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Thread: Team USA Basketball Thread

  1. #91
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    while the '92 team was comprised of the all time greats, Bird and Magic were on the extreme end of their careers and were shells of what many remember. The 2008 point guards (Paul or Williams, Kidd should not be starting) would run around Magic. Bird would have a tough time with any of the athletic forwards on the 08 team as well. I would actually take the 08 bench over the 92 as well. I think that the 08 would win 6 out of 10 times, in what would be incredible games. But the '92 would have to slow the tempo down in order to keep up with the world class athleticism of the 2008 squad. Just a huge difference between the late 80's - early 90's basketball player and today's player.


    one match up that I find intriguing is at the 2 -3 positions, which is a better combo?
    MJ and Pippen in 92 -or - Kobe and Lebron in 08? I take the latter
    Last edited by MasonBuzz3; 08-19-2008 at 10:33 PM.


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  3. #92
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by improbus View Post
    The '92 team would win just because this team struggles from three. With the size advantage, the '08 boys would have to shoot from distance and they aren't great shooters.

    Think about this lineup:
    Magic (6'8'')
    Jordan (6'6'')
    Pippin (6'8")
    Bird (6'10")
    Ewing (7'0")
    Too much size. Magic would post up the smaller guys relentlessly
    the 08 team could counter with
    Lebron (6'8") 23 years old
    Kobe (6'5") 30
    Melo(6'7") 24
    Bosh (6'10") 24
    Howard (6'11") 22
    Bosh and Howard would be able to work Bird and Ewing down-low consistently, in my opinion

  4. #93
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by MasonBuzz3 View Post
    the 08 team could counter with
    Lebron (6'8") 23 years old
    Kobe (6'5") 30
    Melo(6'7") 24
    Bosh (6'10") 24
    Howard (6'11") 22
    Bosh and Howard would be able to work Bird and Ewing down-low consistently, in my opinion
    No chance. Bosh is pretty good, but he would not be able to handle Bird's outside game. Howard has no post moves and Ewing was a great defender. If they get in any foul trouble, the US only has Boozer on the bench. The '92 guys still have Malone, Barkley, and the Admiral.

    The '08 team thrives on the mistakes of the other teams, and those are mistakes that the '92 team wouldn't make.
    Variatio delectat - Cicero

  5. #94
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Absolutely crushing Australia this morning. 101-70 with 6 minutes remaining. I continue to be really impressed with Chris Bosh, he's been a very good perimeter defender for a big man through this tournament.

  6. #95
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Ok, I recognize the talent on this year's team, but am I the only one who actually preferred watching basketball the way it used to be played? It seemed that when I played (and that's been quite a few years ago) it was a markedly different game, more passing and less dribbling. I was a shooting guard and I hardly ever did much dribbling. I was working off the ball to get open and then I either took an open shot or passed it down low to someone posting up. Sure, there was the occasional fast break that would come off a defensive play, but it seemed the half court offense was more important then, not as much run and gun.

    Now as I type this, I'm watching Argentina and Greece and they're pretty much playing the way I was talking about. It's pretty entertaining actually. I know it's just a stylistic preference, and maybe it's partly because I was always a slow white guy with a good outside shot.
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by OldRightHander View Post
    Ok, I recognize the talent on this year's team, but am I the only one who actually preferred watching basketball the way it used to be played? It seemed that when I played (and that's been quite a few years ago) it was a markedly different game, more passing and less dribbling. I was a shooting guard and I hardly ever did much dribbling. I was working off the ball to get open and then I either took an open shot or passed it down low to someone posting up. Sure, there was the occasional fast break that would come off a defensive play, but it seemed the half court offense was more important then, not as much run and gun.

    Now as I type this, I'm watching Argentina and Greece and they're pretty much playing the way I was talking about. It's pretty entertaining actually. I know it's just a stylistic preference, and maybe it's partly because I was always a slow white guy with a good outside shot.

    They used to have a jump ball after every basket too.
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    I was wrong
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    Chip is right

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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Chip R View Post
    They used to have a jump ball after every basket too.
    Well, I don't date back that far, but when I was in high school we didn't have the three point shot yet.
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  9. #98
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by OldRightHander View Post
    Ok, I recognize the talent on this year's team, but am I the only one who actually preferred watching basketball the way it used to be played? It seemed that when I played (and that's been quite a few years ago) it was a markedly different game, more passing and less dribbling. I was a shooting guard and I hardly ever did much dribbling. I was working off the ball to get open and then I either took an open shot or passed it down low to someone posting up. Sure, there was the occasional fast break that would come off a defensive play, but it seemed the half court offense was more important then, not as much run and gun.

