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2021 Olympic Basketball: USA v France for Gold (Friday 10:30 est)


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2 hours ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

How many A-listers did the team have back in 2016? This team just lacks any sort of perimeter defense at the moment and probably could use someone who would move the ball.

That team didn't have a ton of "A listers" but DeMarcus Cousins was at his peak, Melo was still playing at a high level, Paul George was coming into his own, and then guys like Jimmy Butler/Klay Thompson/DeRozan were coming off of the best years of their career. 

As you said though this team just lacks any type of perimeter defense and Pop just looks indifferent tbh. No real offensive system, no sense of urgency, and no defensive intensity. 

I think the biggest difference between the two teams is size/length which is why this team has been so bad defensively. The 2016 team had 2 small guards, 2 6'11" bigs, and 8 versatile wings that were 6'7+. This years team is much smaller with guys who don't really defend that well in Lavine, Beal, Lillard, etc. And the only two bigs we have are Love and Bam who are both like 6'8. 

2016 team

G - Kyrie Irving | Kyle Lowry

G - Klay Thompson | DeMar DeRozan

F - Paul George | Jimmy Butler | Harrison Barnes 

F - Kevin Durant | Draymond Green | Carmelo Anthony

C - DeMarcus Cousins | DeAndre Jordan

2020 team

G - Damian Lillard | Jrue Holiday

G - Brad Beal | Devin Booker | Zach Lavine

F - Kevin Durant | Khris Middleton 

F - Draymond Green | Jayson Tatum | Jerami Grant

C - Bam Adebayo | Kevin Love

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21 minutes ago, NYRaider said:

That team didn't have a ton of "A listers" but DeMarcus Cousins was at his peak, Melo was still playing at a high level, Paul George was coming into his own, and then guys like Jimmy Butler/Klay Thompson/DeRozan were coming off of the best years of their career. 

As you said though this team just lacks any type of perimeter defense and Pop just looks indifferent tbh. No real offensive system, no sense of urgency, and no defensive intensity. 

I think the biggest difference between the two teams is size/length which is why this team has been so bad defensively. The 2016 team had 2 small guards, 2 6'11" bigs, and 8 versatile wings that were 6'7+. This years team is much smaller with guys who don't really defend that well in Lavine, Beal, Lillard, etc. And the only two bigs we have are Love and Bam who are both like 6'8. 

2016 team

G - Kyrie Irving | Kyle Lowry

G - Klay Thompson | DeMar DeRozan

F - Paul George | Jimmy Butler | Harrison Barnes 

F - Kevin Durant | Draymond Green | Carmelo Anthony

C - DeMarcus Cousins | DeAndre Jordan

2020 team

G - Damian Lillard | Jrue Holiday

G - Brad Beal | Devin Booker | Zach Lavine

F - Kevin Durant | Khris Middleton 

F - Draymond Green | Jayson Tatum | Jerami Grant

C - Bam Adebayo | Kevin Love

Right, I'm not saying the 2016 wasn't stacked, because it was, but it just wasn't a team full of A-listers like in 2008 or 2012. That team also was so much better defensively on the perimeter with PG, Klay, Butler and Lowry. 

I'm not starting Dray and Bam together. I'm going with Dame/Jrue/Tatum/KD/Bam. You can insert Dray instead of Bam if you want, but that's my starting five. Jrue is going to have to be the defensive stopper and KD/Tatum/Bam should be fine defensively. You already know the limitations Dame has on that end of the floor, so there is nothing you can do there. But offensively that team has three really good scorers and three good shooters. Booker/Lavine/Beal can be the scorers off the bench and you can plug in Middleton who can provide shooting and is a good defender. 

One guy who naturally moves the ball would have been big for this team. That's something they will be lacking even when the three guards from the finals come aboard. 

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I don't watch any euroball but I do watch a lot of CBA and NBL. NBL is more physical/crowded than NCAA. CBA is pretty soft in terms of calling fouls. But there is no doubt that the NBA has maybe the worst aesthetic style of basketball in the world at this point. They wanted an open game to allow more scoring and the players took that inch and went three miles with it

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