No more trapezoidal lane in 2012 Olympics

[Cavsfan4lyfe]

The NBA and FIBA really need to get together and create identical rule sets IMO.

I like how there's no defensive 3 seconds in FIBA. I always thought it was kind of a cheap way to give offensive players an advantage.

I like that they're switching to a rectangular lane so post up big men can be more important. And the deeper 3 point line was long overdue.

This makes the USA selection committee's job a lot easier. The rules are pretty much NBA rules now so they don't have to worry about how certain players' games will fit in international ball as much. Team USA's biggest problem probably has been the shorter 3 point line - it made things congested so slashers had a tougher time getting to the basket. We should dominate even more now.

[VigenKarchyan]

Finally

[lakerboy]

there still a question of the refs.i mean darn the calls or no call drove me crazy.what about nba refs the games

[Frosty]

Great, it makes sense that they should follow the rules of basketball according to the country that invented the sport, instead of some sissied-out version. And on the bright side for Calderon, in 2012 he can come out and say, "If the lane was a different shape, we would have won!"

So, Canada invented the sport...

[celticfan42487]

"James Naismith moved on to the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA in 1891, where the sport of basketball was born"

I know it's hard to grasp but the Canada does not own Massachusetts... the USA does. Basketball was invented in Springfield not to far from where I live.

I think there was too much ice in Canada for the sport to be born there or something to that effect.

[hsb]

"James Naismith moved on to the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA in 1891, where the sport of basketball was born"

I know it's hard to grasp but the Canada does not own Massachusetts... the USA does. Basketball was invented in Springfield not to far from where I live.

I think there was too much ice in Canada for the sport to be born there or something to that effect.

Nice try genius, but Boston has equal if not worst winters than Toronto.

I never knew the land of Massachusetts can invent something. Naismith is Canadian. He got his American citizenship a long time after inventing the game. One can rationalize either way, American or Canadian. Also, everyone is probably wrong. There were probably different origins of basketball type sports throughout history. Naismith is just credited for the modern origin of the game.

[Frosty]

"James Naismith moved on to the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA in 1891, where the sport of basketball was born"

I know it's hard to grasp but the Canada does not own Massachusetts... the USA does. Basketball was invented in Springfield not to far from where I live.

I guess China just won the gold medal in all sports then too.


Brilliant

[Benedict_Boozer]

The rules are pretty much NBA rules now so they don't have to worry about how certain players' games will fit in international ball as much. Team USA's biggest problem probably has been the shorter 3 point line - it made things congested so slashers had a tougher time getting to the basket. We should dominate even more now.

Lane will still be congested because every Int'l team will continue playing packed in zones against the US, they don't have any other option really because they can't defend man to man, certainly not against Lebron/Wade type players.

[Frosty]

The reason this is an issue is because so few NBA players have any real experience playing against a zone. Most either came out of high school or spent a year when then used to get their exposure to true zones during college.

That's one advantage the Dream team had over this group.

[Warspite]

I think this hurts team USA.

There were only 2 or 3 NBA players that could make a 3pt shot in Int compettion with the shorter line. Move it out and its brick city and the teams will be packing that zone all day.

Make Wade have to hit those 3s from the new line and maybe Spain wins the game. We all know Wade isnt going 4of5 from 3pt line in a NBA game.

[LakerLegend]

"James Naismith moved on to the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA in 1891, where the sport of basketball was born"

I know it's hard to grasp but the Canada does not own Massachusetts... the USA does. Basketball was invented in Springfield not to far from where I live.

I think there was too much ice in Canada for the sport to be born there or something to that effect.

Not to mention Naismith also became an American citizen...

[Frosty]

Good luck with that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_inventions

A Canadian invention because he couldn't find enough Amurican's that could skate to put together a decent hockey game....

[SabasRevenge!]

Great, more excuses for the Spaniards.

Calderon: "I think we would have won the game if there were a trapezoidal key, the officials should have known where the invisible lines were"

Lopez: "Yes, we would have won had they credited us with extra points that we earned behind the 'real' three point line."

[Troubadour]

The whole invention argument can be ended with a few facts:

1) Naismith was Canadian.
2) The first pro game was played in Toronto.

[Dtown84]

The whole invention argument can be ended with a few facts:

1) Naismith was Canadian.
2) The first pro game was played in Toronto.

The NBL predated the NBA and laid the foundation for it's success, there were no Canadian teams.

off topic: It was also where the Pistons, Lakers, Hawks, Kings and 76ers were born.

[TrueRain]

I think this hurts team USA.

There were only 2 or 3 NBA players that could make a 3pt shot in Int compettion with the shorter line. Move it out and its brick city and the teams will be packing that zone all day.

Make Wade have to hit those 3s from the new line and maybe Spain wins the game. We all know Wade isnt going 4of5 from 3pt line in a NBA game.

Move the 3-point line out and get rid of the trapezoid lane and the NBA players will have a field day. Sure it takes away from Wade shooting but it only makes it easier to drive in.

[BubbaTee]

I'd say the ability of the non-US bigs to make 3s at the shorter current line is more important for their teams than the ability of Wade to make 3s from the shorter line is for the US.

There's also the fact that a lot of international players grow up with and get used to the shorter line, and it's harder to take 2 steps back than 1 step forward to the new line. In the US, even at the HS and college level you see guys shooting 3s from NBA range - almost as if to prove they can shoot from out there.