Post#2717 » by G R E Y » Wed Sep 11, 2019 2:15 pm
Well Team USA made adjustments, grinded it out in the 3rd Q to come back from a double digit deficit, but went cold in the 4th and despite good defense, couldn't knock down shots they had to make. Huge FT discrepancy in the first half, but then went cold from the FT line in the second half.
This is a learning experience for the development of the program, and I think it has to start at younger levels for American players to want to take part in FIBA WC. Moving the tournament a year prior to the Olympics made it even harder for stars to want to participate, so that's both valuing playing on the national team at the WC level and schedule as challenges this team had to overcome.
I'm not American, but I've really felt the sentiment against the team far more watching more closely this year. I would say that reactionary and distasteful are a kind way to put it, even from fans whose teams also did not advance though were expected to, teams who've been together longer and to whom this is more weighty.
I see this team as a transition team, one which had to deal with a lot of adversity well before the games began, and even during with some key injuries (Smart, Tatum as starter) that affected chemistry that was already short in that Team USA basically had completely different players in the mini-camps last summer and this one in Las Vegas. And yes, of course a team that has been together six weeks playing against teams who know each other well from participating in FIBA for far longer is also a factor. It's not just a case of team mates on respective teams (Cs or Bucks, for instance) and things magically coming together in a new system. People keep pointing to players who 'should' have been on the team without realizing most of the players mentioned dropped out themselves.
Some may look at these factors as excuses, like Team USA should always play well, but that's attributing past success to current circumstances. They are nevertheless contributing contexts for the challenges a new team in transition has faced.
Huge credit and respect to the players and coaches who chose to participate in developing a transition team, made a commitment, stepped up, and took the risk upon themselves and for one another.
The Spurs Way Ever Onward
#XX
