Spain won!!!

[Endrik]

btw. danastas I liked isolation offence a lot myself because I was a good 1-on-1 player, I had great speed, strenght and jump. But you can't do it all the time, because the defense gets used to it. I wasn't a crazy shooter or anything like that, my job was always to be against the opposite team's best player in defense, but most of my scores came from 1-on-1 play, otherwise I really didn't shot much.

[VitaminG]

I think the US have put together a decent team to try and rectify their problems. They have a bunch of good guys in there who want to play the game the right way. This tournament, I saw the US play in the least selfish manner I've seen since they allowed pro players into international play. They still have some problems inherent in the style in which they play in their regular season comp, but you could see a team trying to work those problems out to try and compete against the rest of the world. It's a far cry from watching Marbury pissing and moaning on the bench because the world isn't playing fair for him.

And what was nice to see was that they were pretty gracious in defeat. They set out to win gold, but when things didn't go according to plan, there was no blaming of the refs, the rules, their teammates, coaches, etc. They seem to finally understand that they don't have a god-given right to the gold medal just for turning up.

I disagree that the rest of the world plays a style of basketball designed to stifle individual brilliance. Did you miss the US-Greece game, where the Greeks upped their scoring average of the tournament by 20 points to beat the US? How about how Spanoulis continued to carve up the US defense to get to the hole? And the US seemed unable to adapt to the Greek offense, and allowed them to repeatedly run the same basic offence. It was effective fundamental basketball, but the US apparently didn't have the smarts to counter it.

There is room for individual 1-on-1 play at the international level - the difference is that it's not the ONLY option. The US were playing too much first option ball (which is understandable, given the NBA marketing machine's obsession with isolation play), but when they were able to string
a series of passes together, they could still manage to make their opposition look like chumps. And don't forget, they may have ONLY got bronze, but they still only lost one game all tournament.

[Endrik]

Yeah Gary, Euroleague is full of great 1-on-1 players and they show it. And like you said, it's not their only option.
One of Estonain's all time best players Martin Muursepp who I know personally was one of the best if not the best 1-on-1 players in Europe a couple of years ago. But also he is a monster defense machine and a 100% team player. He was pretty avarage in NBA, he said that he couldn't do anything against Malone, Webber and other that kind of players, specially with the NBA rules, he liked to play against Garnett tho, he said he was an easy oponent. But in Eruope and in International games he destroys because he plays in teams where the players play like a team.

US is still a very strong team because of the physical abilities of the players. They just score so many points, but sometimes you have a bad day and everyone misses and if you don't have any defense, then you are screwed. US had some great players like Wayde, but most of them are still kids who try to impress the audience with their individual skills.

European and Latin players have studied a lot from US players how to be physical and how to play 1-on-1. They are very physical these days. Times have changed a lot since the mid 90's. Now US folks have a lot to learn from the European players.

[fett]

Basketball was invented in the US of A. And if we can't beat a bunch of foreign countries, what is this world coming to? I know. US atheletes are a bunch of over-paid; over-indulged babies. Once they get into an international game they are toast.:ROTF:

[fett]

The US was endorsed by Nike. The rest of the world is endorsed by Scud. This is just an awful joke. I'm sorry.

[RacerX]

NBA should cut the crap and bring the real basketball back to life. I hate basketball 90% of time right now. NBA wich is more like a circus.
USA has the most ridiculous offense strategy in the world right now. Point guard dribbles to his zone, then he passes to somone who goes instantly to 1-on-1 play. It's ridiculous, only one pass. And they have a shooting-line/order. "I shoot first, then you, then him, and then that dude and then me again" or something like that.

Oh you would've hated it in the 1950s then, before they came up with the 24 second shot clock

Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_clock

[danastas]

btw. danastas I liked isolation offence a lot myself because I was a good 1-on-1 player, I had great speed, strenght and jump. But you can't do it all the time, because the defense gets used to it. I wasn't a crazy shooter or anything like that, my job was always to be against the opposite team's best player in defense, but most of my scores came from 1-on-1 play, otherwise I really didn't shot much.

Endrik, we actually agree about what we like to see. I'd love the see the 83 6ers, 84 Celts and 85 Lakers reborn. But the fact is the teams that have been winning the whole enchilada excel at isolation. It sucks, but there you have it.

Look at klast year. No one could stop Dwayne Wade. In the international game he can be stopped because teams can use zones that are illegal on him. I actually prefer the international game, but I recognize that if FIBA played by NBA rules, the US would dominate.

When you consider that NBA players butter their bread with isolation moves, then of course they are going to pay more attention to that aspect of the game.

The Pistons were an anomaly as far as the NBA recently. They actually had a little bit of motion in their offense (Hamilton) but they too relied on isolation (Billups). The only team that tried the Euro method (New Jersey) finally gave up on it and imported Vince Carter so they could play the same way as all the others.

[danastas]

I always say soccer because it's closer to sucker than football. And you can't do much with martial arts against Shaq O'Neal

Plus, the Brits came up with the word soccer, not Americans.

They called it soccer in the 1800s, and that's where the word comes from.

[fett]

Basketball sucks. 1, Their shorts are too long; 2, They double driibble all the time. and 3, They travel more than pioneers. The shot-clock is a joke. The 3 point ring is a joke. And why does it take 20 minutes to complete the last 2 minutes? Football is not a whole lot better. And soccer and hockey need bigger goals. I know that goes against my general drift. But, what's with 1-0 scores. 90 minutes of a bunch of players running or skating around making millions of bucks. For what? I know!!!! The commercials.:ROTF: :ROTF: :ROTF: :ROTF:

[VitaminG]

fett, you should try some international basketball, where the shorts are shorter, double-dribbling is called, and refs will not look the other way as some razzle-dazzler takes 4 steps on the way to the rack for the sake of SHOWTIME!!

Try it. It's pure, it's right, you might like it

[fett]

fett, you should try some international basketball, where the shorts are shorter, double-dribbling is called, and refs will not look the other way as some razzle-dazzler takes 4 steps on the way to the rack for the sake of SHOWTIME!!

Try it. It's pure, it's right, you might like it

Yeah, I know. That was the NBA years ago. The shit now is nothing but showboating ; palming the ball ; and more steps than a square dance. Not only that, B-Ball was created when poeple weren't 7 feet tall. Raise the hoop 1 foot. Make the courts 20 feet longer. And get rid of the baggy shorts.:ROTF: :ROTF: :ROTF:

[Endrik]

long shorts are must, short shorts are just fucking gay

[danastas]

Yeah, I know. That was the NBA years ago. The shit now is nothing but showboating ; palming the ball ; and more steps than a square dance. Not only that, B-Ball was created when poeple weren't 7 feet tall. Raise the hoop 1 foot. Make the courts 20 feet longer. And get rid of the baggy shorts.:ROTF: :ROTF: :ROTF:

The sport you're describing is called Korfball

http://www.korfball.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=6&Itemid=43