Yeah I hear what your saying, but that means taking Durant and Melo out.
I think Green should get more minutes. True centers are a waste in the Olympics IMO. They really don't provide much if they are not skilled. Green could help there./QUOTE]
Agreed on Green, as I said earlier, he's probably their best passer, and he's been glued to the bencg.
If Leonard was on the roster, (ready for the can of worms this is going to open) I'd be playing him over Melo anyway. But you can also get creative with lineups, you can fit all 3 of those guys on the court I think.
Isn't this team undefeated?
While that's true, this isn't exactly the USA's best, or best constructed team. Damn good thing Melo is there to provide leadership, experience and intensity, because as one of you guys noted the other day, Durant is playing like he is shaving points. I still think they will come together and all will turn out right.Usa isn't the only country playing good basketball, there are alot of countries out there with good players, these countries are starting to catch up with us.
Any Olympic team with Harrison Barnes on the 12-man roster isn't that great.
Better question. If you put LeBron on another team do they beat the US? What's the worst country he could be added to where they would still win?
Barnes is an excellent player, his stats simply don't reflect that since the Warriors are so insanely talented. Look for him to have a coming out party scoring wise in Dallas next year similar to Harden after he left OKC.
Davis would make an enormous difference. He is a perfect center for international ball.There are at least 6 players that chose not to play that would make this team dominant and they are: LBJ, Westbrook, harden, curry, Davis and Leonard. Replacing Barnes, green, derozan, Lowry, butler and cousins.
I just can't see that happening and I always agree with most of your takes. I'll be glad to come back to you and eat crow if/when that happens. I don't think athletically and shooting-wise he's good enough. Not enough moves offensively, either. We'll see.
That is a much better question. I think if LeBron is on the USA this time around the D and ball movement would have been better as he would have demanded it. LeBron on the best competitor is an interesting game.Better question. If you put LeBron on another team do they beat the US? What's the worst country he could be added to where they would still win?
Barnes is an excellent player, his stats simply don't reflect that since the Warriors are so insanely talented. Look for him to have a coming out party scoring wise in Dallas next year similar to Harden after he left OKC.
I don't see this one at all. Harden had great numbers in OKC, he just didn't get the minutes and the touches, he had a true shooting over 60% his second and third year in OKC. Harrison Barnes played on one of the best offensive teams in the history of basketball and had a true shooting just below 56%; that's fine but when you consider the looks he got last year and the looks he'll get next year, I'll be surprised if he's much over 53% or so.
I'm sure he will score more points next year, but I'd be stunned if he's anything like James Harden, who is legitimately one of the best offensive players in the league.
Seems like dudes go by Kyrie left and right.
Yeah, I'm in this boat as well. Anyone who has some offensive skill is going to look good playing on that team. If anything I'd argue he benefited (not in terms of overall numbers, but in efficiency) from being there. I don't watch much NBA but I'd be pretty surprised if Barnes emerged as a huge star there after watching him in college and in the playoffs last year. Absolutely a nice player but I don't see Harden-type scoring.
I don't see this one at all. Harden had great numbers in OKC, he just didn't get the minutes and the touches, he had a true shooting over 60% his second and third year in OKC. Harrison Barnes played on one of the best offensive teams in the history of basketball and had a true shooting just below 56%; that's fine but when you consider the looks he got last year and the looks he'll get next year, I'll be surprised if he's much over 53% or so.
I'm sure he will score more points next year, but I'd be stunned if he's anything like James Harden, who is legitimately one of the best offensive players in the league.
I should have been more specific. I don't think he will be a top scorer in the league like Harden. But I do think Barnes will go from averaging 10-12 ppg to around 19-20 ppg. Harden is simply a guy that popped in my head as someone making a big jump once he became a featured player.
In short, I think Barnes is completely worthy of being on this team.
he'd be welcome; hed be the second or third best player. melo is clearly number one
Doubtful. We are struggling more defensively than offensively. We had a weaker team than this in the World's two years ago and still beat this same France team by 30.
The issue is our guys don't play together as much as these other teams.
Is that really the case? How often does Tony Parker and Boris Diaw and Nicholas Batum play with those guys? Seems iffy.
When does Delly and Bogut really fly out to Austrailia for practice and games? Seems Iffier.
I must have missed all the threads about the practice time G was getting in Nigeria.