2024 Olympic BASKETBALL Thread (Pt. 2: Let the Games Begin!)

[Sedale Threatt]

He doesn't need the ball inside.

Inside, outside, whatever. He’s never, ever going to be the focal point with Team USA like he is with Philadelphia.

No one is the focal point like they are in the NBA, not even Jokic.

You must have watched a different game. Serbia ran everything through him when he was on the court, just like the US did with LeBron and to a lesser extent KD.

Regardless of however you want to quibble or argue, your point about Embiid being an offensive system is entirely moot. He’ll never have that role on this team.

[hugepatsfan]

Tatum will suck it up and be fine, say all the right things. If anything, it's probably a longer term risk to team USA if you just turn him off to playing. He already won gold as a key player last Olympics so it's not like he's still chasing that feeling. He pretty routinely plays deep into the playoffs and with a gold medal in hand as a core player and a sour experience this time around he might just opt out.

Through some combination of age/injury/already checking the box of playing, it wouldn't surprise me if Lebron/Durant/Curry/Holiday/AD/Embiid are all out of the picture in 4 years. We make threads all the time about how USA talent pipeline isn't what it once was. On paper, however expendable Tatum might be on this year's team, he projects to be a pretty important core piece 4 years from now like he was in the last Olympics. So I definitely think there's some ego managing they'll try to do behind the scenes to keep him actually invested vs. just putting on a good face and then being done investing his time in this going forward.

[Benedict_Boozer]

Watching Durant just stroll out there and drop buckets from everywhere - man, dude is beyond good. His game is so well suited for FIBA, what do these other teams even do with him?

[jbsays]

There's simply not enough minutes for everyone to play. USA played good. If you're a fan you should be happy. They were fun to watch and hopefully keep playing this way. If they keep playing this way they're going to win the gold. It's pretty awesome to watch KD, Curry, and Durant play together before they retire.

[Larry_Russell]

Tatum not playing is ridiculous. Period.

In no world should bam be getting more mijutes that JT.

Bam is a way better fit for this team than Tatum.

In no world does anyone outside of homer miami fans think that.

[Wingy]

Great start for the US. If the Slim Reaper’s as healthy as he looked, obviously an enormous difference maker.

Tatum’s DNP was surprising, but who can argue with the results.

[Sedale Threatt]

Watching Durant just stroll out there and drop buckets from everywhere - man, dude is beyond good. His game is so well suited for FIBA, what do these other teams even do with him?

When his shot is falling it’s almost impossible. He’s just so much quicker and more agile than 99.9% of the field, even at his age/mileage, and he can just rise up for a comfortable jumper over anyone. He has to go out of his way to take a bad shot.

[Slim Tubby]

Jason Tatum injured ?

Duplicate poor joke thanks to Aleksander.

Sent from my N152DL using RealGM mobile app

[hugepatsfan]

Tatum not playing is ridiculous. Period.

In no world should bam be getting more mijutes that JT.

Bam is a way better fit for this team than Tatum.

In no world does anyone outside of homer miami fans think that.

Whether you agree or disagree, this simply isn't true unless you think Steve Kerr is a homer Miami fan. Because he's actually deciding the minutes and he's playing Bam over Tatum.

[Sedale Threatt]

There's simply not enough minutes for everyone to play. USA played good. If you're a fan you should be happy. They were fun to watch and hopefully keep playing this way. If they keep playing this way they're going to win the gold. It's pretty awesome to watch KD, Curry, and Durant play together before they retire.

This is always one of the most obnoxious aspects of these tournaments. Like as a Lakers fan, I’d love to see AD start and get more minutes. But as long as we win, I honestly couldn’t care less. These competitions aren’t a showcase for your favorite player.

[SelfishPlayer]

Inside, outside, whatever. He’s never, ever going to be the focal point with Team USA like he is with Philadelphia.

No one is the focal point like they are in the NBA, not even Jokic.

You must have watched a different game. Serbia ran everything through him when he was on the court, just like the US did with LeBron and to a lesser extent KD.

Regardless of however you want to quibble or argue, your point about Embiid being an offensive system is entirely moot. He’ll never have that role on this team.

Your expectations for Embiid are higher than your expectations for Jokic. If Embiid scored 20 points like Jokic did today with 4 turnovers and a zero on/off you would say that he had a bad game.

[watch1958]

There's simply not enough minutes for everyone to play. USA played good. If you're a fan you should be happy. They were fun to watch and hopefully keep playing this way. If they keep playing this way they're going to win the gold. It's pretty awesome to watch KD, Curry, and Durant play together before they retire.

