Team USA 2024
- Thread starter ifmanis5
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Jones got away with a massive carry, which froze Jrue.
Ant then got away with a blatant foul underneath.
The choices on who should be there and how many minutes some guys are playing are questionable. The second part can and will be fixed when the games count. The first...seems not. Not a good fucking sign going to the last minute against S. Sudan, not to mention how little defense was being played.
Once they went away from Embiid iso posts ups and Ant being an on ball ball stopper, things looked SO much better.
I don’t have the words to describe LeBron, my god.
I don’t have the words to describe LeBron, my god.
This was a typical Lakers game. Lebron and AD bailing out the rest of the team and escaping with a win.
They cared for the 5 or so minutes it took to erase a double-digit deficit and get a small lead, then they checked out again.
It got interesting down the stretch because Curry missed two wide open 3s, Davis missed a relatively easy alley oop, and South Sudan got a bunch of offensive rebounds.
I missed most of the game and caught up on replay, was Embiid as bad as everyone has been saying? By the numbers at least it was a pretty nice game for him, other than the 3 turnovers.
I missed most of the game and caught up on replay, was Embiid as bad as everyone has been saying? By the numbers at least it was a pretty nice game for him, other than the 3 turnovers.
Embiid was moving like molasses and made a bunch of lazy/dumb/I can't move because Im injured plays on defense.
Can they drop Embiid? He hurts the roster. I don’t see this team actually wining with him getting minutes.
Embiid looked much better in the second half when they used him off of LeBron and Steph, as opposed to them playing off of him.
If that keeps up, I think he will be fine, at least offensively.
If that keeps up, I think he will be fine, at least offensively.
This feels a little like when Abby Wambach was in her last World Cup and USA kept running her out there in every match – and they kept escaping with wins but just barely. Eventually, the coaches just said they loved everything she did for them but had to put the team on the field that gave them the best chance to win the Cup, her minutes were reduced and they ran over everyone.
My guess is that something similar happens here – they try it over and over again and say “Joel is a warrior and wants to be out there for his country but he’s injured so we all agreed to do what’s best for the team” and (mostly) sit him. Maybe.
My guess is that something similar happens here – they try it over and over again and say “Joel is a warrior and wants to be out there for his country but he’s injured so we all agreed to do what’s best for the team” and (mostly) sit him. Maybe.
If USA BBall said that Embiid was injured, it would be an incredible sh#tstorm.
Why? He was injured at the end of the season and came back in the playoffs.
I’m suggesting they work with him on it BTW – not just saying it without his input.
Because if Embiid is indeed injured at all, he shouldn't be playing at all. Or practicing. Or doing anything but trying to deal with his injury so he can be ready for the real season - the NBA season. Plus risking further injury would be grossly negligent.
Joel obviously really wants to play for Team USA. Assuming they win, won't it be the biggest thing he's ever won? I'm not saying he's 100%. But USA BBall is not going to say he's injured (even if he's injured) and then keep playing him. If they say he's injured, they are going to find a replacement.
I agree he “looks” injured. He can’t jump at all and is so slow out there.
He had a meniscus tear, the tear trimmed out, and then came back for the playoffs. There’s no real injury he should still have at this point.
He’s either very out of shape or the meniscus tear was bad and he’s getting some arthritis his knee.
They apparently sent Kawhi home without his input, against his will. Granted its easier to do when you're still in the country (and they definitely have bigger plans for Embiid than they did for Kawhi), but it wouldn't exactly be unprecedented for them.
For what little it's worth, I don't think he's injured per se. He looks like some combination of hesitant and rusty, and it can't be said enough how this current situation (the rules and being just one of a dozen stars, instead of THE star) doesn't do him any favors.
Ant and Steph from half-court. They shoot those like I shoot my FTs.
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I don't think that we know if Kawhi was actually sent home against his will. I know that's what was said, but players, agents, and FO staff of their team and the USA team are gonna spin for reasons. Just like if Joel is hurt.
This is true, but given what we know for sure (Kawhi showed up to Vegas and definitely wanted to play, and the team already has one questionably available player in Durant), it makes the most sense to me that the team made the call, not Kawhi and his people. Has team USA said anything in response to the Clippers FO being public about their displeasure with how Kawhi was removed?
No the team hasn't responded, but it's super unlikely that they would either way. I think that he's probably hurt, even if it's only a nagging thing. And like wbcd said, nobody wants that out there, if that's it. Kawhi doesn't, team USA definitely doesn't, the Clippers sure don't. Maybe he's not, but I don't see any other reason why Kerr/Hill would recruit the guy then send him home against his will. Makes no sense.
If Kawhi thought he was physically fine, and the team doctors disagreed and thought he wasn't and went out of their way to make sure he was taken care of, that would certainly be the ultimate irony for the category.
Durant hasn’t even been practicing with his calf. He has to get sent home and replaced wouldn’t you think?
I'd agree, except they responded to Jaylen's tweets about being snubbed. Why respond to that and not this, unless this one has some truth to it?
Just about out of time for that, no? I don't believe the team is coming back to the US, and for better or worse they have 11 healthy guys (meaning they aren't exactly missing him). Maybe they make a last second minute decision (I believe they another week to finalize the roster) and just bring someone in as emergency depth, but the time to bring in someone who might actually play (i.e. Jaylen) feels just about done. If that's the case, might as well hold out hope that Durant can give it a go.
They can pick and choose who they answer to, that said, it does look weird that they responded to Jaylen specifically. But I don't think it's as deep as you think it is
Different politics involved.
Team USA doesn't want to do anything that causes players or those who hold their contracts to rethink participation in amateur play in general. I'd imagine that they're weighing their public statements very carefully with regard for overall impact and are not particularly concerned with facts here.
It’s not just Embiid. Playing 11 guys (or 12 with Durant) in a 40 minute game you are trying to win is not optimal coaching.* I’d probably DNP-CD (or close to it) Embiid and Haliburton and I don’t know…Booker I guess. You don’t need six guards.
* This is assuming a competitive game.
* This is assuming a competitive game.
Yeah I think that we're all expecting Kerr to do the right thing when it matters. He needs to find a rotation that doesn't give up 100 points to the likes of South Sudan. I'm hoping to see less of Embiid and Hali and short leashes on Booker and Ant. Guys don't D up, limit their minutes. To be fair to Embiid, I think that rad is right and Joel is in the midst of discovering that he has some bone on bone. If that's true, he has no idea what he can and can't do right now, and it's less of an effort thing and more of a "wtf is happening to me right now" thing. But Hali is a sieve, Booker isn't any better, and the FIBA game seems to be moving too fast for Ant imo.
If they need to replace someone, that conversation seems a little awkward. Snubbing Jaylen again would look odd, but I can also see him refusing the invitation, which I’m sure USA basketball doesn’t want.