Pick Your 2012 Olympic Team
by Basketball Smurf on Jul 16, 2011 12:57 PM CDT
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Extreme lockout boredom has set in. No news, no player movement, not even negotiations to talk about.
With the growing focus on international ball - see Spain v. Greece - I thought it might be fun to see who you think should/will be on the 2012 Olympic team. Reportedly Colangelo is starting to gauge interest in London 2012. ESPN has a tool that allows you to rank how much you want to see each guy on the roster - Durant is currently #1, Rose #4.
If I had my choice, the team would look like -
Starters:
PG: Rose - Rose didn't play particularly well in the world championships. And PG may be the deepest position in Team USA's roster. But I choose Rose because he is the reigning MVP, I think he will keep getting better, his size and defense will fit well on the international roster and he has the ego to defer to the other stars in the starting lineup. If Rose can shoot the 3 and push the ball on the break, he should make a fine starter.
SG Kobe Bryant - Wade is probably better than Kobe. But I like Kobe's knowledge of the game and mix of skills. He can shoot, defend, and he has the leadership and competitive nature to stand out amongst a group of stars. You want Kobe or Lebron shooting the ball at tight moments? He has to start.
SF Lebron James - Easy pick. His defense, transition ability, passing and all around game makes him perfect for an all-star team. On an international team he can make an impact without dominating the ball.
PF Kevin Durant - Another easy pick. He is the perfect international PF because of his shooting. He seemed to relish making big shots during the world championship. Lebron's more physical nature makes up for Durant's scrawniness.
C Dwight Howard - Dwight isn't really made for international ball, but his defense and rebounding will make Team USA by far the best defensive team in the Olympics. He has the athleticism get out on the break and if he does get a chance to catch the ball in the paint - automatic 2 pts.
Bench
CP3 - played well in the last Olympics. Bring him in and let him run the 2nd team. He'll get steals, keep the tempo up and make smart plays.
Eric Gordon - Team USA will always need shooters. Gordon played very well in the World Championships - his ability to shoot the 3 and play defense make him an excellent back up at the 2.
Wade - The international game allows a guy like Wade to move over and play some back up 3. Westbrook played some 3 for Team USA in the World Championships. He was an assassin in china, scoring almost at will. I see the same working with CP3, Gordon and the next guy.
Melo - You can't deny his ability to play at the international level. His inside-out game is perfect for Team USA and the shorter 3 pt line makes him a real threat from outside.
LaMarcus Aldridge - Bulls fans should cringe. Aldridge can shoot and defend and should fit in fine with Team USA uptempo style. Unlike Chandler, he can play both ends of the floor and he has more size than Odom or Griffin, meaning he can be a true 5 playing international ball
Final Two (Love and Curry)
The final two spots come down to some choices. You want guys who are going to be okay not playing, but also add something your top 10 guys may be missing. In case of injury, you want to be able to put these guys in and be able to count on what they can do. I narrowed it to 6 guys - Deron Williams who was excellent in China, Curry who might be the best shooter on Team USA's potential roster, Westbrook who was sensational in the World Championships, Chandler who defends, rebounds and won't bitch, Love who scores, rebounds and won't bitch, and like a Bosh.
I refuse to put 3 Miami Heat on Team USA, so Bosh is out. I don't know if you need Westbrook with Rose, Wade and Lebron - I think they have everything he does covered. Deron Williams seems like he would be unhappy with his role, he's out. That leaves Curry as the last guard chosen. Love I think outplayed Chandler in the world championships, and Team USA needs an obligatory white guy - Love is in.
So that is my Team USA for London 2012.
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and i still think durant is too skinny to be more useful than melo
melo dominates in international play
Should've traded for Melo.
