FIBA World Cup 2023 : GERMANY are the new World Champions! (takes on the world and beats it for once...)

[lambchop]

US needs team B+ at least, not C- to win these turnos nowadays

To be fair, it has been like that for a while though. In 2010 and 2014 they also sent young teams, but the difference was that you couldn't just beat those teams with size. In 2010 the presence of Kevin Durant meant that teams couldn't simply put big centers on the court and expect awesome results. I can still remember guys like Omer Asik and Javtokas trying to guard Durant. They absolutely zero chance, while they would have feasted on this 2023 team USA.

And in 2014 the team had a young healthy Anthony Davis which also meant teams had no business going to the low post. Those were essentially two young generational talents that could neutralize international bigs.

[TinmanZBoy]

The usual C team excuse, we heard that way too much recently. USA doesn't produce elite big men anymore and that's their main issue. They can bring the A team (made of 35+ y.o.) as much as they want that won't solve their problems in the paint.

rebounding is a skill, not necessarily corelates with heights.... however it is very obvious this USA team was out rebounded...
Old dream teams usually overwhelmed their opponents by sheer athleticism and defense, which created a lot easy transition baskets and second chance baskets, the games essentially were over by three quarters... nowadays, the NBA's fashion is shooting threes and 5 out offense, no touch defense... so no wonder they constantly lost in international competitions.... European and south american teams also know how to play USA teams better now than dream team era... there have not been dream teams since 2004

[Blame Rasho]

That's the thing, I don't know if small ball was by choice or if it was just a matter of who was willing to come. Whatever the reason, roster composition obviously hurt.

But sht, even with the lack of size you can still play hard. Did anybody get that sense from us on the defensive end all game, except maybe the fourth? Hell, even then, we were getting down to crunch time and Bridges -- one of our best defenders -- wasn't even down in a proper stance to pressure the ball. Edwards got beat off the dribble a couple of times in critical situations. Reaves. Haliburton. Brunson got lit up all game. Jackson is supposed to be an elite weakside shot-blocker and he was in a haze all tournament.

Just not even close to the basic requisite effort in a semifinal game.

You can’t allow any team to shoot that well. At some point you got to get some stops. They weren’t able to get stops during the totality of the game.

[Sedale Threatt]

Whoa...USA might need the whole A team to win Paris next year. I'm talking LeBron/KD/Curry/AD/Dame type of starting lineup.

They have no choice now. Moreover, what to do with future World Cups? i guess if they have pride they’ll stop sending these B teams…

It's not a matter of choice, at least from USAB's perspective. I wish it was different but it's not and without some kind of incentivization I doubt it ever will be.

That said, we've sent some dogsht teams to this tournament before but I thought this one was good enough to win. Obviously I was wrong.

[og15]

Trae Young instead of Brunson wouldve been good. Who made these selections???

Probably Knicks fans.

USA shot 59/48 and you're talking about a small offensive based player being in to change the outcome, really? Come on guys lol. I know people ignore defense and rebounding a lot, but can't be ignored this wildly.

[Sgt Major]

Nuggets won the ring with Jokic leading them and now WC will also be won by EU country. Successful year for EU fans.

Nope, Serbia is not in the EU.

[HotRocks34]

Did Aleksa Avramovic really lock down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?

Who is that guy?

[Sakkreth]

The usual C team excuse, we heard that way too much recently. USA doesn't produce elite big men anymore and that's their main issue. They can bring the A team (made of 35+ y.o.) as much as they want that won't solve their problems in the paint.

rebounding is a skill, not necessarily corelates with heights.... however it is very obvious this USA team was out rebounded...
Old dream teams usually overwhelmed their opponents by sheer athleticism and defense, which created a lot easy transition baskets and second chance baskets, the games essentially were over by three quarters... nowadays, the NBA's fashion is shooting threes and 5 out offense, no touch defense... so no wonder they constantly lost in international competitions.... European and south american teams also know how to play USA teams better now than dream team era... there have not been dream teams since 2004

in 2004 USA lost to Lithuania

[CodeBreaker]

2024 Redeem team:

Curry, Reaves, Kawhi, Durant, Davis

[Pokuokic]

If Bogi/Jokic/Milutinov can hold on to their form for the next 2-3 years with Jovic/Poku/Topic/Petrusev/Djurisic developing..........interesting times ahead.

[3toheadmelo]

Trae Young instead of Brunson wouldve been good. Who made these selections???

Probably Knicks fans.

Still upset we stole Brunson from y’all eh

[Sgt Major]

Did Aleksa Avramovic really lock down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?

Who is that guy?

Plays for Partizan Belgrade, the biggest Serbian team known in the NBA as Serbian Boston Celtics.

[Mickey8]

Did Aleksa Avramovic really lock down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?

Who is that guy?

He's the Canadian nightmare

[durden_tyler]

Whoa...USA might need the whole A team to win Paris next year. I'm talking LeBron/KD/Curry/AD/Dame type of starting lineup.

They have no choice now. Moreover, what to do with future World Cups? i guess if they have pride they’ll stop sending these B teams…

It's not a matter of choice, at least from USAB's perspective. I wish it was different but it's not and without some kind of incentivization I doubt it ever will be.

That said, we've sent some dogsht teams to this tournament before but I thought this one was good enough to win. Obviously I was wrong.

Me too, i thought it was good enough. This is not just the US sucking, this is the world indeed catching up (no more intimidation factor, great coaching) especially against a Tier 2 squad.

[Pokuokic]

Did Aleksa Avramovic really lock down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?

Who is that guy?

He went from being a elite scorer in Spain ACB to being like the best defender ever out of Serbia in like a 3 year span.

[Mickey8]

Did Aleksa Avramovic really lock down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?

Who is that guy?

Plays for Partizan Belgrade, the biggest Serbian team known in the NBA as Serbian Boston Celtics.

If Partizan was crucial in developing Serbian basketball from the scratch, beginning. And that was Red Star

[Jzh]

2024 Redeem team:

Curry, Reaves, Kawhi, Durant, Davis

slight fix - 2024 Injured team

[rade]

The poll proves how much we know about basketball

[JXL]

What I learned from watching Team USA during this World Cup:

1) Ant Edwards is a up-and-coming superstar
2) Haliburton can run a team, just not this team
3) Reaves can be exposed heavily in ISO
4) Brunson is a killer, but needs to pass a bit more
5) Ingram needs to adjust his game to be more team oriented
6) Cam Johnson and Walker Kessler needs more time on the court
7) Why play Portis at center in a FIBA platform?
8) JJJ gets buried by bigger players
9) MOAR. JOSH. HART.
10) They played through Ant a bit too much, and they would've lost a lot more if they didn't

[TinmanZBoy]

guys like MKG and RHJ who can defend, however being out of the league because they can't shoot threes are travesty... this is today's NBA,