I saw a, but this really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who saw the world championships a couple years ago. If the USA really had its best players out there every year (that's right keep the team together, so they are accustomed to each other) they would destroy everyone. But we all know that just as impossible anymore. So now it's up to the selection committee to put the right team together. It was obvious when they picked the team at the committee failed.
That world championship team lost because they couldn't handle a zone defense and couldn't shoot the ball. This is an even worse shooting team. Marbury and Iverson are very good NBA players, but they are about the worst possible choices for this type of competition. I'm just not sure who is a better choice that hadn't already turned down the team.
ASUCHRIS said:
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.
I have watched this game twice already thanks to Tivo. You must have something against Anthony because the team would have been better if he had played the entire time. He was the only team USA player taking and making shots from outside. He went to the basket aggressively. Other than Tim Duncan he might have been their best player. He was also quite active on defense.
I've been critical of Anthony because I hate the way he whines to the media without his exclusion from the All-Star game and then team USA. But he has been one of the better players on this team. He outplayed James by a longshot today.
If you really want to blame one player in particular for the lost today it has got to be Allen Iverson. He was flat out horrible. He couldn't have had any fewer than 6 turnovers. His defense was just atrocious. I mean Marbury didn't play particularly well, but he was much, much better than Iverson. Of course I don't blame the entire loss on him. He was the worst player for team USA though.
Regarding the referees, they were pretty bad. Honestly, if you watched the game objectively the officiating definitely favored the Italians. LeBron James traveled on that play. I thought that was pretty clear. In fact I think he traveled more than once in the game. The reason I thought the officiating favored the Italians was that they were going to the free-throw line when they were getting contact on their drives. The Americans on the other hand could have gone to the free-throw line a whole lot more. The Italians were grabbing, groping, and bumping the entire game.
That said, the officials did not cost team USA they game. The Americans were badly outplayed on both ends.
BTW, if this is the way Larry Brown plans on running his defense Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire aren't going to learn anything new. The defense looked exactly like the Phoenix Suns' defense last year. I mean it looked exactly like it. The point guards and shooting guards were constantly beaten off the dribble and off of picks while everyone else ran around like chickens with their heads cut off.
Joe Mama
