OT:Olympic predictions for USA basketball

[tjm384]

I predict gold but it will be tough when they play Greece and Spain in the opening round and then it will only get tougher after that cause after the opening round of 5 games if you lose after that your eliminated

[The Favero]

Silver.

[glennathan]

I say silver or bronze. Team USA had a big wakeup call the other day by Team Austrailia and we barely pulled that out. I agree Spain and Greece will be really tough. Does anyone know what time or station the games will be on?

[EasternMagic]

gold

[christian72589]

guys and girls i hate to say this but i don't think we are gunna get that gold. (i say silver) I REALLY hope i am wrong about this, but it's like i said in a previous post... LBJ and carmelo are WAY to selfish in this tourney... add deron williams to that list as well. Too many people are just trying to do things they aren't meant to do. the ONLY way we win it all is if we cut down our turnovers dramatically and stop with all of this razzle dazzle garbage when it isn't necessary. Melo and Lebron need to stop taking contested jumpers (melo was 30% from the field against australia) Deron needs to stop being a shoot-first PG and distribute the ball, and frankly, I think we should just play more NBA style. I know international play is different, but i fail to see the need in completely going to a guards-only offense. ANY of our bigs would dominate this olympics, and for teams like china, sure focus on the guard play, but essentially, use whatever weaknesses other teams have to our advantage... dont have lebron taking all the shots when the other team's bigs are hopeless... vice-versa.

[yoyo65]

i beleave in team usa all the way gold all the way oh and i beleave the games are carried on nbc

[imonfire99]

guys and girls i hate to say this but i don't think we are gunna get that gold. (i say silver) I REALLY hope i am wrong about this, but it's like i said in a previous post... LBJ and carmelo are WAY to selfish in this tourney... add deron williams to that list as well. Too many people are just trying to do things they aren't meant to do. the ONLY way we win it all is if we cut down our turnovers dramatically and stop with all of this razzle dazzle garbage when it isn't necessary. Melo and Lebron need to stop taking contested jumpers (melo was 30% from the field against australia) Deron needs to stop being a shoot-first PG and distribute the ball, and frankly, I think we should just play more NBA style. I know international play is different, but i fail to see the need in completely going to a guards-only offense. ANY of our bigs would dominate this olympics, and for teams like china, sure focus on the guard play, but essentially, use whatever weaknesses other teams have to our advantage... dont have lebron taking all the shots when the other team's bigs are hopeless... vice-versa.

bigs dont dominate international play. when duncan played on the 2004 us olympic he was always the best big on the floor but the style of international play limited his effectiveness. the huge trapezoid lane is a big factor, its hard to get position or back down when the lane is huge otherwise you will get a 3 second call. the only bigs that dominate on offense are typically ones that can shoot the outside shot ala dirk. sure dwight is btr than every c he's playing against by nba rules, but he cant take advantage of it as much in the olympics.

[Magic Stick]

Silver.

Yeah! The gold is for Spain.

[Devin 1L]

Gold.

[christian72589]

you are right... it is evident that a big must be able to hit the mid-range to dominate international play... so what about chris bosh? I wasn't necessarilly talking about dwight, you are totally right about the lane and all of that, but IMO, this oly is unfortunately becomming a case of LBJ and Melo getting thier chance to shine on a different stage and that's that. Coach K seems scared of these guys. last game Lebron played 33 of a 40 min game! We have the talent that 1) that just isn't necessary and 2) If you want anyone to have that kind of PT why not Kobe? It isn't like he isn't used to playing mins like LBJ. Don't get me wrong, i think that our entire squad is very talented, but EVERYONE needs to have the reigns pulled in a bit... including melo and LBJ when the opposing teams go on big runs due to rediculous jump shot attempts with 18 seconds left on the shot clock and poor ball-handling by arguably the best players in the league... I'd love to see dwight do his thing in the OLY, but i definately understand that this is a different game, and a different situation. I say the ONLY way we lose is when we stop playing like a team, which seems to have been the case since lebron came back.

[damo[23]]

Gold or bronze/lower.

If USA make the finals I really dont see them losing it, but I can see them getting knocked out on the way.

Personally, as much as I like team USA, I think another few years with America not winning will be good for their [and by their, I mean the fans] ego.

[drsd]

America's defense has done well in training games. Focused efforts should lead to a victory.

[EasternMagic]

The only reason USA would lose would be because of their egos but i dont think thats gonna be a problem. they are better defensively and offensively than the rest of the competitors, they will win gold spain has no chance

[Magic Stick]

[quote="EasternMagic"]The only reason USA would lose would be because of their egos but i dont think thats gonna be a problem. they are better defensively and offensively than the rest of the competitors, they will win gold spain has no chance[/quote]

Japan 2006, you know?

[NEM]

I say team USA wins gold if, and ONLY if LBJ learns to play team ball. By team ball I mean no isolations, but move the ball around. FIBA teams aren't stupid, they will collapse on him, and being as selfish as he is, will look for the foul but the refs won't call it. A line-up that really seems to work is:

PG/Paul
SG/Williams
SF/Wade
PF/Anthony
C/Howard

Melo is a natural 4 in international play because of his versatility. LBJ could be, but his shot isn't good enough. The reason Dwight isn't dominant, and won't be, is because he is too big. Defensively, most international big men can step out and shoot and that is one of his major weaknesses. Offensively, he will get doubled, tripled, and I think against Turkey I saw them send 4 defenders on him, but the same problem that has occurred the past 4 years in Orlando, once again caused problems; He doesn't kick it out and gets fouled, where he is 6/16.

They need to come together, especially LBJ, and they shouldn't have any problems getting gold. This is a great group of guys, who I think can restore what the dream team achieved years ago.

Also, I think they can go for another olympics in '12, and possibly '16 with a few additions and subtractions, here and there (Kidd, Prince, Kobe, Boozer)