The 2004 DREAM TEAM

Freak

More like a f*cking nightmare... these guys are helping prove exactly what is wrong with today's NBA basketball. Not one player on that team can knock down a jumper consistently; I don't see how they don't have one pure shooter, in an international game where the most effective way to score points is to knock down an outside 3.

I think I read that Richard Jefferson was 36th in the NBA in 3-point shooting, and he's the only member of the squad who finished in the NBA's top 50 (he shot 3 for 16 versus Puerto Rico). I also read that Michael Redd wasn't even invited.

America probably would have had a better chance sending UConn's NCAA-winning group.

DMW

First of all, no one is calling this a dream team. At least no one that knows anything about basketball considers this a dream team. It's been embarrassing to watch.

The lack of jump shooting is only one of several problems with this team. This team was just constructed poorly. If Larry Brown could have just taken his Pistons team to the Olympics, or any other intact NBA playoff team, they would've dominated. It looks as though they just tried to put together the most marketable team they could, inviting the biggest names rather than constructing a well rounded team.

This team just doesn't understand how to play by international rules. They get called for traveling at least ten times a game. They never take advantage of the fact that there is no goal tending or 3 second rules. It's clear that everybody the US plays understands how to play by international rules much better than the US does.

The egos on this team are just too big for them to medal. They should be centering around Tim Duncan, but instead everyone seems to be trying to win the game single-handedly. This all just goes to show how truly amazing the 1992 team was. They weren't just incredibly talented, but they played great team basketball. Then again, the rest of the world has gotten a helluva lot better in the past 12 years.

Dr. Giganto

Sports Moderator

If we actually sent our 12 best players, we would destroy everybody. This roster would blow everyone out by 20 points or more

PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Tracy McGrady
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Shaq
Bench: Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Michael Redd, Tim Duncan, Ron Artest, Ben Wallace, Chris Webber

This way, you have outside shooters in Allen and Redd, incredible defenders in Artest and Wallace, a true point guard who knows how to run an offense in Kidd, plus plenty of scoring from Kobe, T-Mac, Shaq, Garnett, Iverson, and Webber

This year's team should still be blowing people out. this is an embarrasment.

by the way, Richard Jefferson shouldnt be anywhere near this team. and how could they not invite Michael Redd????

Crocker

News & Rumors Moderator

I watched the game yesterday and the so called 'Dream Team' was abysmal

Simon

Founder/Admin

Freak is right though. All this is doing is exposing how selfish the players in todays NBA are. Their overall lack of passing and shooting game.

To play over the rim was cool when it was Dr. J and MJ not when its 90% of the NBA and they shoot 30% from the field.


And they wonder why the NBA is considered a joke throughout most of North America.

I hope the Europeans or some other country beat the snot out of the Americans.

Dr. Giganto

Sports Moderator

Well, its official. no gold for the US. they lost to Argentina in the semis today. the best they can get is Bronze, unfortunately, both teams that they might have to play have beaten them in the last month (Lithuania earlier in the Olympics and Italy in a warm-up game prior to the Olympics)

This is an embarrasment. Plain and simple. Coming into this game US basketball had only lost two games in the history of the Olympics (and one of them was total bullshit). they lost 3 in this Olympics alone!!! and with NBA players!!!! That shows you the sorry state of the NBA right now. With the exception of Duncan, these guys may not have been the best of the best (like Shaq, Kidd, KG, and Kobe), but they still should have been good enough to run through the tournament again.

And I wont even get started on Larry Browns ridiculous refusal to play LeBron. Considering one of the Dream Teams biggest flaws was passing/ball movement, wouldnt it make sense to play your best passer more than 5 minutes a game (as he played against Spain and Lithuania)

Instead, he'd rather keep Stephon "I take 30 shots a game but once every couple of games i'll drop 30 to make people think I'm good, and they call me a point guard just because I'm small even though I cant run an offense to save my life" Marbury in the game for 30 minutes.

Where was Ron Artest? Where was Michael Redd? Why have versatility when you can load the roster with 6'7 swingmen who all play the same position like Odom, Jefferson, Marion, Stoudamire, Carmelo, LeBron?

ugh. I'm so disappointed. :x

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Yeah they needed some more outside shooting for sure, but for them to play like they did going 4-3 (one of those wins coming against Angola), totally get blown out by Puerto Rico, what the fuck. Carlos Arroyo looked like Magic Fucking Johnson in that game, and today Manu looked like the next coming of Michael Jordan. Holy shit, they should be ashamed that they represented U.S. basketball as poorly as they did.

But they aren't gonna be ashamed, they will go back to there mansions, forget this ever happend, and guys like Marbury will go back to scoring 30 points a game in the NBA while taking 25 shots a game. What a fucking joke. :x

AudioSavior

I am almost positive they are no longer referred to as the DreamTeam. Well people still call them that but they don't refer to themselves as being the DreamTeam.

Simon

Founder/Admin

Who cares.....


I hate the NBA. These jerks didnt deserve to win. They are prolly all ready to go home now and sit on their boats and smoke weed.

Long Duk Dong

I agree with everything here, the NBA players are selfish thugs imo. They only care about money and making themselves look good.