TMSBrad

I'm embarrassed for the NBA. We'll have to play for bronze after losing to Argentina.

Evil_Capri

sad . . .

Lalo

wow

what a bunch of morons. they weren't even a real team. they were all just a bunch of small forwards that didnt play defense.
it's emberrasing, but it shows how much other countries have progressed in basketball, hence the increase of international players in the NBA.

there will never be a dream team like the first one in 1992. Larry Bird (my all time favorite player), Earvin "magic" Johnson, Charles "the round mound of rebound" Barkley, Micheal "air" Jordan, David "the admiral" Robinson, Dominique "the human highlight film" Wilkins, Patrick Ewing, Karl "the postman" Malone, Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, Clyde "the glide" Drexler, Chris Mullin, and Christian Leattner fresh out of college.

i miss when basketball was all about the sport. now its about the image and the moneys. its sad. the nba will never regain the quality it once had. although i wasnt even 10 yrs old when the dream team played, i remember how excited i used to get to watch NBA games and to watch my hero, Larry Bird.

MustangMan311

there are only a few players still in the NBA that know how to play. Vlade Divac is probably the only player left that plays the game for fun. The other good players, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, are getting older and loosing there luster. Kevin Garnett probably had the best year of his career last year. The players are actually pretty good, they just thought because of the success of the last NBA olympic team, they would naturally be the best.

Zastava_101

Well, if it makes you feel any better, Serbia & Montenegro finished 11th. And the worst part is, Serbia & Montenegro is the world champion in basketball. 11th place on Olypics for world champion.

Most of our best players didn't play, Stojakovic (Kings), Divac (Lakers), Jaric (Clippers), Milicic (Pistons), Rebraca (Clippers). Compared 2002 Indianapolis team than won gold on world cup and 2002 Athens team that finished 11th, there was only 1 player from starting 5 (Dejan Bodiroga, who's best European player).

US had same problem too. O'Neal, Garnett, Bryant, Kidd ... none of them played. Lithuania and Argentina are in finals. I did expected Lithuania to be in finals, but not Argentina. Lithuania is European champion, while Argentina finished 2nd in last world cup (after Serbia & Montenegro).

I'm not that dissapointed in basketball team, I'm more dissapointed in volleyball team, who won gold on last Olympics, and on this Olympic lost in 1/4 finals to Russia. At least water polo team in playing in finals against Hungary.

MustangMan311

Milicic can't play. Sorry, he just isn't any good. Vlade and Peja and your best players. Peja is probably one of the best players in the NBA. And you have to remember, we played against Manu Ginobli, an NBA champion.

Zastava_101

Milicic, 2nd pick on last NBA draft can't play?

Divac and Stojakovic aren't our best players. Dejan Bodiroga is. You probably never heard of him, but he's the best basketball player in Europe. If you followed last World cup (Indianapolis 2002), he scored 29 points in final game against Argentina. Serbia was losing by 8 with 1:30 left to play in the game, and then he started scoring and Serbia won in overtime.

Divac hardly ever play for national team.

Zastava_101

Now that you mentioned Ginobili ...

Serbia's 1st game on Olympics was against Argentina. We lost 83:82. Ginobili scored at the buzzer for the win.

Zastava_101

I just found out that Italy made the finals, not Lithuania.

MustangMan311

Did you see him play this year? Trust me, he might've BEEN good, but in the NBA,

Zastava_101

Well, I don't think anyone can do anything in the NBA by being on the bench 43 minutes and 5 minutes in the game.

Milicic was only 18 years old when he was drafted by Pistons. If he got drafted by Cavaliers or Nuggets (who got 1st and 3rd draft pick), he would be rookie of the year now.

BullittGt390

put it this way...there will never ever be another dream team like there was in Barcelona of '92

scottie1113

Dream team? Nightmare to me. All the players mentioned so far are, or were, great, but I remember a not so distant time when the Olympics were for amateur ahtletes, and I long for a return to those days. I won't get it, of course, but for me, those were the pure days of the Olympics. I'm afraid they've lost the allure for me.

Lalo

i have to disagree that milic would have won rookie of the year so quick as a raw 18 year old, but i also disagree that he isnt any good. milic's coach Larry Brown, who also coaches the usa team, has been working with milic to become a future star. they dont want to overwhelm him by putting him in the games too early. in a couple of years, milic will show great progress.

Lalo

agreed

Lalo

garnett and duncan are only 28. thats not old.

another good player out there is Dirk Nowitzki, although he's from germany, he is often compared to another larry bird. he can shoot accurately, post up, shoot threes, drive to the basket, rebound, and led his team in steals last year. although there arent any basketball players i would pay to watch, nowitzki comes close. the only thing he lacks is leadership to carry a team, and that to me is the most important quality of a basketball player

Zastava_101

i have to disagree that milic would have won rookie of the year so quick as a raw 18 year old, but i also disagree that he isnt any good. milic's coach Larry Brown, who also coaches the usa team, has been working with milic to become a future star. they dont want to overwhelm him by putting him in the games too early. in a couple of years, milic will show great progress. [/b][/quote]
Thing is, Brown is not happy with Milicic. Never was, never will be. He never wanted to draft Milicic in the first place. He wanted Carmelo Anthony. But Joe Dumars, Pistons GM, wanted player who will become leader in few years. Brown is trying in any way to put Milicic down. Last season he got 35 year old Elden Campbell, who plays same position as Milicic. With Rashed and Ben Wallace, Mehmet Ocur, and Elden Campbell, I guess now you understand why Milicic played so little. This season Mehmet Ocur left (Utah Jazz), but Detroit got Antonio McDyess and Derrick Coleman. How can you expect Milicic to get any playing minutues with competition like that?

Dr Iven

That's why the AND1 teams are so popular. The NBA has become a joke. It's a machine with no heart now. There are several players who truly love the game and love to play. But, there are so many more who play for money and for personal glory. That's what's wrong with this team. The players are great, but as a team, they're too concerned with themselves to unite. :notnice:

mr-mstng

I think this is just a huge embarrassment for the NBA. Their heart wasn't in it. If you lose the drive, you lose the game. They've all got their multi-million dollar contracts and could care less about a medal. Now, they will be forever labeled as the "Nightmare team" or "The Dream Team that Couldn't".

I'm glad their got their butts kicked. Hopefully it will give these guys something to think about as they fly home with their tail between their legs.

Evil_Capri

In my opinion, the US needs a dedicated National Team.