USA Basketball Team

[Triple7]

I don't know how old you are, but if you've seen the 26-year old MJ and the 26-year old Lebron, both those greats were at their best when they were 30 years old.

If you think JT is a finished product at the age of 26 then you need to review the history of the great NBA players.

They won't even look the same if you compare how they look at 26 and 30.

MJ averaged 28pts as a rookie. MJ and Lebron both won regular season mvp at age 24. Tatum is a great player, but those guys you mentioned are generational talent.

I've never said JT is generational like MJ and Lebron.

Review what I said.

Again, great players are better at 30 compared to when they were 26.

Of course they are better at age 30. That’s the height of their peak. JT improved as an overall player, but his shooting had been regressing the past years. KD even at that age is a much more reliable on offense. He is great at mid ranges. While JT can’t even hit open mid ranges with consistency. That’s why he’s in the dog house with this team. Him and hali are both inconsistent shooters.

[Fierce1]

Lebron and Steph aren't 26 either, neither is AD, KD, etc... if we keep it to just why people are or are not getting playing time in the Olympics then Lebron, Steph, and KD are getting it for legacy sake and name sake. Kerr isn't going to ruffle feathers and honestly all 3 deserve it currently anyways (Lebron has been the best player on the team, KD at least in one game looks like he's not missed a beat, and Steph is the best shooter on the team and one of only a couple guys at the point getting PT once Hali was removed from rotation). AD is our best center option as Embiid has been trash, and Bam plays bigger than JT as well (although Bam's play hasn't been great since the first game or 2 either and not all teams are big enough to need 3 bigs playing).

Kerr isn't going to bench Embiid though or he would have already done it, and even though Bam hasn't been great he's not been bad enough to be benched fully. The struggle is going to be just finding playtime time for everyone, the matchups and lineups that work, and not a case of which star you're going to bench instead of JT or Hali. It's not easy as guys need minutes to get into a groove, but it's his job as the head coach.

Yeah, I agree.

But some are blaming it on JT's shooting and poor playoff performance.

I don't think both those reasons are why JT got benched.

Ok. So what’s the reason JT got benched then?
Booker started at the 3. and we all know shooting is the reason booker started. Also probably ball handling.

I listened to Windy, from ESPN, earlier.

He said the strengths of Serbia are the bigs and guards.

That's why Kerr went small because Serbia really didn't have very good wing players.

[Triple7]

Don't jump the gun like when Ant getting the better of KD in the 1st round fooled some into thinking Ant was already better than JT.

Only to retract after Ant and the Wolves choked in the west finals.

I think Ant and JT are in the same tier. But if i have to choose who’s better, i still have both JT and JB ahead of ant at this point. Ant hasn’t done **** in this league. He just talks like he’s the best lol

[Fierce1]

MJ averaged 28pts as a rookie. MJ and Lebron both won regular season mvp at age 24. Tatum is a great player, but those guys you mentioned are generational talent.

I've never said JT is generational like MJ and Lebron.

Review what I said.

Again, great players are better at 30 compared to when they were 26.

Of course they are better at age 30. That’s the height of their peak. JT improved as an overall player, but his shooting had been regressing the past years. KD even at that age is a much more reliable on offense. He is great at mid ranges. While JT can’t even hit open mid ranges with consistency. That’s why he’s in the dog house with this team. Him and hali are both inconsistent shooters.

You're contradicting yourself.

What makes you think JT's shooting will not improve when he's 30?

If all players peak at 30 then JT will too.

You focus too much on JT's shooting when he's not Sam Hauser.

JT is not just a shooter.

All that great offense from KD, Beal, and Booker and they couldn't even win 1 playoff game.

[Triple7]

Yeah, I agree.

But some are blaming it on JT's shooting and poor playoff performance.

I don't think both those reasons are why JT got benched.

Ok. So what’s the reason JT got benched then?
Booker started at the 3. and we all know shooting is the reason booker started. Also probably ball handling.

