U.S.A. Basketball Loses

[E.T.]

No Suprise  

[Velcro]

its not a surprise that they lost a game, but it is a huge surprise that they lost by 20 pts to Puerto Rico, who isn't even a medal contender.

[TripleB]

They ought to go back to using college players. At least those guys have some heart ........

[Velcro]

USA would have won the game if they had even 1 person that could shoot long range.  Everyone is a slasher... only Iverson has any range, but he isn't a pure shooter.

There are a few NBA non stars that would be a better fit on this team than some of the people playing.  Of the people that have star status, Chauncey  Billups comes to mind as someone with a good shot that would be better than having 8 slashers.  I know Bibby declined and Ray Allen declined, both would have been great assets to this team.  

That is what they are missing... the zone collapsed and didn't respect their outside shot...they couldn't drive to the lane because there was no lane... so they had to jack up threes and that wasn't working.

One 3 pt shooter that isn't a streak shooter and everything opens up for the slashers (james, marion, jefferson, anthony).

Every game thus far, the 1 prelim and the 4 warmup games...  the other team has went off on the US shooting above 35% from deep, we haven't had a game over 30% from deep.  That is our achilles heel... until someone can knock down the 3, nothing inside is going to be uncontested or even moderately easy.

[GarySJ]

There was a great article on CNNSI about this. It said that the US basketball team should have been constructed to win, not constructed based on who would sell the most Team USA replica jerseys. They need an outside threat (like Michael Redd), a high-energy guy (like Brian Cardinal) and a real distributing point guard (anyone but Stephon Marbury).

[Velcro]

Ahh Michael Redd... that would have been a PERFECT fit!  He had his best year ever, probably the best shooter of the last season, even better than Ray Allen.  They do have high energy guys, Jefferson has more floor burns from this game than most players get in a month.  I don't think Cardinal would help out much as you need someone who can score in addition to dive on the floor and that isn't his forte.  He'd get eaten alive.  I like Boozer as a PF because of his energy, but the forwards aren't the problem... its completely the guard play.  Marbury is aweful for olympic play.  There are so many players i'd take over him.

Wade is good, but he is yet enough slasher... Bibby is the ultimate combo pt guard... but he declined.

Billups, Baron Davis, David Wesley, hell, take john stockton out of retirement...  he'd play better not having played a game in a year.

[smazza]

most of guys on USA can't shoot

and play a poor fundmentaly sound game

iverson should never have been picked

the rest of the world has caught up with USA

our high school and college coaches have failed too teach the game to the athletes

[Velcro]

Iverson/Duncan are the only brightspots on the team this year... everyone else is playing pretty poorly.

[smazza]

any team with iverson isn't winning

[Velcro]

I hear George Steinbrenner is signing him for the rest of the season