And if you have Durant and Lebron in one unit
Surely Lebron should be the PF and Durant the SF?
in Beijing Lebron played the 3
in the World Championships, Durant played the 4. So that is why I have them listed that way. But does it really matter? Lebron is going to take the tougher forward matchup on D no matter if its at the 3 or the 4. On offense Lebron is going to handle the ball and Durant is going to be shooting Js from all over. With the way Team USA plays, it really doesn’t matter how you designate the 2.
by Basketball Smurf on Jul 16, 2011 7:21 PM CDT up reply actions
Durant's the better shooter and the better defender
he proved he could handle the physical play during the world championships and he was more dominant than Melo ever has been during international play. I’m taking Durant.
by Basketball Smurf on Jul 16, 2011 7:25 PM CDT up reply actions
obviously you have not been watching Olympic play
Melo had a two year stretch where he was undoubtedly the best player on the team with lebron and wade on it against better competition than what durant team faced quite frankly. with that being said I would start durant though, because just like Derrick I expect his game to get better.
stats
2010 World Championships
Durant 22.8 pts per game, 6.0 reb, 56% from the field, 46% from 3
2006 World Championships
Melo 19.9 pts, 3.7 rebs, 50% from the field, 44% from the 3
2008 Olympics
Melo 11.5 pts, 4.3 rebs, 42% from the field, 38% from the 3.
And just for the record, in the 2008 Olympics -
Wade 16pts, 67% from the field, 47% from 3
Lebron 15.5 pts, 60% from the field, 46% from 3
Lawyered.
by Basketball Smurf on Jul 16, 2011 9:18 PM CDT up reply actions
Your stats are irrelevant,
because just like Rose and Westbrook stats were basically the same but in most games westbrook had a bigger impact, and like I said Melo FACED MUCH BETTER COMPETITION. the top international stars did not even play last year while melo actually did his thing against the actual best.
Really lawyered beyocth! lol
Well the stats do indicate that Melo wasn't better than Lebron and Wade
Which is what you claim.
Pat Riley is the devil.
man shut both of yall asses up
melo had better teammates and outplayed them at least one olympics and he was facing better COMPETITION. and dont give me no bias stats dude, because he is gonna show the 08 olympic stats but what about the 06, he did not show wades and lebrons stats there so please stop it. I know he defintely outplayed them in 06 and I believe in 04 as well.
Naw, he got it right
By the summer of 2012, It will be obvious that Rose is better than paul, and I would still put deron on the team instead of curry, he does everything better and curry isnt that much better of a shooter than deron is
.
Curry is the best shooter in the entire league.
He’s miles better than DWill shooting wise.
never forget...
1.7%
anything is possible...
by wrigleyrocker12 on Jul 16, 2011 11:15 PM CDT up reply actions
there's someone with the record for three pointers made that might beg to differ
Should've traded for Melo.
Curry has made 8 less 3's in his first 2 years than Allen did in his 1st 3.
I’m excited to see what Curry can do if/when he becomes the “man” and GSW trades Ellis.
never forget...
1.7%
anything is possible...
by wrigleyrocker12 on Jul 17, 2011 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions
I agree.
Even if Rose does blossom into another Wade, he’s still a score-first point guard, and likely to remain so because that’s what the Bulls need from him. On a team like that, you want someone who thinks pass first.
I think Paul dominates the ball too much
with Kobe, James, Durant you have 3 guys who are already going to handle the ball a ton. I see Rose as a guy who plays better off the ball than Paul and who’s size gives him an edge defending the European pgs. The 2nd unit with Melo and Gordon (at least my 2nd unit) has guys more apt to play off a strong pg.
by Basketball Smurf on Jul 18, 2011 7:44 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Paul-Rose-Lebron-Melo-Aldridge
Durant-Gordon-Curry-Love-Howard-Griffin-Wade
Let us cavort like the Greeks of old! You know the ones I mean.
rose, gordon,lebron,durant, howard
melo, williams, love,griffin,westbrook, bosh, Paul
didnt pick wade because I dont think he will be up to it anymore and Kobe will be going on 50.
Not only do I think Wade is a better pick than Kobe, but in another year, I wouldn't be surprised if Eric Gordon took that spot.
never forget...