This is always one of the most obnoxious aspects of these tournaments. Like as a Lakers fan, I’d love to see AD start and get more minutes. But as long as we win, I honestly couldn’t care less. These competitions aren’t a showcase for your favorite player.

Hey! Stop making sense.

[Sedale Threatt]

No one is the focal point like they are in the NBA, not even Jokic.

You must have watched a different game. Serbia ran everything through him when he was on the court, just like the US did with LeBron and to a lesser extent KD.

Regardless of however you want to quibble or argue, your point about Embiid being an offensive system is entirely moot. He’ll never have that role on this team.

Your expectations for Embiid are higher than your expectations for Jokic. If Embiid scored 20 points like Jokic did today with 4 turnovers and a zero on/off you would say that he had a bad game.

Whatever. It’s already been spelled out for you what a huge impact Jokic had on today’s game but you’ve got your fingers in your ears.

Besides, what does this have to do with Embiid being an entire system on a team that will never use him like that? It’s not even really his fault; if he was playing on a different team he’d be getting all the minutes and touches he wants and you guys could drool over it to your heart’s content.

But again, this isn’t that team, so just be happy he’s even still starting.

[FeatheryTouch]

FWIW quotes from Kerr regarding Tatum:

"It's really hard in a 40-minute game to play more than 10 guys, and with Kevin coming back, I just went to the combinations that I felt would make the most sense. It seems crazy. I thought I was crazy when I looked at everything and determined these are the lineups I want to get to."

"Jayson is first-team All-NBA three years in a row, he's one of the best players in the world. So I went with the combinations that I felt like would make sense and talked to him, and he's incredibly professional, and that's tonight. That doesn't mean it's going to stay that way the rest of the tournament, so he'll make his mark. ... Jayson is the ultimate pro and champion and he handled it well and he's going to be ready for the next one."

[AleksandarN]

Jokic was a starter and his on/off was zero. Durant was a reserve and the game's leading scorer with a +20 on/off.

Still what does that have to do with how Jokic played?

Jokic didn't play like the best player in the world.

Jokic played great in the time he was on the court. Still don’t know why you are bringing up Durant. What does Durant have to do with Jokic playing great today? You getting upset because I posted context to illustrate he played great. I mean it is silly. Only thing that was garbage was your reply.

[picc]

FWIW quotes from Kerr regarding Tatum:

"It's really hard in a 40-minute game to play more than 10 guys, and with Kevin coming back, I just went to the combinations that I felt would make the most sense. It seems crazy. I thought I was crazy when I looked at everything and determined these are the lineups I want to get to."

"Jayson is first-team All-NBA three years in a row, he's one of the best players in the world. So I went with the combinations that I felt like would make sense and talked to him, and he's incredibly professional, and that's tonight. That doesn't mean it's going to stay that way the rest of the tournament, so he'll make his mark. ... Jayson is the ultimate pro and champion and he handled it well and he's going to be ready for the next one."

What I read here is "Jayson doesn't really have a spot in the rotation with Lebron playing so well and KD being back, but to avoid further controversy and hurting his feelings I will play him more in the future."

[SelfishPlayer]

You must have watched a different game. Serbia ran everything through him when he was on the court, just like the US did with LeBron and to a lesser extent KD.

Regardless of however you want to quibble or argue, your point about Embiid being an offensive system is entirely moot. He’ll never have that role on this team.

Your expectations for Embiid are higher than your expectations for Jokic. If Embiid scored 20 points like Jokic did today with 4 turnovers and a zero on/off you would say that he had a bad game.

Whatever. It’s already been spelled out for you what a huge impact Jokic had on today’s game but you’ve got your fingers in your ears.

Besides, what does this have to do with Embiid being an entire system on a team that will never use him like that? It’s not even really his fault; if he was playing on a different team he’d be getting all the minutes and touches he wants and you guys could drool over it to your heart’s content.

But again, this isn’t that team, so just be happy he’s even still starting.

Jokic was completely neutralized. Embiid did his job.

[G R E Y]

Yeah Tatum being made to stay out is weird.

He should get priority in at least trying to fit him in if for nothing else than his years long commitment to the national program, even before he became a pro.

[SelfishPlayer]

Still what does that have to do with how Jokic played?

Jokic didn't play like the best player in the world.

Jokic played great in the time he was on the court. Still don’t know why you are bringing up Durant. What does Durant have to do with Jokic playing great today? You getting upset because I posted context to illustrate he played great. I mean it is silly. Only thing that was garbage was your reply.

No human being with four turnovers, 1 of 6 from three, and a zero on/off has ever had a great game in the history of basketball.

[Sofia]

Bill Simmons spinning in his grave at a Tatum DNP