USA vs Italy

[slinslin]

Wtf is Larry Brown doing?

Boozer, Odom and Marion at PF before Amare?

Where is Lebron?

Larry is playing the smallest lineups he can.

 

[carey]

Yeah, and we're down by 8 points. We look sluggish. We've had to throw up last second shots as the shot clock wound down quite a few times already. Their zone defense is killing us. I hate the fact that I have to listen to Bill Walton during these games.

 

[Gaddabout]

We put together a 12-team roster with little outside shooting. Is anyone surprised we'd struggle with a zone?

 

[DevonCardsFan]

There getting killed with outside shooting and theres 4:00 left in the 2nd and no Amare WTF

 

[B-Dogg]

is the game on the radio. or being broadcast over the internet anywhere?

 

[Chaz]

Wow down 8 but they have a whole half left to play (and 1:30)

 

[Chaz]

Amare must not be fitting into LB's system so far.

 

[slinslin]

Larry Brown is playing small ball!

Looks like he is going to sub Amare for Duncan all the time at center. You would think he would play them together.

 

[Chaz]

Marion had a good first half.

 

[sunsfn]

The game is on ESPN......

 

[Chaz]

That guy for Italy is unconscious. He just hit a 30 ft bank shot.

 

[NJYAJ09]

slinslin, why arnt you at the game? isnt it in Germany?

 

[NJYAJ09]

SICK BLOCK BY AMARE!!!!!

 

[NJYAJ09]

USA is getting schooled. 14 down with 5 minutes left? Italy is very good, Vasilli seems to make every three he jacks up, the center has made some unbelivible shots as well, including a few threes. Italy plays like a team.

EDIT - Italy now has a twenty point lead. blech.

 

[Cheesebeef]

can we finally lay to the rest to the notion that because Shawn Marion is an Olympian that is proof positive that he is a GREAT player - considering he's been a member of two embarassing Team USAs. The Olympic team just ain't what it used to be - and I think it's hilarious and ultimately just makes Shaq, McGrady, Garnett and all the other wussies (yes - I said wussies) look like complete chumps.

I don't blame this team - they are almost all replacements, mediocre All-Stars or guys too young to really be ready for this. I blame the superstars that are supposed to lead the league - it's a reason I hate the NBA so much - there's really no one all that likable like there was back in the day.

 

[Chaz]

can we finally lay to the rest to the notion that because Shawn Marion is an Olympian that is proof positive that he is a GREAT player - considering he's been a member of two embarassing Team USAs. The Olympic team just ain't what it used to be - and I think it's hilarious and ultimately just makes Shaq, McGrady, Garnett and all the other wussies (yes - I said wussies) look like complete chumps.

I don't blame this team - they are almost all replacements, mediocre All-Stars or guys too young to really be ready for this. I blame the superstars that are supposed to lead the league - it's a reason I hate the NBA so much - there's really no one all that likable like there was back in the day.

Well I think your point would be more convincing if Marion didn't look like one of the best players on the team.

Marion is a team player and a great "garbage" player.


The USA is just being schooled right now. The defense is horrible and Italy seems like they can't miss a 3. The US is pressing and turning the ball over and Italy just has no pressure either mental or physical. Italy is banging in the lane and the US is reaching in for steals.

This is really depressing to watch. I think this may be the biggest loss (point wise) in USA basketball history.

 

[F-Dog]

Yeah, the problem with this US team was obvious from the start--too many Amares, not enough Marions. It's going to be very tough for them to win with only three guys they can count on (RJeff being the third).


I think the US will improve at defending the drive-and-kick, anyway. Not necessarily the young guys (and definitely not Boozer), but Odom, Iverson and Marbury should improve, at least. There's no excuse for collapsing on guys who are overmatched anyway and leaving shooters wide open on the perimeter.

As far as not making enough shots from the perimeter themselves--well, that's why the US won't win in Athens, right?

 

[slinslin]

Larry Brown has the team playing like crap.

They are passing the ball around without making anything happen.

They have no offensive game plan...

 

[sly fly]

Ok. WTF. I'm out on the road right now and can't get anything on ESPN.com about the game.

How is Italy beating them? What's Duncan doing? Lebron? Amare?

How? How? How? Down by 20? Are you kidding me?

I need details.

Thi team should be good enough to beat freakin Italy.

 

[NJYAJ09]

LOL @ the show after the exhibition game

Streetball's very different from the game we just saw.

 

[George O'Brien]

can we finally lay to the rest to the notion that because Shawn Marion is an Olympian that is proof positive that he is a GREAT player - considering he's been a member of two embarassing Team USAs. The Olympic team just ain't what it used to be - and I think it's hilarious and ultimately just makes Shaq, McGrady, Garnett and all the other wussies (yes - I said wussies) look like complete chumps.

Marion actually looked pretty good, but it really didn't matter. Italy has a team and the USA has a bunch of players.

Internatinal experience IS important. All of those travelling calls should have been expected because NBA players routinely travel. And the USA players seemed to get very distracted by the fact that the refs permit moving screens.

None the less, it is hard to figure out why the US Olympic team did not go out of its way to select more three point shooters - or any. It is not a team that is designed for international rules even if they played more like a team.

My guess is that the Pistons as a team would have been more competative because it takes a while to learn to play team defense. The USA team was simply not able to play enough team defense to deal with the quick ball handling and incredible outside shooting the Italians showed.

 

[sly fly]

What's more shocking?

USA getting thumped by the Screamin' Corchiani's?

Or...

Dave Chapelle getting a $50 million contract?

 

[NJYAJ09]

we lost by about 20-24. It should have been like 28 but we got some cheap baskets at the end.


Everyones playing horrible. Theres two guards on Italys team that seem to make every three and they get tons of steals. Then, their center who looks like my neighbor, except a foot taller seems to grab every offensive rebound and score every put-back. very embarassing.

Toward the end of the game, the italian players were bowing towards the crowd on the court, and dancing and stuff.



EDIT- a 17 point loss, just checked ESPN. Would have been much more except we stole the ball about three times right in front of our basket in the last thirty seconds.

 

[Chaz]

Ok. WTF. I'm out on the road right now and can't get anything on ESPN.com about the game.

How is Italy beating them? What's Duncan doing? Lebron? Amare?

How? How? How? Down by 20? Are you kidding me?

I need details.

Thi team should be good enough to beat freakin Italy.

Stupid turnovers, Italy shooting the lights out.

Duncan looks good but the Italians are swarming him in the lane.

Stupid calls by the refs against the US when they make something happen. They cut it to four in the second half but then Italy made like 3 or 4 threes in a row and the US quickly faded after that.

Like I said depressing. The US has the talent to beat anyone but they are not playing well at all. Italy was allowed to do pretty much anything they wanted by the US defense.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

This game reminded me of an upset in the NCAA tournament. The international three is a joke, and the Italian team had one play, drive, kick out for three. Granted they made the shots, but it is crap basketball, exactly the crap that is ruining the college game. The U.S. looked admittedly bad, especially Carmello. The guy shoots every time he touches the ball. The U.S. looked horrendous defensively, and few players showed any fire.

Worst of all, the refs completely changed the game. After Amare's monster block, Lebron made a huge dunk, was fouled, and the refs called traveling, one of the worst calls I've ever seen, and changed the complexion of the game. The dunk would have cut it to ten, with momentum to the U.S. Numerous terrible calls were made, but the U.S. still lost the game based on their play, and incredibly lucky shooting by the Italians.