1.7%
anything is possible...
by wrigleyrocker12 on Jul 16, 2011 11:16 PM CDT reply actions
Well formulated.
I would only replace Aldridge with Griffin because I want to see Blake destroy international competition. But with that starting 5 it doesn’t even matter.
How does one practice consistency? Take lots of Benefiber?
by WearShades on May 31, 2011 6:37 AM PDT
by Dr. Handsome, D.D.S. on Jul 16, 2011 11:33 PM CDT reply actions
The Roster Should Look Like....
F Durant
F LeBron
C Howard
G Wade
G Rose
Bench: Melo, Paul, Bosh, Aldridge, Westbrook, Love, D. Williams
I'd rather just go small when Howard is resting.
Run them off the floor.
How does one practice consistency? Take lots of Benefiber?
by WearShades on May 31, 2011 6:37 AM PDT
by Dr. Handsome, D.D.S. on Jul 17, 2011 7:50 AM CDT up reply actions
I'd go with the same starting lineup
Here’s my preferred roster:
Rose / Paul / Curry
Kobe / Curry / Gordon
LeBron / Iggy / Gordon
Durant / Melo / Love
Howard / Odom / Love
It sounds like Wade isn’t sure if he wants to participate, and leaving him out avoids the Kobe v Wade lineup decision. I think Kobe has earned the right to play and to start even if he’s not the best player or best fit there in 2012. This should be his last opportunity with the US team, and he’s been the biggest worldwide star in the NBA post-Jordan.
Similarly, I wanted to reward the players who won the 2010 World Championships rather than treating them like a B squad to be replaced when more notable players became available. Therefore, I kept seven of them and didn’t add anyone who hasn’t played with the US team before. Blake Griffin should be asked to join the team in 2014 and 2016 rather than taking the place of a guy like Odom, who was arguably the second most important player in 2010. Iggy was also a great fit at the World Championships as a defensive pest who created turnovers and easy transition baskets.
by from the window to luol on Jul 17, 2011 12:23 PM CDT reply actions
Odom's getting old.
And Gordon is better than Curry, and has more athletic ability to dominate internationally.
Did anybody else think that the Bulls logo upside down looks like a robot reading a book on a bench?
Best in NBA does not translate to int'l play
Durant and Iggy were easily the most critical pieces to the last world championship. Durant was unstoppable on offense and Iggy was a defensive and rebounding ace. Scorers and defenders rule international play.
A passing pt. guard who can shoot from distance is best for int’l play. IMO CP3 and Curry fit the game the best. The problem is that in physical games CP3 and Curry are out-matched. So players like Wade and Rose are must haves for those games. My list is as follows.
Paul / Rose/ Curry
Wade/ Curry / Gordon
LeBron / Iggy / Gordon
Durant / Melo / Love
Aldridge/ Odom / Love
Melo and Durant have proven their offensive ability on the international level. I think Wade will keep playing as long as LeBron plays. Wade has a chance to sit back as the vet and get a gold medal. Odom is a better transition player than Bosh. Iggy is indispensable as a defender who can guard the best scorer on the court w/o being a vacuum on offense. I honestly believe that Gordon can best most other SG/SF as a pure shooter from distance. I watched a WC game where Love had 8 rebounds and 8 pts in 8 min of play. He cleans up all the offensive boards from the deep ball misses by the US. Howard is not the best center for int’l play. He clogs the lane on defense but has no outside shot on offense. Int’l teams while kill you with zone defense that will hurt the most adept post player. LaMarcus Aldridge fits that position much better. Has some post moves can shoot a short jumper and can guard euro-bigs that shoot from distance.
The team is small, fast, and will kill in transition. In a zone defense there will be lots of success as the bigs can cover most of the court.
So you're playing Aldridge because he is a better defender than Howard?
That makes sense.
