2021 (2020?) Olympics

[ztejas 44134]

USA basketball finalized its roster. KD deserves some props for stepping up - the rest of the roster doesn't exactly inspire confidence:

• Kevin Durant, F, Brooklyn Nets

• Damian Lillard, G, Portland Trail Blazers

• Devin Booker, G, Phoenix Suns

• Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics

• Bradley Beal, G, Washington Wizards

• Khris Middleton, G/F, Milwaukee Bucks

• Zach LaVine, G, Chicago Bulls

• Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat

• Draymond Green, F/C, Golden State Warriors

• Jrue Holiday, G, Milwaukee Bucks

• Kevin Love, F, Cleveland Cavaliers

• Jerami Grant, F, Detroit Pistons

Edited June 23, 2021 by ztejas

[UDontKnow 10567]

Needed veteran Team USA ball distributors the likes of CP3, Kyrie, and Harden on the squad. Not bad to get Devin Booker into the fold so he can start accumulating experience, but Damian Lillard inspires no confidence and I hope he doesn't devolve into being a chucker.

[ztejas 44134]

2 minutes ago, UDontKnow said:

Needed veteran Team USA ball distributors the likes of CP3, Kyrie, and Harden on the squad. Not bad to get Devin Booker into the fold so he can start accumulating experience, but Damian Lillard inspires no confidence and I hope he doesn't devolve into being a chucker.

There's a bevy of chuckers (not in a bad sense necessarily - just high volume guards and wings) that aren't great distributors or defenders (like... the first 6 players on the list). Not really what you want for the Olympics. 

But... KD being there should be enough. Had he opted out and were we to send that crew I might have been a little pissed. I do like Draymond being in the fold. Not sure whose dick KLove sucked to get included. 

Edited June 23, 2021 by ztejas

[ztejas 44134]

They're gonna be nasty, though. Probably start Dame, Book/Tatum, KD, Draymond, Bam. Maybe swap Tatum and Dray and slot KD to the 4. That should be enough. Shooting will be lights out. They'll be able to switch everything on D. 

[aggie08 21773]

8 minutes ago, ztejas said:

I do like Draymond being in the fold.

Everyone knows that I love me some Draymond, but he was literally their most useless player last go round coming off the best season of his career. He contributed a whopping 1.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.9 steals in 9.8 minutes per contest. Olympic basketball is not built for his game whatsoever.

[ztejas 44134]

5 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Everyone knows that I love me some Draymond, but he was literally their most useless player last go round coming off the best season of his career. He contributed a whopping 1.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.9 steals in 9.8 minutes per contest. Olympic basketball is not built for his game whatsoever.

Okay but we were fucking stacked in 2016. Even if he doesn't play a lot I like his presence and leadership. He isn't going to put up with any bullshit or laziness. Which would be my main concern with this roster.

I mean... this team is obviously stacked, too, it's just that their talents overlap a bit more and I feel like that might open it up for Dray to play more than he did in 2016. 

Edited June 23, 2021 by ztejas

[UDontKnow 10567]

Also really wanted some size on the roster aside from Bam Adebayo. The homer in me knee jerks and says Jarret Allen and Myles Turner.

[gsoda3 3362]

I really want to see how a Luka led Slovenia would do against this group. I'd put KD on him the entire game and let everyone else score.

[ztejas 44134]

1 minute ago, gsoda3 said:

I really want to see how a Luka led Slovenia would do against this group. I'd put KD on him the entire game and let everyone else score.

Luka would be great I think. Probably 30 and 12 dimes - maybe 7 or 8 boards, and then at the end Slovenia loses by 37. 

Now, if you could sneak him and Jokic on the same team we might have something.

[UDontKnow 10567]

38 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Luka would be great I think. Probably 30 and 12 dimes - maybe 7 or 8 boards, and then at the end Slovenia loses by 37. 

Now, if you could sneak him and Jokic on the same team we might have something.

Imagine if Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija) were still a nation. They would be a top bet to medal in basketball in every tournament they participated in.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8965]

Whatever..it’s better than the 2004/2006 disaster

[ztejas 44134]

1 minute ago, MNLonghornFUKM said:

Whatever..it’s better than the 2006 disaster

Yeah. This is where I'm at. I just don't like the commitment right now. How many of those guys have played in a Finals? Or been on a legit title contender? Or been on another gold medal team? 

There is zero reason for KD to play. He doesn't owe us anything and is coming off an Achilles injury at 32. You usually assume guys like him don't play.

So that being the case, fuck. We can do better than this. 

Thankfully KD is a gangsta and loves to play basketball.

[BigOrange1 6611]

starting lineup will probably be something along the lines of: lilliard, beal, tatum, KD, bam

that's definitely stout but KD is the only one of those guys who would be starting if it was our A team.

[OB3 3636]

Lavine gonna surprise people. He put up really good numbers this past year

[ztejas 44134]

9 minutes ago, OB3 said:

Lavine gonna surprise people. He put up really good numbers this past year

Give this board a bit more credit than not knowing who Zach Lavine is.

[Machinator 32103]

 

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Are those couple guys still in the playoffs totally committed?  Doesn't training camp start like a few days after finals game 7 is scheduled?  

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Also if you get a chance watch some 3v3 games on YouTube.  It's pretty entertaining.  

[ztejas 44134]

13 minutes ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Are those couple guys still in the playoffs totally committed?  Doesn't training camp start like a few days after finals game 7 is scheduled?  

At least one of them said he's totally committed regardless - can't remember who it was. I would imagine they all have to be and that it was a prerequisite for making the roster. 

But, I guess if we had to make a late call-up it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. All of those guys are replaceable.