Blame for USA's struggles squarely with NBA

[Riot]

Look at the teams we lost, were they star-studded? No, they had great chemistry and they had great role players. I mean, Puerto Rico beat us and their star was Carlos Arroyo, a back-up PG in the NBA. We can beat them without superstars at every position and I actually think that would be our best bet.

[fgrep15]

i just don't know why nba players don't care about international games, it should be the most important games of their lives, after all the NBA is just an american league, not a world league.
i mean, do you prefer winning the american chamionship or the world championship?

When you win the NBA championship, they call you the champions of the world which I always thought was odd. The NBA is more than just an American league because it's where the best players from the world aim to go, it's considered the best and strongest league in the world. Also like Andrew said, it's their life and profession...

perfect line up for international competitions like olympics or World championships:

1 Dwayne Wade
2 Ray Allen
3 kobe Bryant
4 Kevin Garnett
5 Tim Duncan

Bench: Rip Hamilton, Ben Wallace, Jermaine O'neal, T-Mac, Mike Bibby, Amare Stoudamire

Head Coach: Phil Jackson Asst Coach: Pat Riley

Man, that team will not loose 100%

Agree?

I don't like it, their's not enough outside shooting. I think the reason the Pistons guys didn't go was because they won the championship, and the guys were kinda tired, so you can't really blame them.

Some guys I can understand not going because of injury problems, and Vince and Ray Allen also got married that summer. Some other guys just said meh...

I'd go with something like this:

PG - Mike Bibby
SG - Dwyane Wade
SF - Kobe Bryant [he's 6'7, so it's fine]
PF - Kevin Garnett
C - Tim Duncan
6th man - Ray Allen
7th man - Jermaine O'neal
8th man - Amare Stoudamire
9th man - Shawn Marion
10th man - Ben Wallace
11th man - Kirk Hinrich
12th man - Bruce Bowen

I don't think Tmac would go, he normally has back problems, so....

Outside of Bibby, the starting lineup has players who are all very good defenders.
Bibby is the true PG in the starting lineup, and gives great outside shooting
Wade is the slasher, and a do it all guy in the starting lineup.
Kobe can do everything, slash, shoot from the outside, pass, whatever, ju tell him
Duncan and KG, they don't need any introduction, that's a scary frontline on both ends of the floor.
On the bench you have a sharp shooter in Ray Allen.
Jermaine O'neal brings rebounding and defense, and hope he doesn't shoot too many outside jumpers.
The 2 teammates in Marion and Amare to play the 3/4 or 4/5.
Hinrich as another basically pure PG, who's a good defender, and also a good outside shooter.
Ben Wallace, defense, intensity, and rebounding
Bruce Bowen gives perimeter defense, and while he might not play much, you put him in if anyone on the other team get's out of hand.

A defensive lineup would be:

PG - Wade/Hinrich
SG - Kobe
SF - Bowen
PF - KG/Ben
C - Duncan/JO

[Drex]

I don't think Kobe (or any me-first type or players) would work on a Dream Team. IMO, they would try to get all the recognition.

[Amphatoast]

no artest in a defensive lineup??

[Drex]

He's listing th players on his team.

[Indy]

Here's mine:

PG- Jason Kidd/Mike Bibby
SG- Dwyane Wade/Michael Redd
SF- Kevin Garnett/Ron Artest/Trenton Hassell
PF- Tim Duncan/Jermaine O'Neal
C- Brad Miller/Ben Wallace

Jason Kidd brings you an uptempo offense, and he won't shoot too much for an offense that doesn't need a whole lot of scorers.
Dwyane Wade is there to score, and that he would do.
KG and Tim Duncan bring you winning attitudes and dominance on both sides of the court.
Brad Miller brings you a great passing Center and someone who will grab a bunch of rebounds. Also another guy who is there to help the team, and won't try to score so much.
Bibby is another true pg who will score when needed, but be the offensive voice. Michael Redd gives you a 3 point shooter off the bench who can hit clutch shots and get you some points fast if in a hole. Ron Artest and Trenton Hassell give you great defense off the bench, and Ron will put up points if needed, which most likely wouldn't be. Jermaine O'Neal and Ben Wallace bring you defense and intensity. A back-up front court of Artest, Jermaine and Big Ben is pretty scary.

[Riot]

Last year, it was Vince Carter and Kevin Garnett who didn't go because of a marriage. I don't know why Ray Allen didn't go. Michael Redd didn't even get invited.

[GloveGuy]

Let's form a team of college stars that went undrafted, have them play together for six months, and send them over.

Oh, and lets give them some money for it.

[Blazers]

why not ruben patterson??? he is a reall hustle type of player who doesn't care about starting. his only weakness is shooting which is not good. defensively, he is pretty good. in my opinion, he is the most underrated defensive player in the nba. he doesn't get any recognition caue his team is not good.

[fgrep15]

no artest in a defensive lineup??

The defensive lineup is only including the players in my original lineup. I didn't add Artest because he could kill someone

I don't think Kobe (or any me-first type or players) would work on a Dream Team. IMO, they would try to get all the recognition.

I feel the same way, but I heard Kobe wants to go, and the selection comittee will definately not say no to him.

Jason Kidd brings you an uptempo offense, and he won't shoot too much for an offense that doesn't need a whole lot of scorers.

I don't think we'll see Kidd again. He's older now, has had some injury problems, and he will needs his off-seasons to rest his body.

I want to go back to my team and change Bruce Bowen to Shane Battier. Not Patterson, but Battier is the most underatted defender, SF, and one of the more underatted players in the league. He's not as good as Bowen on D, but he's very good, and he's also much better offensively. Either would be fine though.

[Matt]

As long as we are all making teams....here i go

C Duncan
F Garnett
F Prince- let's face it, his long arms would come in handy against the oppositions 3 point shooters, plus he can knock down 3's.
G Kobe
G Billups

6 Wade
7 Bibby
8 Brand
9 Marion
10 B Wallace
11 R Allen
12 JO

all in all you have a team of guys who DON'T need the ball. Billups, Kobe, Bibby and Allen give you outside shooting. KG, Duncan, Wallace, Brand & Jo give you excellent interior D. Marion apart from giving you spectacular dunks on the break gives you superior rebounding and excellent D.

Basically everyone plays D, no one NEEDS the ball (ok maybe Kobe), theres shooting too. Gold!

[J@3]

No its KG he is correct dude.

Actually I'm almost positive it was Mcdyess... I remember watching the game and thinking it was a foul. Actually, what made me think that was the fact that Mcdyess was being boxed out, and virtually pushed the guy over the baseline for the board.

[Riot]

Who cares? Let's just say it was KG.

[J@3]

KG gets enough of his own rebounds give this one to Mcdyess.

[Matt]

haha, i swear it was KG though. He threw that Dunk down like Shaq used to on Bradley. I believe that was in OT, although that was 5yrs ago.