The Official Olympic Basketball Thread

[-SDU-]

^ why would that matter? i already have a dishwasher?

[eastsidecrossover]

Do you guys think it would have been better for Amare to play this year, or sit it out? I think it goes both ways. With his knees, he needed to sit it out, but I think he could have learned how to be more of a teammate, plays smart D and rebound.

[-SDU-]

i completely think its better that he sat out. I believe that his health is the number one concern, without that he cant even play average D and great O. So rather than get the experience and risk his health, im glad he is taking it easy

especially with the new look suns surely bound to be focusing on working on those things that dantoni never did anyways

amare will be improved next year im sure

[b-ball forever]

I like that Amare's supposedly working on improving his overall game this summer instead of playing on Team USA.
Bosh is doin a great job filling out his role anyways, so far he doesn't seem to be missed that much, so good for team USA.

Last year he came back from the Americas tournament real tired, and took a couple months to get back to his normal physical state.
This year he'll start off fresh, and hopefully be a more complete player. Very good move by STAT there

[b-ball forever]

Oh yeah, and watchin Dirk go on his patented choke act vs China was sweet as

[eastsidecrossover]

I heard he has been working on some things this year, and has been at US Air practicing. I think he has been working on his back to the basket game.

[-SDU-]

thats what i read too

terry porter and kerr were both saying that amare is going to be the focal point of the offense from the post

i hope he still gets his jump shots and pick and rolls though, they are his biggest 2 weapons. the post play should be 3rd string to them, especially when we have shaq in the post

[TASTIC]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ill/080822

Anyone else read that?

What a crock. I'm not a racist or anything, I think she's just completely missed the point of how the rest of the world views the US/NBA. It's not a 'black' thing as she's making it, it's simply better TEAMS beat the US last time, this team has been together and played together and they got the mix right, simple as that.

[Orange_Blooded]

USA Wins Gold, Very happy for Coach mike D'antoni, Jason Kidd and of course Jerry colangelo.... and the rest of the bunch too.

Was nice to see a close game, Spain really played tough and I caught myself routing for them to keep it a close game.

[TASTIC]

Yeah was a good game, would have been very interesting with Calderon there...for once Paul looked out of place...Kobe and Bron lead the way

Nice work JC, lets have Amare there next time (to add Gold to his title...haha I can dream)

[rasheed44]

I hated when we sold the rudy's pick. . He could have been a terrific fit for our team. Damn it!

[walkingart]

I hated when we sold the rudy's pick. . He could have been a terrific fit for our team. Damn it!

No ****! Rudy looked great, especially the dunk over Howard. I bet Nate McMillan is real happy after watching him shine.

[walkingart]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/080822

Anyone else read that?

What a crock. I'm not a racist or anything, I think she's just completely missed the point of how the rest of the world views the US/NBA. It's not a 'black' thing as she's making it, it's simply better TEAMS beat the US last time, this team has been together and played together and they got the mix right, simple as that.

First, she "inadvertantly" implies that the world views the African-American race as selfish, lazy and inept, because of the US Olympic teams performances during the past 8 years. When in reality, the foreign perception of America, or African-Americans has nothing to do with basketball.

Second, what is the real reason that the 2004 team was so hated? They lost. If they had won, no one would have cared about anything else. And why did the international community jump on their backs and root against them? Because everybody wants to see Goliath fall. It is why we all root against Kobe all year long.

I don't even want to go into her correlation of the Celtics and "urban" basketball. If you are black, does that automatically classify you as being urban? She is black as well, can you be racist towards your own race? There is an argument I can never win.

Her analysis, and the correlations she draws from them are what is lazy and inept.

Tastic is right. The USA put out a less talented team then their opponents and they were defeated because of it. Lebron, Wade and Melo were all 21/22. Amare was only 22. The US was arrogant, they thought they could trot any group of NBA players, and come home victorious.

Those losses didn't start the wave of European/Foreign players coming over either. Nash, Dirk, Manu, Parker, and Gasol were all firmly entrenched NBA Superstars at that point. Parker has more endorsements in France than any other athlete. What do you think is more influential to little French kids who want to play basketball in the NBA, the onslaught of Parker advirtisements or a once every four year tournament?

Thanks a lot Tastic, you got me all worked up with that piece of trash!

I also am curious as to how anyone who is African-American feels about what she has to say. I am as white as they come, so maybe I just don't get it. I am covered in tattoos, so that comment hit home for me. I wonder what her limit on tattoos are. Especially since her role models throughout the history of the game were just as flawed as any of today's stars, yet, because of their personalities were never crucified by the media.

Anyways, those are my two cents.

[Go7enKs]

Anybody surprised a so-called writer, that once claimed Kobe was better than Jordan, said some idiotic stuff? I just read her article and it's flat-out BS. What a load of crap. I think black people should be offended by this article. I don't even know why this chick has a job at ESPN...

Btw...I can't even think about the fact we sold Fernandez for a fist of peanuts. This guy's like Barbosa but with much more consistency and athleticism. I still think he's a little skinny, but I'm sure the minute he put his feet in Portland they're gonna put him in the weight room and it's not gonna be an issue.

I'd really would've loved to have him here in Phoenix.

Considering how much we paid for Dragic, evidently it's not that our FO is "cheap", they are probably just inept.