Yes I would say that Aldirdge is a better defender on Euro bigs
Howard doesn’t defend well outside the lane. He’s not given the defensive matchups against Euro bigs like Dirk, Bargnani, and Gallinari. All are over 6’10 and would play Center for their countries. Even Pau steps out of the paint in Int’l play. I think the best center is someone who can roam and cover the mobile scoring centers that are more prevalent overseas. Of course, Howard is the better defender in the NBA but it’s not an NBA game. BTW Howard avg 2.875 fouls per game in 2008 Olympics but played only 130 minutes total which is one foul every 6 minutes. Does that mean he’s a bad defender… no. It means his style of defense is not transfer well to int’l play especially the int’l refs. In comparison, Bosh played about the same amt of minutes and had 0.5 foul per game.
you're awful.
"Jimmer is going to take one of those crazy 3s, and DeMarcus Cousins is going to come at him like a rhino."
-Basketball Smurf
Because it isn't "someone". It is LaMarcus Aldridge.
There is nothing that he can do defensively that Dwight cannot.
There might be 5 people on the planet who would play LMA over Howard as the starting center for our Olympic team.
by MagicMark on Jul 18, 2011 8:23 PM CDT up reply actions 6 recs
Do you have
Any evidence that dwight is better at defending outside the lane than Aldridge is? I don’t really remember anytime d12 has done that throughout a game. Aldridge at least plays in the same conference as dirk, pau, zbo, scola, david lee, etc. so he’s had experience guarding big men that play a more international style offense. d12’s perimeter defense is still an unknown. He could dominate or he could be a real liability. U have no proof either way
in the game of Bulls bachelor, Kirk did not receive the final Rose
by comebackkirk12 on Jul 19, 2011 1:01 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
"I don’t really remember anytime d12 has done that throughout a game."
First of all, if that were true, you would have no evidence against Howard’s ability to guard out on the perimeter. Second, it’s flat-out not true that Howard NEVER ends up guarding a perimeter player on a switch. Granted, it probably doesn’t happen too often and I can’t say that I’ve seen enough of it to accurately judge how good he is at it, but MagicMark is a Magic fan who’s probably seen a lot more Orlando basketball than either of us. Considering that Howard is an athletic freak with great size, strength, length and defensive instincts, I don’t find it hard to believe that Howard’s better than Aldridge out on the perimeter. Besides, even though European bigs do spend more time out on the perimeter, Cs still spend the majority of their time guarding the interior. Howard’s going to still be much better than Aldridge at guarding guys like Marc Gasol and Schortsanitis (sp?), and his help defense is so much better than Aldridge’s that this really isn’t a debate.
Pat Riley is the devil.
as i said
“d12’s perimeter defense is still an unknown. He could dominate or he could be a real liability. U have no proof either way.” im not saying he couldnt be great at it. im just saying that aldridge actually has experience doing it for long strectches during games, unlike dwight, who has only had to do it on occassional switches. dwight could be absolutely lost playing perimeter defense throughout an entire game and theres no way to decisively say that that isnt true until we actually see it
in the game of Bulls bachelor, Kirk did not receive the final Rose
by comebackkirk12 on Jul 19, 2011 2:38 PM CDT up reply actions
You're starting to veer away from valid skepticism and towards making stuff up
Aldridge doesn’t exactly spend tons of time out on the perimeter either. He actually spent a good chunk of last season playing the C position for the Blazers. Guarding the paint is still his no. 1 priority, and while we’re on the subject, it’s not something he’s particularly good at.
That’s the main reason this argument is so ridiculous. LaMarcus Aldridge is by no means a world-class defender. There are plenty of bigs out there who are way better than Howard at guarding guys out on the perimeter (like our own Joakim Noah), but Aldridge just isn’t one of them.
