OT: FIBA 2023

[76ciology]

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SGA should be #1 on that list, he’s dominating this tournament. I really hope him & Ant guard each other if we get the USA/CAN matchup we’re all hoping for.

I think its gonna be Brooks and Dort who’s gonna defend Ant, similar to how they treat Doncic. But I agree that SGA should be #1 & Ant and SGA will have a showdown when those two teams face each other.

I think Ant could have been #1 is USA would give Ant a larger role.

[76ciology]

I think for a team to win the championship in the NBA, their best player has to have experience in winning or playing a lot of international basketball to know how to play the right way and know what it takes to win. Thus, I dont see any team winning the championship without their best player having that experience.

All the workouts with personal trainers can only make you a better player but not a better team player.

[76ciology]

I have very good tickets for the finals game on sunday. I was expecting the Canada vs USA game. Im now selling myself the idea that USA vs Serbia would be better by browsing highlights of Nikola Jovic FML .

[Zumramania]

Bogdan Bogdanovic > SGA

[76ciology]

Ok. Atleast im going to see “ma dawg” Franz Wagner on sunday.

Serbia vs Germany

USA vs Canada is for 3rd place this sunday

[Negrodamus]

I guess this next generation of stars kinda suck for USA.

[76ciology]

Daniel Theis would be great C to play with Biid

[Negrodamus]

Ingram imploded on the WC stage. I wonder if the Pelicans are re-evaluating how he fits in as the 2nd, even 3rd, option on their team.

I've been saying that Harden with McCollum, Zion, and Valanciunas makes the Pelicans instantly a contender in the West since he's the guy who will generate a ton of open looks and gravity to the offense.

I'd argue that it's us who might not want Ingram and would rather have the cap space next summer.

[Negrodamus]

I know the World Cup doesn't really mean much to the USA, as seen by this cast of players, but we couldn't entice Tatum? We left off Morant/Trae? Couldn't even convince DeAaron Fox? Darius Garland?

Haliburton and Brunson are definitely good players, but the limitations of their games reared their head when the chips were down. I'd take any of the point guards above over them to run the show.

[Jailblazers7]

I’d gladly take Ingram & consider it a stroke of luck that now happens to be a perfect buy low opportunity for him. I do worry about him being another ball stopper next to Embiid (& Tobi) but the talent is there at a premium position.

Maxey/Melton/Ingram/Tobi/Embiid is a pretty formidable starting 5 & we’d have a lot of lineup flexibility given that Ingram can handle playmaking duties if we want to go with a double big lineup.

[Negrodamus]

I’d gladly take Ingram & consider it a stroke of luck that now happens to be a perfect buy low opportunity for him. I do worry about him being another ball stopper next to Embiid (& Tobi) but the talent is there at a premium position.

Maxey/Melton/Ingram/Tobi/Embiid is a pretty formidable starting 5 & we’d have a lot of lineup flexibility given that Ingram can handle playmaking duties if we want to go with a double big lineup.

The team definitely makes more sense from a traditional size stand point. I, unfortunately, think Ingram is an empty stat perennial loser, but I'm willing to take on that risk since I don't see us signing anyone next offseason that will make a real difference.

I also think it'll stunt the growth of turning Maxey into an elite scorer, if that was ever on the table. Ingram would bend the knee to Embiid, but I highly doubt he'd do that for Maxey.

[mjkvol]

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I guess Perkins hasn't watched Franz Wagner.

[mjkvol]

Ok. Atleast im going to see “ma dawg” Franz Wagner on sunday.

Serbia vs Germany

USA vs Canada is for 3rd place this sunday

Textbook reason why the single-elimination theory for the NBA playoffs is a non-starter from a U.S. media perspective.

[Jailblazers7]

The team definitely makes more sense from a traditional size stand point. I, unfortunately, think Ingram is an empty stat perennial loser, but I'm willing to take on that risk since I don't see us signing anyone next offseason that will make a real difference.

I also think it'll stunt the growth of turning Maxey into an elite scorer, if that was ever on the table. Ingram would bend the knee to Embiid, but I highly doubt he'd do that for Maxey.

