With another Olympics, will the USA prevail in basketball? The team was selected WITHOUT a tryout, as USA hopes to claim gold at the Olympics.
With additions such as Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd, Tayshaun Prince, Carlos Boozer, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Michael Redd, Chris Bosh, and Deron Williams the team looks like they will adopt the 'small-ball' form (this means USA may play with 1 less forward, and adopt a 4 guard system with one center).
This of course, is an attempt to counter the more mobile international teams. But will it be enough? The USA basketball team has been full of egos and has lacked team chemistry.
Will USA once again dissapoint? Some say so, but others disagree. On the one hand, the injection of 'younger' talent compared to the Tim Duncan's and Kevin Garnett's may hurt team chemitsry. These players (Bosh, James, Melo, Paul) have not played with each other as much as other potential squad members would have.
However, others believe that bringing in the new boys will create THE 'Dream Team', that has been so illusive.
Perhaps USA should have brought in some players that play on the same team?
Some selections I must say are very good:
These include Tayshaun (he can defend, attack, is versatile, and can play anywhere)
Dwight Howard (Domination on the boards)
Kobe Bryant (Mr. MVP and a changed man - he passes a lot now)
Some poor selections:
Chris Bosh (he will nto put many points up the board - maybe he will be a 'team player' kind of guy and pass alot, does not add anything defensively)
Michael Redd (why?)
Clearly, the USA is trying to bring in the 'team cohesivenss' - they have scratched out Iverson, and Carter but have kept Kidd (a brilliant passer)
Dream team? Well... the team doesn't have to be great. They will probably win regardless.
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3 comments:
michael redd is an excellent addition. he was the best player last year in the qualifiers, he shot over 50% and over 40% from three. they need shooters. vince carter gets over-looked every year. in the 2000 olympics, he was the best player. and a couple years ago, in some qualifying tournament he was also the best player, shooting over 50%.
i find it astonishing they haven't included any of the big three in Boston. i personally think LeBron is terrible for the international game. he can't shoot.
i agree with the thought that maybe they should put players from the same team. i mean a couple years ago, someone suggested we just send the pistons.
Michael Redd is indeed a valuable addition. Four years ago the Americans were killed for not having an outside shooter. Last year they swept the americas tournament thanks, in no small part, to Redd.
And the Big Three were not included for different reasons than their ability. Allen and Garnett have won gold before and would rather rest their legs than go for something they've already won. Pierce was not chosen because he did not attend any Team USA camps the past two years when this program started.
Vince Carter in the 2000 olympics also had the ability to jump over 7'0 Frederic Weiss. Where's that ability gone? And the USA is trying to build a team atmosphere, and nobody is more of a cancer to a team than Carter.
Most of these guys have actually played together, that's the point of USA's program. They've held training camps for the past two years to prepare, so these guys have been playing with each other the past two summers. Jerry Colangelo realizes that you can't just throw 12 guys together anymore and hope they win.
The only surprising omission I find is Tyson Chandler. With only 3 big men, the USA might find themselves in trouble when the game gets physical against a team like Greece. And the game will get physical, you can count on that, the international game is ironically much more reminiscent of the Piston Bad Boys than the Ginobli Floppers. If they are forced to change to the tradition 2-big lineup, foul trouble can hurt them with only Howard, Boozer and Bosh. For the olympics, 3 PGs seems like overkill, and a waste of a player like Deron Williams or Chris Paul. Chandler replacing one of them for the Beijing games may have been the better call, but in the end this team is still the strongest side USA has had since 2000, and go into the Olympics once again the unquestionable favourites.
agreed ac. the us side is far stronger than ever lets hope they can pull it together
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