Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 10:34 am Post subject: U.S. national team training camp invites announced
The 22 NBA players invited to the U.S. men's national team training camp have been announced:
Carmelo Anthony, Gilbert Arenas, Shane Battier, Chauncey Billups, Chris Bosh, Bruce Bowen, Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Josh Howard, LeBron James, Antawn Jamison, Joe Johnson, Rashard Lewis, Shawn Marion, Brad Miller, Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, Michael Redd, Luke Ridnour, Amare Stoudemire, and Dwyane Wade.
Adam Morrison, J.J. Redick, and high schooler Greg Oden are expected to be the last three invitees.
Anyone care to discuss this, or build a team from this? Aside from Allen Iverson not being invited (which bothers me immensely), I'm very excited. I'm already mulling over who I think should go...
Glad to see they've got guys like Battier and Miller. I think that if they can just focus on getting a balanced team of guys who are eager to be there, and get them to really get used to playing with each other, I'd be shocked if they lost again.
I'll throw out my 12 . . .contingent on try-outs. The best part about this process is that get to pcik 12 out 25 players who have to demostrate they fit together and want to play together.
PG Billups, Wade
SG Pierce, Bron, Redick
SF Redd, Marion, Battier
PF Brand, Amare, Bosh
C (gee, there are no centers . .. would have picked Camby since Duncan declined) but I guess I have to take Howard and hope he develops or Miller and just play Brand/Amare in the middle.
Toughest ommissions - Paul, Melo, and Kobe.
I would be more than willing to rethink Paul @ the point and dump one of the role players (JJ/Battier and I am not even Duke fan) . .but it would be tough to bump another of the big men since the team doesn't have much in the middle.
'Melo really wants to go, has improved both his defense and shot selection, continually plays well in big games/times (March Madness, clutch performances) and has developed into a monster around the basket, but I don't see him being good as 7th best option on the team and the international rules (wider key), clogs the key, and lack of fast beak just don't make him the best fit. I do think he gets a bad rap on man on man D compared to his comteporaries of Amare and LeBron, 'Melo is not really any worse.
Kobe could bump any of SG/SF 'cept for Redd and Marion. It all depends on tryout and how he fits in. IMO he is the most talented all around player of the group.
Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Posts: 118 Location: Sac Metro
Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 4:36 pm Post subject:
Since Chauncey isn't likely to play this summer, here's my 06 World Championship starting lineup: Wade/Kobe/LeBron/Brand/D. Howard. It lacks a solid distributor in the first five. Replacing Dwight with Brad Miller would give you a tremendous starting point-center while losing some rebounding. Maybe Wade/Kobe/LeBron/Howard/Miller?
Pierce could be the most underrated piece of this team, I think. In the international game, he could effectively play three positions, and might be the best one-on-one player outside of the Wade/LBJ/Kobe crew.
The Olympic starting five, in my mind, is: Billups/Kobe/LeBron/Brand or Bosh/D. Howard. In fact, here's my depth chart, not including the three non-pros (Redick, Morrison and Oden) excepted to be invited for practice reasons:
(I'm still wondering about the relative lack of spot-up shooters. I know you can't leave any of Wade, LBJ and Kobe off, but there are a lot of slasher/scorer types here, and only one guy known purely for his shooting.) _________________ SactownRoyalty.com tziller@gmail.com
Kobe is a very good spot-up shooter. The trick there would be to convince him to hang around the perimeter, let the bigs and slashers try to penetrate, and to stay open for their inevitable kick-outs. I do think that you'd need to give guys like Michael Redd (and my hometown choice Rashard Lewis) more minutes because those Euro-teams are going to be coming out with lots and lots of zone and you need people who will punish that strategy. I would go so far as to put an extreme 3-shooter like Damon Jones (I know, he's not on the training camp roster) in the mix.
I think that one of the foibles of the recent Dream Teams is that we as the US have forgotten how our game has evolved. Even now that the NBA allows zones, teams very rarely run them because of those Jones-type roleplayers many teams have that will drop 5 3s on you in the 10 minutes you elected to run the 2-1-2. IMO an ideal team to face the world would be one built like the mid-90s Houston Rockets with one superstar and a bunch of complementary players rather than the early 2000s Mavericks that appears to be the way they're choosing to build the team now.
I like the way the chose the invited players. To make a team you need some role players. To have success on the international level you need shooters all over the court. This team has a lot more versatility than past Olympic teams. The games in Greece it appeared to me that you had a team full of the same players and that came back to haunt them.
I thought Iverson deserved to go back since he very good in the Olympics and a leader on the team. An invite to the camp definetely should have been warranted.
