Is Team USA in trouble for the FIBA Mens World Championships? With a less than stellar performance last week against France in NYC, then a somewhat close game with Lithuania yesterday, and today Team USA pulling out a 1 point win over Spain, how does it look for their chances next weekend when the FIBA games start?

 

Team USA plays in Athens Vs Greece on Wednesday in their last warm up game. This will give a better idea if the Team USA players have adjusted to the international game, and if they will have a chance at winning the title. Unfortunately I see a repeat of 2002 brewing, but worse.

They had 436 turnovers against Lithuania.

I wonder why Rondo was DNP? Spain is pretty good, they have several NBA guys in their lineup.

I don't think that they are in as much trouble as it seems. I think they left quite a few tricks in their bag because they didn't want to show everything before the tournament.

 

We are definitely going to need a better shooting performance from them than what I saw in the Lithuanian game.

Even without Gasol I would guess that Spain is probably the best Euro team (& non-USA) team in the field.

 

My two observations about the US team are that we don't play our players like the other teams do. Kevin Durant would play 30-35 minutes in a close game for another team, we just seem to let everyone play. I know Coach K is letting everyone play more than they normally would because this is exibition, but I think we kind of do that anyway. In last year's Olympics I would have thrown CP3, Kobe, DWade, LeBRon and Dwight Howard at every team the US played until the game was at a decent margin. No one has a team that could even remotely play with that IMO.

 

I also think this team just isn't that good. Rudy Gay is one of the go-to guys? He's not a top 20 or 30 player in the league right now to me. We had to settle for Andre Iguodala and Tyson Chandler. I love Rondo but on a team of PGs and SFs what does he really add that Rose couldn't give you? Great defense but he's a liability on the offensive end when he's not in transition if has to play on the wing. I'm not mad about the team, I guess we got the best players we could get this time I just won't be overly disappointed if they don't win.

Even without Gasol I would guess that Spain is probably the best Euro team (& non-USA) team in the field.

 

My two observations about the US team are that we don't play our players like the other teams do. Kevin Durant would play 30-35 minutes in a close game for another team, we just seem to let everyone play. I know Coach K is letting everyone play more than they normally would because this is exibition, but I think we kind of do that anyway. In last year's Olympics I would have thrown CP3, Kobe, DWade, LeBRon and Dwight Howard at every team the US played until the game was at a decent margin. No one has a team that could even remotely play with that IMO.

 

I also think this team just isn't that good. Rudy Gay is one of the go-to guys? He's not a top 20 or 30 player in the league right now to me. We had to settle for Andre Iguodala and Tyson Chandler. I love Rondo but on a team of PGs and SFs what does he really add that Rose couldn't give you? Great defense but he's a liability on the offensive end when he's not in transition if has to play on the wing. I'm not mad about the team, I guess we got the best players we could get this time I just won't be overly disappointed if they don't win.

Sadly, his contract seems like he is!

Someone help me out with this....This is not the same team we'll be seeing in the Olympics in 2012, is it?

Someone help me out with this....This is not the same team we'll be seeing in the Olympics in 2012, is it?

 

No.

Rudy Gay is one of the top 30 guys in the NBA.

These games are just an extended form of training camp. Coach K is toying with the line ups to see who can play together and who cannot. When all the chips are on the table the best will play because the only thing that counts are wins and losses.

I wish we'd brought our first team to this tournament and left the Olympics to this group.

 

One of my hopes for the future is that our priorities with regard to the World Championships and the Olympics switch places. As the game continues to grow around the world, I think I'd like the idea of the World Championships being a global showcase for the game rather than at the Olympics, where it is just one of many events. It's the track soccer has taken with regard to its international championship vs. the olympics.

People just haven't seen him play as much because he is on a small market team.

Rudy Gay is one of the top 30 guys in the NBA.

 

LeBron, Kobe, Dwight Howard, CP3, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, Derrick Rose, DWade, Melo, Bosh, Gasol, Rondo, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowtizki, Tim Duncan & Garnett (still I think), Brook Lopez, Yao, Boozer, Durant, Westbrook, Joe Johnson, Brandon Roy, Andrew Bogut, Amare. That's 25 that I think are easily better than him.

 

I'd personally still take Manu, Chauncey Billups, Tony Parker (if healthy), Ray Allen, a motivated Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, David Lee over him. Heck give my Jason Richardson over him.

 

I hate to put young guys up there but I'd take Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings, or Steph Curry over him.

 

Of course I'm biased I've always thought Rudy Gay was the most overrated player of this new era of players. He puts up decent scoring numbers on a crappy team, he doesn't rebound great for his size and athleticism, his all around game is non-existent, he's an average shooter. I just don't see it. He couldn't crack my top 50 players in the league

People just haven't seen him play as much because he is on a small market team.

 

Rudy Gay? I saw the Grizz play a full game about 7-10 times last year can anyone top that? I may be biased, but it's not for having not watched him play alot.

LeBron, Kobe, Dwight Howard, CP3, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, Derrick Rose, DWade, Melo, Bosh, Gasol, Rondo, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowtizki, Tim Duncan & Garnett (still I think), Brook Lopez, Yao, Boozer, Durant, Westbrook, Joe Johnson, Brandon Roy, Andrew Bogut, Amare. That's 25 that I think are easily better than him.

 

I'd personally still take Manu, Chauncey Billups, Tony Parker (if healthy), Ray Allen, a motivated Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, David Lee over him. Heck give my Jason Richardson over him.

 

I hate to put young guys up there but I'd take Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings, or Steph Curry over him.

 

Of course I'm biased I've always thought Rudy Gay was the most overrated player of this new era of players. He puts up decent scoring numbers on a crappy team, he doesn't rebound great for his size and athleticism, his all around game is non-existent, he's an average shooter. I just don't see it. He couldn't crack my top 50 players in the league

 

I'll stop short on Curry. The rest, I agree are better than Rudy.