Pat Riley is the devil.
ive never claimed
aldridge is a world class defender or anything near it, but hes obviously had more experience with guarding perimeter bigs. dwight could very well be plain bad at defending on the perimeter. not probable but possible, but theres no proof either way yet. and the only reason he played so much center this year was because marcus camby was out for 20 something games.
in the game of Bulls bachelor, Kirk did not receive the final Rose
by comebackkirk12 on Jul 19, 2011 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions
It doesn't matter what the reason was for him playing C, the point is he still was
You’re overestimating how often Aldridge guards guys out on the perimeter, and you’re underestimating how often Howard’s been out there. Howard’s spent 7 years in the NBA. You think he’s never ended up switched onto somebody like Mehmet Okur? Get real.
Besides, you’re also overestimating how important it is for bigs to play perimeter defense at the international level. Yes, European teams may have more perimeter-shooting bigs, but most of them aren’t that skilled. It’s still the Gasols and Luis Scolas of the world that do their damage in the post that are more impactful.
Pat Riley is the devil.
by Poloplaya14 on Jul 19, 2011 3:06 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Just because he plays in the same conference doesn't mean he has had any success against those players.
I know that Dwight is the best defensive player on the planet, and not every play ends in a jumpshot for the opposing team (which would actually help the US if it did, since they are statistically the worst shot in basketball). He controls the paint better than anyone alive right now.
This doesn’t even take into account the fact that none of the guys you think he might have trouble defending would have literally zero chance of ever stopping him on the offensive end.
by MagicMark on Jul 19, 2011 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Best Defensive player on the planet... really
So it seems your argument boils down to Dwight Howard is the best defensive player on the planet so he gets the start. No need to check stats game film or even watch any int’l ball. I think that argument is good enough to convince you or anyone else without the ability to reason. Does NBA talent transfer to int’l game? Is referreeing in int’l play biased against bigs? What offensive systems are run on int’l teams that may make certain skill sets less valuable? You can even discount that LMA isn’t the best fit but you have given a piss poor argument for D12 throughout this thread. Use reason, stats, or logic, but jocking D12 won’t convince anyone that you are right. The guy locks down the paint and gets called for alot of fouls. That’s not good defense. Refs are biased against bigs so he won’t get the calls he gets in the NBA. I think they can find someone on the team to make up his 11pts and 6rbs per game. Without giving up free throws to the other team. Look I’m a bulls fan I know what happens when a big gets called for stupid fouls (Boozer) he becomes a liability especially during crunch time.
by JJCMHS23 on Jul 19, 2011 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Boozer gets called for stupid fouls because he is not a good defensive player.
Howard gets called for fouls usually due to being overaggressive. There is a significant difference.
by MagicMark on Jul 19, 2011 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions 4 recs
is the end result really that different?
by SidM on Jul 19, 2011 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
No, the end results of the 3 possessions a game where Boozer/Howard gets called for a foul aren't different
But the end results of the other 90+ possessions a game are.
Pat Riley is the devil.
by Poloplaya14 on Jul 19, 2011 2:49 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
i would imagine
a zone defense, which is what most international teams rely on against the US, would give him a hard time. in which case he would have to step out and play more face up, which aldridge is much better than him at doing. and when we actually see him dominate a permiter big man defensively, then ill come back here and apologize for being wrong, but until then, there is no end all be all to this argument.
in the game of Bulls bachelor, Kirk did not receive the final Rose
by comebackkirk12 on Jul 19, 2011 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Howard's actually fairly effective against a zone
He’s pretty good at moving from block-to-block looking for quick catch-and-finishes. It’s really hard to take away all the entry pass lanes from him because he’s always a threat to spin away from his defender and go up for an alley-oop. It’s pretty well established that the best way to neutralize Howard is to have a guy who can body him up in the post and force him to go 1-on-1 on the block.
Pat Riley is the devil.
by Poloplaya14 on Jul 19, 2011 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
nba zones
arent exactly the same as what they play internationally because teams are able to pack the paint more with the international style. and some of the push off moves and physicality he gets away with in the nba may not fly with international refs. either way, the US team should realistically be able to start kurt thomas and still win with the way the rest of the team is structured
in the game of Bulls bachelor, Kirk did not receive the final Rose
by comebackkirk12 on Jul 19, 2011 3:07 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
id rather have bosh then love. bosh was awesome in 08'
"Jimmer is going to take one of those crazy 3s, and DeMarcus Cousins is going to come at him like a rhino."