Now lets see if they keep the role guys through the camp. I have a strong feeling that Luke Ridnour and Paul will make the team. The other players will just love playing with them. If Ridnour can hit the open jump shots he is a perfect player on this team. I love Billups but Flip Saunders has pretty much given him the basketball and let him control the action. He isnt a naturally gifted passer like Paul and Ridnour. Billups size though will scare international point guards to death.
Reddick has a great chance to make this team. His game is ideal for International play.
I would only take 1 between Wade and Arenas. Both players are very similar and I rather bring variety to the lineup. I'm taking Wade.
Bowen? Does his game really translate to the international game. Yeah he is a great defensive player but thats the only thing he puts his energy on. I can see another player giving similar defense and much better offense. I dont think he's making the team.
Brad Miller should be a lock to make this team. His midrange game fits perfectly for international play. If Amare is healthy with his improved jump shot since last Olympics he could be a quick favorite for MVP. Howard is probably a couple of years away but likely will turn out to be USA's best low post player.
Anthony/Marion/Lewis- of all those guys Rashard has the best game for international play. He gives the USA another post up option and obviously is the best shooter of the 3.
I'll give you Bibby but Luke is a better passer than him. Tinsley is a great passer but is always hurt. Hinrich probably should have been selected over him though.
Why you think for International play at the point guard you need to get your own shot. The US has had plenty of point guards that could get there own shots internationally and what did it get the U.S. Maybe the best european point guard ever Sarunus Jasikevicius cant get his own shot and isn't much of a penetrator. He just ran the offense and hit open shots.
Joined: 31 Dec 2004 Posts: 881 Location: Durham, NC
Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 6:34 pm Post subject:
tmansback wrote:
Why you think for International play at the point guard you need to get your own shot. The US has had plenty of point guards that could get there own shots internationally and what did it get the U.S. Maybe the best european point guard ever Sarunus Jasikevicius cant get his own shot and isn't much of a penetrator. He just ran the offense and hit open shots.
Lots of international teams play zone defense, right? So if you can drive the lane and draw in the zone, you'll have open teammates on the wings to whom you can pass the ball.
CW says that you need good shooter to beat the zone by shooting over the top of it, if I remember correctly.
Joined: 31 Dec 2004 Posts: 881 Location: Durham, NC
Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 6:36 pm Post subject:
tmansback wrote:
Duhon?
Daniels?
Gordon?
I'll give you Bibby but Luke is a better passer than him. Tinsley is a great passer but is always hurt. Hinrich probably should have been selected over him though.
Daniels has a low turnover rate, and was known for a positive team impact (+/-, as well as other team stats) while in Seattle. And I think Duhon and/or Gordon could be a better backup than Ridnour, but I guess that's more just personal opinion.
Consider that none of the players you would take ahead of Ridnour agreed to the three-year commitment required to attend the training camp. The only player we know that publicly stated they would agree to the commitment and wasn't invited was Allen Iverson.
Why you think for International play at the point guard you need to get your own shot. The US has had plenty of point guards that could get there own shots internationally and what did it get the U.S. Maybe the best european point guard ever Sarunus Jasikevicius cant get his own shot and isn't much of a penetrator. He just ran the offense and hit open shots.
Lots of international teams play zone defense, right? So if you can drive the lane and draw in the zone, you'll have open teammates on the wings to whom you can pass the ball.
CW says that you need good shooter to beat the zone by shooting over the top of it, if I remember correctly.
You dont beat a zone by dribbling though. You beat it with ball movement. Dribbling through a zone leads to steals. You play certain zones to stop dribble penetration. The goal in the offense should be find the holes in the zone and hit the open shots. Going one on one against a zone is exactly what whoever playing the zone wants. You do want to hit the 3 point shot against the zone. However, if your passing correctly against a zone you'll get layups and dunks out of it.
Dont see Duhon. If they had taken someone off the Bulls it would have to be Hinrich. I love Daniels as a role player but there are much better players that can do his role.
You already have Ben Gordon on the team. There names are Gilbert Arenas and Dwayne Wade. Whats the point on bringing in another player that is similar to them. That was the problem in the last Olympics. A team full of slashers and drivers with really no great ballhandlers or shooters. The goal to whoever puts together this team is to give the coach of the squad options. If there shutting down your squad in the paint you can bring in a guy like Brad Miller that can hit a jump shot. You want someone to just get the ball to Lebron and Kobe make Ridnour or Paul your points. Need more scoring in the backcourt then go Wade and Kobe.
You already have Ben Gordon on the team. There names are Gilbert Arenas and Dwayne Wade.
Gordon's made 110 3-pointers season at a 42.5% clip. Wade has made six at an 11.8% clip. I'm not seeing the comparison. (Arenas has made more 3s, 133, but shoots just 35.9%.)
As far as Daniels, he's 31 in two weeks and has declined dramatically this season. Is he going to be good in 2008?
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