I listened to Windy, from ESPN, earlier.

He said the strengths of Serbia are the bigs and guards.

That's why Kerr went small because Serbia really didn't have very good wing players.

Tatum played a lot of mins against serbia in that exhibition game. I know KD playing well contributed to JT getting benched, but Kerr really did JT dirty. What’s 5mins to end the 2nd quarter, and another 5mins in garbage time up 20 in the 4th. Kerr is stupid. or he’s messing with JT and the Celtics.

[shackles10]

Yeah, I agree.

But some are blaming it on JT's shooting and poor playoff performance.

I don't think both those reasons are why JT got benched.

Ok. So what’s the reason JT got benched then?
Booker started at the 3. and we all know shooting is the reason booker started. Also probably ball handling.

I listened to Windy, from ESPN, earlier.

He said the strengths of Serbia are the bigs and guards.

That's why Kerr went small because Serbia really didn't have very good wing players.

Cool Windy, but it's really not even that deep lol. Kerr didn't realize it would be a big deal and went with "his" group. Shame on him to be alive in 2024 and not realize 24 hour sports media and social media are a thing. Now he's backpedaling and it is what it is, but are we to believe South Sudan has amazing wings that need JT to play against or we'd lose? Also if the guards are the strength then why no Hali? Honestly I feel worse for him because JT will get spoon-fed minutes going forward and we'll all ignore another all-NBA guy rides the bench.

I've commented I don't understand Hali's inclusion on the team if they were just going to have others handle the ball and initiate, but this is adding a whole new wrinkle to why guys don't want to commit to team USA. He's on the team and is an all-NBA player... find him some minutes. We already had the fear of injury, needing the rest, fear of criticism if they don't individually play great or the team doesn't win it all, and now we're adding "what if the coach doesn't like me or doesn't play me and what's it do to my reputation and my brand?". With the global talent gap seriously shrinking we need to be removing reasons for guys not to commit and not adding to them.

[bisme37]

Now I feel bad for Haliburton lol. Kerr got shamed into realizing he should play Tatum but Hali is still sitting there and no one cares.

[cloverleaf]

JT won as backup to JB?

Really?

JT led the Celtics, per game, in scoring, rebounding, and assists in the 2024 playoffs.

Not sure what you were watching.

Along with shooting .283 from 3 while shucking up 8.2 attempts per game, JT also had a .549 TS% through the playoffs (as compared to LJB's .637), which was 13th on the team, on 29.2 usage. That gives the rest of the team some work to do to make up for.

Other than his shooting, he didn't poop the bed, however, which was progress for his playoffs performance, and he very fortunately had an incredibly good team with all the other starters carrying them through specific games. JB, DW and JH all critically did that in different series, but JB was rewarded as MVP for the last two series, as the games and competition grew tougher.

He's of course a great player, but his shot was really off and he has yet to show that he can carry a team to a championship. He was just one of five great players for this one.

[Triple7]

I've never said JT is generational like MJ and Lebron.

Review what I said.

Again, great players are better at 30 compared to when they were 26.

Of course they are better at age 30. That’s the height of their peak. JT improved as an overall player, but his shooting had been regressing the past years. KD even at that age is a much more reliable on offense. He is great at mid ranges. While JT can’t even hit open mid ranges with consistency. That’s why he’s in the dog house with this team. Him and hali are both inconsistent shooters.

You're contradicting yourself.

What makes you think JT's shooting will not improve when he's 30?

If all players peak at 30 then JT will too.

You focus too much on JT's shooting when he's not Sam Hauser.

JT is not just a shooter.

All that great offense from KD, Beal, and Booker and they couldn't even win 1 playoff game.

I’m not contradicting myself. I said JT will be better at age 30, but i doubt his shooting improves. He will be better at playmaking. Better at shot selection, but his shooting will not get better. He doesn’t have a smooth easy flowing shot. He needs to tweak his shot a bit to start improving.