    Now as I type this, I'm watching Argentina and Greece and they're pretty much playing the way I was talking about. It's pretty entertaining actually. I know it's just a stylistic preference, and maybe it's partly because I was always a slow white guy with a good outside shot.
    Yeah, the change in American basketball happened when a few things took place.
    1) Team defense improved in the '90's. In the '80's, you had one defensive guy and four others who saw defense as your chance to rest before your next offensive possession. The Pistons changes that with Mahorn, Rodman, Laimbeer, and others. They were so physical. Look at the '92 Dream Team. Barkley, Malone, Bird, Magic, and Mullin were all defensive liabilities. The only guy like that on this team is Carmelo Anthony.
    2) Team continuity changed with free agency. In the '80's you had teams that played together for years. They would add one or two parts, but would remain largely intact over a 4-5 year period. The only two teams to accomplish that this decade has been the Pistons and the Spurs, two of the most accomplished teams. Solid passing offense requires time and practice, something that very few teams have.
    3) Expansion. There are more teams. In 1984, there were 23 teams. Now there are 30. Imagine if you contracted 7 teams and redistributed the players. If you got rid of the 7 worst teams in the NBA, these guys would be redistributed:
    Wade
    Marion
    Redd
    Bogut
    Durant
    Al Jefferson
    Brand (w/ the Clippers)
    Kaman
    Maggette
    Rudy Gay
    -Tell me that that wouldn't improve the overall level of play of the other teams.
    Variatio delectat - Cicero

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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by improbus View Post
    Yeah, the change in American basketball happened when a few things took place.
    1) Team defense improved in the '90's. In the '80's, you had one defensive guy and four others who saw defense as your chance to rest before your next offensive possession. The Pistons changes that with Mahorn, Rodman, Laimbeer, and others. They were so physical. Look at the '92 Dream Team. Barkley, Malone, Bird, Magic, and Mullin were all defensive liabilities. The only guy like that on this team is Carmelo Anthony.
    2) Team continuity changed with free agency. In the '80's you had teams that played together for years. They would add one or two parts, but would remain largely intact over a 4-5 year period. The only two teams to accomplish that this decade has been the Pistons and the Spurs, two of the most accomplished teams. Solid passing offense requires time and practice, something that very few teams have.
    3) Expansion. There are more teams. In 1984, there were 23 teams. Now there are 30. Imagine if you contracted 7 teams and redistributed the players. If you got rid of the 7 worst teams in the NBA, these guys would be redistributed:
    Wade
    Marion
    Redd
    Bogut
    Durant
    Al Jefferson
    Brand (w/ the Clippers)
    Kaman
    Maggette
    Rudy Gay
    -Tell me that that wouldn't improve the overall level of play of the other teams.
    good post

  11. #100
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by improbus View Post
    Yeah, the change in American basketball happened when a few things took place.
    1) Team defense improved in the '90's. In the '80's, you had one defensive guy and four others who saw defense as your chance to rest before your next offensive possession. The Pistons changes that with Mahorn, Rodman, Laimbeer, and others. They were so physical. Look at the '92 Dream Team. Barkley, Malone, Bird, Magic, and Mullin were all defensive liabilities. The only guy like that on this team is Carmelo Anthony.
    2) Team continuity changed with free agency. In the '80's you had teams that played together for years. They would add one or two parts, but would remain largely intact over a 4-5 year period. The only two teams to accomplish that this decade has been the Pistons and the Spurs, two of the most accomplished teams. Solid passing offense requires time and practice, something that very few teams have.
    3) Expansion. There are more teams. In 1984, there were 23 teams. Now there are 30. Imagine if you contracted 7 teams and redistributed the players. If you got rid of the 7 worst teams in the NBA, these guys would be redistributed:
    Wade
    Marion
    Redd
    Bogut
    Durant
    Al Jefferson
    Brand (w/ the Clippers)
    Kaman
    Maggette
    Rudy Gay
    -Tell me that that wouldn't improve the overall level of play of the other teams.
    While you have more teams, we are also drawing from the entire world now, instead of just the US and a handful of international players.

  12. #101
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by dougdirt View Post
    While you have more teams, we are also drawing from the entire world now, instead of just the US and a handful of international players.

    Exactly. They made the point that in 92 there were only a handful of international players playing in the NBA. The teams the 92 team faced were nowhere near the caliber of the teams the 08 team has faced.
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    I was wrong
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    Chip is right

  13. #102
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by dougdirt View Post
    While you have more teams, we are also drawing from the entire world now, instead of just the US and a handful of international players.
    That is true, but you have one more thing to take into account. The death of the Elite American White Basketball Player (or EAWBP's). You can look at this two ways.
    -The NBA embraced the hip hop generation and turned off White Middle America.
    -Young white kids stopped playing basketball and started doing other sports (swimming, water polo, extreme sports, etc...). Remember the Larry Bird story about shooting basketballs all day on a makeshift rim. That notion died a long time ago. Brad Miller, Wally, and Stockton are the only white All Stars from this decade, and they were all questionable picks at that time (Stockton was really old).

