, Kobe, Melo, Lebron and Tyson.
I like Love, Harden, Paul and gay off the bench.
Melo is built for the olympic style of play and has done well in the games. Harden is instant offense and in the international game that is greatly needed.
However, I think this years team might struggle a little bit in some game and might even lose 1 in pool play.
Yeah, Deron Williams is a beast! In international competition I'd take him over Paul any day. Chris Paul can come off the bench and they wouldn't miss a beat.
Cut Lamar Odom for sure. The other three players that need to be cut would be a tough decision. I think the starting lineup should be
Paul
Kobe
Durant
James
Love/Chandler
Anything short of a gold medal should be a huge disappointment.
I would start:
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Lebron James
C: Tyson Chandler
Bench
Anthony Davis
Carmelo Anythony
Deron Williams
James Harden
Kevin Love
Blake Griffin
Russell Westbrook
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Lebron James
C: Tyson Chandler
Bench:
Kevin Love, Carmelo Anthony, Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, Russell Westbrook, Deron Williams, Anthony Davis.
I would cut Melo twice if I could. I have always thought he was wildly overrated and this past season clearly showed him to not be a team guy, which is clearly needed in international play as evidenced by our inexcusable failure a few years ago in whatever that tournament was. I like your starting lineup, but overall I agree with the above poster that the team needs more shooters.
Funny thing about Melo....in 04 and 08 he has always been a team guy. He might be an ass in the NBA...but in the olympics he has NEVER been a problem and has always been a good teammate.
I don't like Me first players and sulkers.
Westbrook is talented but out of control although in Intl competition he would be a nightmare to defend but we don't need another guard.
I have dislike Melo from day NBA day1 but loved him at Cuse.
Gerry McNamara (maybe Hakim Warrick to a lesser extent) made him great his one year in college. That guy can play for me anyday. True leader.
I wish they'd go back to ameteurs playing for us in the Olympics. I would have much more interest in it.
Why?
Before the Dream Team, the US was the only country who didn't use professionals in the Olympics, which was understood as a bit of a disadvantage. Today it would be an insurmountable disadvantage with the way basketball has exploded globally. Our amateurs would not stand a chance.
Can't be interested if they aren't playing.
Technically it was only in 1989 that the Olympic basketball tournament was officially opened to professionals. However, before then several countries (notably in the Eastern Bloc) were paying their "amateurs" big salaries to compete on the national team. Here's a link from just before the rule change:
http://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/30/sports/notebook-olympics-basketball-p…
Right, so they were essentially professionals. That was my point. Guys like Toni Kukoc were being paid in Europe to play for their club teams as well as their national teams before the 1992 Olympics.
Damn Commies.
1. I like college ball way more than the pros.... so I'd rather watch the college guys play.
2. We (US) are the prohibitive favorite every Olympics. If we don't win it, we should pretty be ashamed. I find myself rooting against the US in basketball in the Olympics. Rather pull for some underdogs.
I rooted for Phelps and Vanderkaay last Olympics b/c of their Michigan ties. I don't pay attention to track and field because I don't find it entertaining. The only sports I watch in the summers are swimming, soccer and basketball. I'm a winter Olympics guy.
According to some articles, that might be next. Apparently the NBA is thinking about starting up a World Cup type of deal and running it like FIFA. Then they would make that the focus for the professional players, and leave the Olympics to like under-23's
I wouldn't pay attention to a WC of basketball. But I'd watch the Olympics if it was ameteurs competing. Or at least just the young guys.
Starting:
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: LeBron James
C: Blake Griffin
6th Man: SF Anthony
I would cut Tyson Chandler, Anthony Davis, James Harden, Lamar Odom...Rudy Gay and Eric Gordon are also toss-ups. Might switch them out for Chandler and Harden after thinking.
LOL how is this flamebait? I just stated my opinion on the lineup and I get negged, darn man.
Wasn't Rudy Gay an integral part in the team that won gold before? I'm not being sarcastic it's just been a few years and I can't recall.
I mean he's a great Defender, but against Spain we're gonna need some big bodies. I'd rather have an extra big man than another perimeter D-man
1.Deron Williams
2.Kobe Bryant
3. Kevin Durant
4. Lebron James
5.Tyson Chandler
I'd cut Kevin Love, Anthony Davis, Lamar Odom, and James Harden.
When we look at a team that would be successful in the NBA, it's not the same as playing international competition. I'd rather have a smaller, more athletic team with guys that can play multiple positions. For instance, Lebron can play any position on the floor with success. He would cause all sorts of havoc at the 4 or 5 spot.
For the Gold Medal we will need to have a team that can be good in the NBA. Spain has both Gasol brothers and Ibaka too, if that's not an NBA-ready team I don't know what is. Going too small could really hurt us
Odom, A Davis, Harden , Gordon ,and Gay
I'd get another center on the team like Bynum or somebody else solid, because we have no depth at center behind chandler
i'd ask Tim Duncan , Andrew Bynum , roy hibbert
we need some size for sure
especially with spain
we need another Big man
Rondo getting the shaft big time
Davis, Griffin, and Gay are out as well