[shackles10]

Now I feel bad for Haliburton lol. Kerr got shamed into realizing he should play Tatum but Hali is still sitting there and no one cares.

He won't have as many defenders as JT has, but yeah he's getting a raw deal too. I just hope Kerr being oblivious to thinking this wouldn't be an issue messes up his entire rotation and we lose games because the new goal becomes trying to figure out something he should have figured out in camp. Guy acts like this is Christian Laettner on the Dream Team or something. These are all-NBA players in their mid-20's with recent success in their respective conference finals.

[Fierce1]

Don't jump the gun like when Ant getting the better of KD in the 1st round fooled some into thinking Ant was already better than JT.

Only to retract after Ant and the Wolves choked in the west finals.

I think Ant and JT are in the same tier. But if i have to choose who’s better, i still have both JT and JB ahead of ant at this point. Ant hasn’t done **** in this league. He just talks like he’s the best lol

But you posted a lot of Ant is better than JT in late April and early May.

You changed your stance on Ant after you saw what the Mavs did to Ant and the Mavs.

The point is JT's only getting started and saying a 26-year old JT will shoot the same as a 30-year old is just not accurate.

[Fierce1]

Of course they are better at age 30. That’s the height of their peak. JT improved as an overall player, but his shooting had been regressing the past years. KD even at that age is a much more reliable on offense. He is great at mid ranges. While JT can’t even hit open mid ranges with consistency. That’s why he’s in the dog house with this team. Him and hali are both inconsistent shooters.

You're contradicting yourself.

What makes you think JT's shooting will not improve when he's 30?

If all players peak at 30 then JT will too.

You focus too much on JT's shooting when he's not Sam Hauser.

JT is not just a shooter.

All that great offense from KD, Beal, and Booker and they couldn't even win 1 playoff game.

I’m not contradicting myself. I said JT will be better at age 30, but i doubt his shooting improves. He will be better at playmaking. Better at shot selection, but his shooting will not get better. He doesn’t have a smooth easy flowing shot. He needs to tweak his shot a bit to start improving.

And you're saying JT will not tweak his shot a bit?

[cloverleaf]

Why would Tatum show up in 2028 if this is how they are going to treat him? You don’t take your second option from 2021 and completely bench him especially when he is one the faces of USA basketball for the next 8-10 years. This is why there is no continuity. It’s disrespectful to not have him play minutes after what he has contributed to USA basketball.

Really? That stuff's supposed to determine who gets minutes in an Olympics basketball game?

What are you talking about? Yes, it is weird to take your second option from your last gold medal team and not play him at all. If you want continuity in your organization, which is something team USA struggles with, you don’t yank your players around this much.

There's supposed to be fresh competition for Olympics teams in all sports every four years. If continuity in participation helps the overall team to be better, then great. But when you're playing a team sport, it's supposed to be the best players for making up the overall team. In a year with exceptionally good coxswains, you don't fill your boat with them. Nor do you replace the coxswain with a rower if somehow you've got more good rowers than rowing seats.

[ConstableGeneva]

Now I feel bad for Haliburton lol. Kerr got shamed into realizing he should play Tatum but Hali is still sitting there and no one cares.

He won't have as many defenders as JT has, but yeah he's getting a raw deal too. I just hope Kerr being oblivious to thinking this wouldn't be an issue messes up his entire rotation and we lose games because the new goal becomes trying to figure out something he should have figured out in camp. Guy acts like this is Christian Laettner on the Dream Team or something. These are all-NBA players in their mid-20's with recent success in their respective conference finals.

I thought one of the main reasons they picked White is for someone to have sit on the bench and not complain. What happened to that plan? DWhite made himself indispensable?

[shackles10]

JT won as backup to JB?

Really?

JT led the Celtics, per game, in scoring, rebounding, and assists in the 2024 playoffs.

Not sure what you were watching.

