Took 8 games.
USA Olympic Basketball Squad
Re: USA Olympic Basketball Squad
Obviously we could play what if all day long but.....
What if we took Durant (and Tatum?) off the team - would they have gotten a Bronze?
Point of my asking is that I don't feel this was a "team" Gold as much as I believe they needed Durant to carry them.
Whatever, THEY got the job done. "Job finished". I say - finished job well done.
Re: USA Olympic Basketball Squad
They kept a 2-3+ possession lead thru the 4th but the rest of the team seemed to tense up down the stretch. Missed free throws, careless turnovers, bricked guarded jumpers that made me wonder why they didn’t just have Russell Westbrook on the team. Oh, and also made me wonder why Pop never called a timeout.
So it gets down to a 1 possession game with 8 seconds left, and they run a play to get Durant the inbounds. He gets fouled and hits both freebies like nbd.
So it gets down to a 1 possession game with 8 seconds left, and they run a play to get Durant the inbounds. He gets fouled and hits both freebies like nbd.
Re: USA Olympic Basketball Squad
Great to see the turn around. Kansas competing with Durant's Texas teams are a highlight of the Big 12 back when it was still a conference.
Re: USA Olympic Basketball Squad
Kevin Durant has a match up advantage over almost every person who guards him. Any coach who doesn't take advantage of that should be fired. I didn't think he carried the US more than he was simply always the best player on the floor.NotGutterGutter wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 6:58 amObviously we could play what if all day long but.....
What if we took Durant (and Tatum?) off the team - would they have gotten a Bronze?
Point of my asking is that I don't feel this was a "team" Gold as much as I believe they needed Durant to carry them.
Whatever, THEY got the job done. "Job finished". I say - finished job well done.
Durant was far and away the leading scorer on the 2012 US team that won gold that had Kobe, LeBron, Melo, Westbrook, Paul and Harden and he was far and away the leading scorer on the 2016 US team that won gold that had Melo, Kyrie, Klay, Paul George and Jimmy Butler. He certainly didn't carry either of those teams, either.
I honestly think that Durant is the best pure scorer in NBA history, MJ was the most exciting scorer in NBA history and Wilt was the most dominant scorer in NBA history.
Re: USA Olympic Basketball Squad
We be to differ. I feel Durant carried this team. Just as I feel he carried the 2016 team.
As far as 2012, he averaged 19.5 points per game BUT he did it averaging 26 minutes a game while Melo averaged 16.3 points per game playing 17.8 minutes a game. KD took more shots than everyone else too.
Melo, LeBron, Love, Paul, Harden, Iguodala, Chandler, and Davis all had better shooting percentages.
As far as 2012, he averaged 19.5 points per game BUT he did it averaging 26 minutes a game while Melo averaged 16.3 points per game playing 17.8 minutes a game. KD took more shots than everyone else too.
Melo, LeBron, Love, Paul, Harden, Iguodala, Chandler, and Davis all had better shooting percentages.
Re: USA Olympic Basketball Squad
I wonder if Chuck and Scott remember they were teammates in 92. Not sure how/why they would forget.
Anyway/s, Chuck is worth many millions of dollars more than I am but I would be happy to give him $100 to beat the piss out of Scott. Coincidently, one guy is one of the nicest athletes I have ever encountered while the other guy is one of the biggest douchebags I have ever encountered. I'll let you guess which is/was which.
https://sports.yahoo.com/charles-barkle ... p_catchall
Anyway/s, Chuck is worth many millions of dollars more than I am but I would be happy to give him $100 to beat the piss out of Scott. Coincidently, one guy is one of the nicest athletes I have ever encountered while the other guy is one of the biggest douchebags I have ever encountered. I'll let you guess which is/was which.
https://sports.yahoo.com/charles-barkle ... p_catchall