-Basketball Smurf
Bogans, Bogans and Bogans...
"I see PRIDE, I see POWER, I see a BADASS MOTHA WHO WON'T TAKE NO CRAP OFF NOBODY!"
Olympic team
Tina Charles
Candace Parker
Tamika Catchings
Diana Taurasi
Sue Bird
Sylvia Fowles
Candace Dupree
Maya Moore
Angel McCoughtry
Lindsay Whalen
Swin Cash
Courtney Vandersloot
by Scotter on Jul 18, 2011 6:02 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
no Griner?
that is pretty much the depth of my women’s b-ball knowledge.
by Basketball Smurf on Jul 18, 2011 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions
She'll probably ultimately may make it as the third center in order to prepare her for the future, but
she still has two years of college left right now and has no international basketball experience at this point so she could get left home.
Either way it will very likely be the best women’s basketball roster ever assembled coached by the best women’s basketball coach ever.
She would be on the team based on talent for sure.
It appears though that her days of playing USA Basketball may be over. She bailed on the 2010 World Championship team at basically the last minute. Then she showed off a talent for international relations by claiming that God sent the tsunami to punish the Japanese for Pearl Harbor. So she may be permanently out of the picture.
you forgot rondo
Should've traded for Melo.
by sin on Jul 18, 2011 8:33 PM CDT up reply actions 6 recs
I think the Olympics are for human competitors only
Rondo may be a female in her own species, but that doesn’t give her the right to compete in Earth’s Olympics.
by tuluse on Jul 18, 2011 9:54 PM CDT up reply actions 4 recs
That's discrimination my friend.
Its okay though, Rondo is busy training for the 2108 games at Olympus Mons.
by Basketball Smurf on Jul 19, 2011 5:39 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
no stoudemire?
i know it isn’t an all star game, but i’d see little use for odom over him.
by obnoxious american on Jul 19, 2011 4:40 AM CDT reply actions
he is likely not playing for another team but the knicks
because of the “non-insurable” crap regarding his near career ending injuries.
Let us cavort like the Greeks of old! You know the ones I mean.
by hedonism bot on Jul 19, 2011 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions
...
Who is coaching the American team in 2012? Coach K again? If he is I’d expect Jason Kidd to be on that squad and i’d also expect Coach K to include a few former Duke players as “gel” guys and then it’d be the expected superstars that’d make up the rest of the team with a few younger developing players aswell….
Team USA looked better last time around
minus a couple egomaniacs. I’d intentionally leave out some of the best players in the world, simply because I think the team would player better as a unit in their absence.
PG- Rose / Paul / DWill / Westbrook
SG- Gordon / Curry
SF- Durant / Iguodola
PF- Griffin / Bosh / Aldridge
C- Howard / Love
by NerdVernacular on Jul 19, 2011 12:36 PM CDT reply actions
hmmm
PG: Rose/Paul/Kidd
SG: Kobe/Wade
SF: Durant/Iggy
PF: LeQueef/Aldridge/Boozer
C: Howard/Love
how awesome would it be for thibs to coach the usa team
elite defenders at almost every position if he wanted.
teams would literally not score like more than 20-30 every game
Should've traded for Melo.
My thought process
Rose, CP3, DWill, Kobe, Wade, Lebron, Durant, Melo, and Howard are locks if they’re willing to go. I think these guys are all just flat-out too talented not to be on the team. There are question marks with a couple of these guys in terms of willingness to play, such as CP3 (the knee thing) and Wade (publicly stated he’s unsure).