    So, you could say that the foreign guys have taken the place of the Bird, McHale, Chambers, Price, Stockton, Walton, Mullin, Ainge, and others.
    Variatio delectat - Cicero

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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by OldRightHander View Post
    Ok, I recognize the talent on this year's team, but am I the only one who actually preferred watching basketball the way it used to be played? It seemed that when I played (and that's been quite a few years ago) it was a markedly different game, more passing and less dribbling. I was a shooting guard and I hardly ever did much dribbling. I was working off the ball to get open and then I either took an open shot or passed it down low to someone posting up. Sure, there was the occasional fast break that would come off a defensive play, but it seemed the half court offense was more important then, not as much run and gun.

    Now as I type this, I'm watching Argentina and Greece and they're pretty much playing the way I was talking about. It's pretty entertaining actually. I know it's just a stylistic preference, and maybe it's partly because I was always a slow white guy with a good outside shot.
    I absolutely love watching this team press all game, force turnovers, and just dunk on people.

  15. #104
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by improbus View Post
    Yeah, the change in American basketball happened when a few things took place.
    1) Team defense improved in the '90's. In the '80's, you had one defensive guy and four others who saw defense as your chance to rest before your next offensive possession. The Pistons changes that with Mahorn, Rodman, Laimbeer, and others. They were so physical. Look at the '92 Dream Team. Barkley, Malone, Bird, Magic, and Mullin were all defensive liabilities. The only guy like that on this team is Carmelo Anthony.
    2) Team continuity changed with free agency. In the '80's you had teams that played together for years. They would add one or two parts, but would remain largely intact over a 4-5 year period. The only two teams to accomplish that this decade has been the Pistons and the Spurs, two of the most accomplished teams. Solid passing offense requires time and practice, something that very few teams have.
    3) Expansion. There are more teams. In 1984, there were 23 teams. Now there are 30. Imagine if you contracted 7 teams and redistributed the players.
    The defense that is played now is the worst I have ever seen. Outside of Bryant and Wade I wouldn't trust a defensive player on team USA. It would take a very good team to beat USA the way they are playing now but throw a Magic or Stockton on the court and the current team's gambles would be capitalized on over and over again.

    I think another big change to the game today has been the weight room. Don't get me wrong, it was around in the early 90's, but not to the extent it is now. James and Howard are huge. Their strength can make for their lack of fundamentals. They are able to overpower most people in the league and maintain focus when they assume contact. A difference would be a guy like Malone who wouldn't be afraid to knock a player down. You go into the paint against a guy like Ewing or Malone and you will pay for it.

    The shooter and the mid range game is a lost art. Why don't you see players like Bird in the league anymore? Jordon was great at hitting the mid range jumper. In today's game you hardly ever see set up inside the 3 point line but outside of the paint. It just doesn't happen. Prince and Rip Hamilton have made a living for the Pistons by hitting the mid range game.

    The PG position has changed drastically. IMO Iverson changed the way the position was played. Gone are the days of Stockton and here are the days of Iverson. The PG psotion has become more flashy and more of a scoring position. Kidd is one of the last holdovers of the pass first shoot second PG.

    Lack of development has hurt many of these players. Most of the best pro players spend less than a year in college basketball. Their fundamentals are unrefinded. Most of the 90 stars spend 3+ years in college. There has been a definate change in the way players are drafted now. Players are drafted more on potential right now.

    I for one think the game was better during Jordan's hey day. Just a personal opinion. To be honest I haven't watched a complete NBA game since Jordan retired. I love watching college basketball but I can't get into the pro game anymore.

  16. #105
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    Re: Team USA Basketball Thread

    John Stockon career 10.5 APG

    Deron Williams 10.5 APG last season in his third season.
    Chris Paul 11.6 APG last season also in his third season.
    Steve Nash 11.1 APG last season

    There are plenty great passing floor generals. Just because they aren't mediocre scorers doesn't take anything from them IMO.

    As far as big men strength, maybe Ewing/Malone/etc. would lay out someone flying into the lane, but I'm not so sure about that....

    James 6'8" 250 lbs
    Malone 6'9" 256 lbs

    Ewing 7'0" 255 lbs
    Howard 6'11" 265 lbs

    It's crazy how much the human body has grown in comparison of just 10-20 years ago. Malone and Ewing were beasts of their day and now Lebron/Howard are basically the same size except they are gifted with unbelievable verticals and great speed to boot.


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