That’s a good point. His handling of the team USA situation is a red flag for anyone hoping to bring him into the fold as a complimentary 2nd/3rd guy.

Trading for him would be a bet that Nurse is the right coach to get him bought into a team concept. You could potentially make the argument too that we have good locker room chemistry (sans Harden) to get him acclimated.

Definitely a risk but probably one worth taking given our current options.

[76ciology]

Ok. Atleast im going to see “ma dawg” Franz Wagner on sunday.

Serbia vs Germany

USA vs Canada is for 3rd place this sunday

Textbook reason why the single-elimination theory for the NBA playoffs is a non-starter from a U.S. media perspective.

In the short term, yes, because the structure is in place.

In the long run, the media will adjust to it as always. They can have more national TV games during the more intense regular season matches with the goal of completely eliminating those garbage basketball games. They can also attract more viewers during the do-or-die matches during the playoffs.

Every "upset" in the playoffs would create a viral headline, and those do-or-die games and the creativity each team would employ to off-balance their opponent could potentially become viral clips.

Then, in the much longer run, people could stop associating less integrity with how the game is played by saying this era is softer than the previous era. The setup would have made the regular season and playoffs more intense than all the previous eras, with teams fighting hard for their seeding and making the playoffs during the regular season, and all the do-or-die matches in the playoffs. This would not taint the integrity of legacy regular season awards like the MVP.

But I agree, in reality, nobody will take that risk. If the idea flops, the league will lose billions.

[76ciology]

I’d gladly take Ingram & consider it a stroke of luck that now happens to be a perfect buy low opportunity for him. I do worry about him being another ball stopper next to Embiid (& Tobi) but the talent is there at a premium position.

Maxey/Melton/Ingram/Tobi/Embiid is a pretty formidable starting 5 & we’d have a lot of lineup flexibility given that Ingram can handle playmaking duties if we want to go with a double big lineup.

I’d take Ingram for the right price. If his value is rock bottomed from this performance, which I highly doubt, I’d even trade Maxey for him. Its worth a shot.

Overall, I think Ingram is not a good fit for the team. Ingram overlap with Embiid’s role as the team’s “tough shot maker” and it doesnt solve the two things this team needs..

1.) Someone who can make everyone better
2.) A team that can run an offense that is hard to read in a 7 game series

Until then it’s the same old music.
Strong regular season.
Strong first round.
Overwhelmed by strong teams running strong schemes against our slow and yet vanilla scheme in the 2nd round.

[76ciology]

According to a European National team coach on how much they pay their players to play for the national team - including a super legit NBA superstar - the answer - nothing crazy or extra, per diem of 300$ a day. They want to play for their countries. Respect.

[Kobblehead]

Luka Doncic has some issues.

Playstyle is trash and his intangibles are trash.

[mjkvol]

In the long run, the media will adjust to it as always. They can have more national TV games during the more intense regular season matches with the goal of completely eliminating those garbage basketball games. They can also attract more viewers during the do-or-die matches during the playoffs.

I won't belabor the point further, but you're making a huge assumption that the regular season will be any more 'intense' than it is now - based on what? You're adding playoff teams, so making the playoffs, already a cinch for any decent team, is even easier. Players are going to play hurt and bust their asses for 3-4 months to get a home game? They never have before, why should it be any different?

And regarding more playoff viewers - out of those 15 games or so, how many of will get a big audience? Do you seriously believe the casual fan (who is the key to media rights deals) is going to lock in for that SAC-CLE semifinal matchup? It would be like FIBA, with only basketball nuts like us watching or caring. And instead of an intense 7-game Sixers-Celtics series you get one lousy game?

The way the media would 'adjust' is to say "thanks, but no thanks" to the NBA, and this FIBA-like tournament will be streaming only. The players should love the hit on their salaries that would be the result.

[76ciology]

Luka Doncic has some issues.

Playstyle is trash and his intangibles are trash.

He’s my favorite player right now. I think he’s a winning player and he makes everyone better. Probably second to Jokic in this regard.

Defensively, his team has to keep hiding him on defense and seems like its not that hard for his teams has been able to do it