Could the Celtics have won the gold medal at the olympics?

[GonzoLays]

It seems to me that the Celtics have the perfect blend of superstars, role players, and shooters to win the Olympic Gold Medal.

Its hard to put 10 superstars together on a team and expect them to be a coehsive unit. Carmelo, Lebron, Kobe, Dwade, CPaul are all use to being the center of attention. Its hard sometimes to completely flip your game and be a complimentary player when you know you are the man.

Not saying that TEAM USA won't bring home the gold, but I think the Celtics would bring home the Gold too if they were sent over to represent the USA.

You have Posey, Powe, and PJ Brown taking charges and playing their roles. House and Posey hitting big jumpers. KG, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce doing their thing. Last time Rondo played in an international competition, he set a record for steals. Half the teams in the olympics couldn't even bring the ball up the court against him.

What do you think?

[ponder276]

They would definitely be heavy favourites for the Gold, however, Team USA are also heavy favourites. Before the tourney started I thought that one of Spain, Argentina or Greece might have a chance at upsetting the US, but now I'm really not so sure.

[damo[23]]

I've always felt that top club teams are better than international teams just because of team play > skill.

Celtics, Lakers etc... all train together every day, get coaching every day, watch tape and improve every day; international teams only get days or at most weeks to do what clubs get to do every day for years. Not to mention every player is intimate with their role in the team, know how to handle situations.

Not only that; they dont just practice and get warmup games, they play competative games 100 times a year, not 5 or 6 every couple.

[Kefa461]

If the C's beat a MVP-Kobe-lead Laker team of course they would have won the Gold..........

[edfmx86]

i think the celtics would dominate every team in the olympics simply because theyre a team that plays with each other way more than twice everyone 4 years.

[Rocky5000]

Eddie House, Posey, and Ray Allen would all love that short 3 point line, and make the zone terribly ineffective. Also they don't have any international players on their team, so there wouldn't have to be any substitutions.

I also think KG would be even more dominant in the international game because of the trapezoidal paint. He loves to shoot from the outside and lure defenders away from the basket to where he can use his quick first step. I don't know how guys like Perkins, Glen Davis, and Leon Powe would do. They should be able to gobble up rebounds, but their games are based around playing in the deep post.

[greenbeans]

I would love to see what Rondo could do in international play.

[Don Draper]

They would beat Greece by 40.

[jax98]

There's really no other way to say this than yes.

I think a lot of NBA teams could win the Olympics if they had the proper chemistry. A team like last year's 33-win Bulls would probably have been torn apart because of their chemistry (or lack thereof) where a good chemistry 33-win team could still have a legit chance to take home the gold.

The NBA roster just has overwhelming talent, which makes it hard to overlook them. If you add experience and team play to those 12-15 players, you pretty much have a good chance to compete in international competition.

I've personally always felt USA basketball should have sent the Detroit Pistons starting five including Ben Wallace. Wallace/Wallace/Prince/Hamilton/Billups with shooters and rebounding big men to round out the bench. That team would, IMO, be insanely hard to stop.

[Ian4]

The question is can the knicks do it

[fivas14]

What do you mean "Could the Celtics have won the gold at the olympics" you're talking like USA isn't going to win it. And no, Boston couldn't have won gold.

[DMannOC]

Perkins and Rondo would prevent them from winning the gold, spain is just plain better that the celtics imo

[greenbeans]

Perkins and Rondo would prevent them from winning the gold, spain is just plain better that the celtics imo

Rondo would give the Spanish guards nightmares. hes built for international.

[WuTang8611]

yea boston has great team D and chemistry but I also think USA will def win gold, BUT HOW BOUT This? ->what if you took the current usa roster and replaced M. Redd, Boozer, and prince/mello with Ray Allen, Garnett, Pierce? how do you think they would fare?

imagine a lineup of Chris Paul, Kobe, Pierce, LeBron and Garnett with Wade and Ray Allen coming off the bench as your offensive bursts

[Volcano]

Perkins and Rondo would prevent them from winning the gold, spain is just plain better that the celtics imo

Rondo would give the Spanish guards nightmares. hes built for international.

The last time Calderon and Rondo met, Rondo couldnt guard Calderon at all

[hsb]

No. The games are held in Beijing not Boston.

[High 5]

I think every NBA team COULD win the gold. I think most SHOULD win the gold.

[Don Draper]

yea boston has great team D and chemistry but I also think USA will def win gold, BUT HOW BOUT This? ->what if you took the current usa roster and replaced M. Redd, Boozer, and prince/mello with Ray Allen, Garnett, Pierce? how do you think they would fare?

imagine a lineup of Chris Paul, Kobe, Pierce, LeBron and Garnett with Wade and Ray Allen coming off the bench as your offensive bursts

IMO if Kevin Garnett were playing I would bet $2000 on the US. Without hesitation.

[BiggieSmalls]

i was saying back in 04 that we should have just sent the pistons over to the olympics because they were the perfect team, and that was there prime year, they would have won gold. the teams that play together more often and have better cohesiveness will majority of the time better than the group of unfamiliar skilled players.

but i still think usa will win gold, this is no ordinary team they have a much more mature kobe, and a lebron nearing his prime, with dwade back better than ever an chris paul who is the best pg since magic johnson. imagine when they put oden on there with howard at the 4 in 2012, this lineup would do some damage. with the rules in international play, our team defense would be amazing, oden and howard roaming the baseline, with lebron wade and paul waiting to get in the passing lanes.

Paul
Wade
Lebron
Howard
Oden

[fivas14]

Oden will not be startin for team USA in 2012