Based on that, we’d have 3 more spots to fill. The clear strengths of that team are ballhandling ability and athleticism across the board and scoring from the wing. The weaknesses are shooting and frontcourt depth. To alleviate both of those issues, I’m tossing in Bosh and Aldridge, two excellent perimeter-shooting big men. They get the nod over alternative candidates such as Amare, David Lee, Tyson Chandler, etc. because of their ability to stretch the floor while still possessing enough athleticism to be impactful defenders. Kevin Love’s shooting ability makes him a tempting option, but his lack of athleticism compared to LMA and Bosh makes him an inferior choice. Finally, with the last spot, it’s tempting to throw Russell Westbrook on board, because he’s probably the most talented remaining player, but given that he duplicates a lot of what we have on the team, I think we’re better off with Steph Curry or Eric Gordon to play the zone-buster role.
So bottom line you have:
Guards: Rose, Wade, Paul, DWill, Curry/Gordon
Wings: Kobe, Lebron, Melo, Durant
Bigs: Howard, Aldridge, Bosh
The team’s laid out like that for a reason. I think you’re going to see a lot of rotation in the backcourt, generally pairing one of the traditional PGs (DWill, CP3) with a scoring guard (Rose, Wade, and sometimes Kobe – he’ll play more at the 3) with Curry/Gordon playing a highly specialized role. Similarly, you’re going to see a lot of rotation on the wing, with two of those 4 aforementioned “wings” at the 3/4 spots most of the time. There is also the option to go big with Bosh/Aldridge at the 4, with those guys also getting C minutes when Howard’s out of the game.
Pat Riley is the devil.
My 2012 team:
Starters:
PG-Derrick Rose- the MVP; will be a greater 3 pt shooting threat given the shorter distance from 3; willing to defer to other teammates.
SG-Kobe Bryant- excellent scorer and defender; can post on smaller 2s (which, given the lineup I’m running, can create huge mismatches with my PF on the outside); killer instinct when we need it.
SF-LeBron James- excellent defender, great court vision, won’t have to take big shots because Rose, Kobe, and Durant have that covered, should his shot not fall and he suddenly becomes passive; when he attacks less athletic 3’s off the dribble, he’s hard to stop (unless he decides to take pull-up jumpers)
PF-Kevin Durant- debated switching him and LeBron; would be an excellent stretch 4 in the European game and causes major mismatches against slower guys; post Kobe, let Durant take his guy off the dribble or shoot the 3 (given most international teams play zone against us); excellent rebounder.
C-Dwight Howard- defensive presence in the lane; great rebounder; one of two men capable of performing a Chaos Dunk.
Bench-
Chris Paul- pair with Rose and you have the fastest backcourt in the world; great perimeter defender; sees the floor very well.
Ray Allen (if he wants to do it; replace with Chauncey Billups if not)- off-the-bench shooting and a heady veteran
Carmelo Anthony- a beast in the international game; can be a SF or a stretch PF; great rebounder, a mismatch nightmare against opposing PFs.
Blake Griffin- supremely athletic (although I wish he was a better shot blocker) the other man who can perform a Chaos Dunk.
Andrew Bynum (if healthy, if not, Tyson Chandler)- because we need another big man and DeMarcus Cousins doesn’t have his head out of his ass yet.
LaMarcus Aldridge- because I need another stretch 4 and don’t want Chris Bosh
Brian Scalabrine- because who can deny the allure of the White Mamba?
Stephen Curry- another great shooter who can handle the ball as well.
by CowBearsFan on Jul 22, 2011 10:51 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Totally forgot D-Wade; want him on the team, so remove Allen (Curry is the off the bench shooter)
Depth Chart:
PG: Rose/Paul/Curry
SG: Bryant/Wade/Rose/Curry
SF:James/Melo/Durant
PF: Durant/Griffin/Aldridge/White Mamba
C: Howard/Bynum or Chandler/Griffin
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- Dwyane Wade’s hot pink pants: The kind of thing you can get away with when you drop 41
- Lamar Odom to New York? Dwight Howard on the move? For now, it’s all talk