Along with shooting .283 from 3 while shucking up 8.2 attempts per game, JT also had a .549 TS% through the playoffs (as compared to LJB's .637), which was 13th on the team, on 29.2 usage. That gives the rest of the team some work to do to make up for.

Other than his shooting, he didn't poop the bed, however, which was progress for his playoffs performance, and he very fortunately had an incredibly good team with all the other starters carrying them through specific games. JB, DW and JH all critically did that in different series, but JB was rewarded as MVP for the last two series, as the games and competition grew tougher.

He's of course a great player, but his shot was really off and he has yet to show that he can carry a team to a championship. He was just one of five great players for this one.

So why can't he fulfill that same role for USA if his shot is currently broken? He could do it without the 8 3's a game and impact winning even more than he does for the Celtics. At the very least he can do the Bam role of play solid defense, get rebounds, and bring the ball up occasionally but with more offensive versatility.

[Fierce1]

Now I feel bad for Haliburton lol. Kerr got shamed into realizing he should play Tatum but Hali is still sitting there and no one cares.

Bingo!

Can't treat JT like he's Haliburton.

[Triple7]

Now I feel bad for Haliburton lol. Kerr got shamed into realizing he should play Tatum but Hali is still sitting there and no one cares.

That’s because hali is a fairly new player compared to JT. Even Lebron, Wade and Carmelo barely played on their first olympics. Still, Kerr **** up big time. The US blowing out Serbia didn’t help his cause of not playing everyone. This would have a negative effect going forward. Now, everyone will watch Kerr and see who will get benched against Sudan, because he already said JT will play, and he also said he intends to play 10 guys everytime.

[shackles10]

Now I feel bad for Haliburton lol. Kerr got shamed into realizing he should play Tatum but Hali is still sitting there and no one cares.

He won't have as many defenders as JT has, but yeah he's getting a raw deal too. I just hope Kerr being oblivious to thinking this wouldn't be an issue messes up his entire rotation and we lose games because the new goal becomes trying to figure out something he should have figured out in camp. Guy acts like this is Christian Laettner on the Dream Team or something. These are all-NBA players in their mid-20's with recent success in their respective conference finals.

I thought one of the main reasons they picked White is for someone to have sit on the bench and not complain. What happened to that plan? DWhite made himself indispensable?

They didn't know what we already knew I guess. You can't deny DWhite!

Personally I think JT could fill a role similar to him and Jrue. Have all 3 Celtics be glue guys. It's basically what JT did all playoffs and the end of the year, but to a level so great he's still a superstar no matter what his shooting percentages are.

[Triple7]

Don't jump the gun like when Ant getting the better of KD in the 1st round fooled some into thinking Ant was already better than JT.

Only to retract after Ant and the Wolves choked in the west finals.

I think Ant and JT are in the same tier. But if i have to choose who’s better, i still have both JT and JB ahead of ant at this point. Ant hasn’t done **** in this league. He just talks like he’s the best lol

But you posted a lot of Ant is better than JT in late April and early May.

You changed your stance on Ant after you saw what the Mavs did to Ant and the Mavs.

The point is JT's only getting started and saying a 26-year old JT will shoot the same as a 30-year old is just not accurate.

Dude we are over this lol. If we start going back to every hot takes we had, we can probably reach 4 pages going back and forth. Lol

[Triple7]

You're contradicting yourself.

What makes you think JT's shooting will not improve when he's 30?

If all players peak at 30 then JT will too.

You focus too much on JT's shooting when he's not Sam Hauser.

JT is not just a shooter.

All that great offense from KD, Beal, and Booker and they couldn't even win 1 playoff game.

I’m not contradicting myself. I said JT will be better at age 30, but i doubt his shooting improves. He will be better at playmaking. Better at shot selection, but his shooting will not get better. He doesn’t have a smooth easy flowing shot. He needs to tweak his shot a bit to start improving.

And you're saying JT will not tweak his shot a bit?

For his sake, i hope he does. Its not working for years already. He needs to hire a new shooting coach.