Chaplin

Does anyone think the fact that Carmelo appears to be ball hogging is a concern? Is it promoting a team game when a guy who isn't even your best player scores over 35 in international play on a team that is stressed to be more "team" oriented than "individual" oriented?

Russ Smith

I think a large part of it is against zones he's been the only one who can consistently get his shot and actually make it. He was 9-15 today I don't know what the overall shooting %'s are in this tournament but he's been pretty consistently the US's best offensive player. He's actually shooting 58% for the tourney, 20 PPG 45% on 3's, hard for me to get mad at his shot selection.

Wade is shooting 63% but only 14% from 3, if the game isn't in transition or the D is playing zone, wade has had his problems. Lebron has been a disappointment, great FG%, nearly 70 but he's just not scoring enough.

All 3 played pretty scant minutes, Melo was nearly a point a minute in the first 8 games, Lebron just over 1 PPM.

But like others have said this game was lost on defense not offense, I didn't see enough to know if it was one guy getting killed or just bad team defense?

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“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

hafey

I disagree completely. Carmelo was a stud this turnament. The only reliable US offensive player againist the legtimate competition. He was putting on an offensive clinic. The jab step, the baseline spin off the trapazoidal block, catch and shoot threes, slashing and getting the line.

As others and I have said, the problem is not offense. There are very few teams in the tournament that can defend the US for an entire game. The US's lack of defense was exposed.

Nashfan

I think part of the problem with the game was team USA was not sharing the ball. LeBron and Wade in particular dribbled the ball forever and ran the shot clock down and then we threw up a desparation shot. Joe Johnson did not get the ball much either. Mostly Anthony, James and Wade had the shots and they were not making them. Also, I don't understand why either Howard or Bosh were not in there to get rebounds. Howard was getting dunks on this team plus he defended better against their big men. There were too many mismatches with our smaller guys against their big men. Still I think we did not pass the ball around like our Phoenix Suns's do to get the best shot. Too many iso's. Just my two cents

Chaplin

Yeah, Carmelo put on a clinic, and we're now competing for the Bronze medal. Granted, some of this is my inherent dislike for Carmelo Anthony, but for a team that has been ingrained in the media as being a team-first squad, Carmelo's performance does not fit. Don't you think that's a big difference in this team and the one in '92?

I do question the coaching as well, not that Coach K isn't a great coach, but that he consistently was inconsistent in his lineups. One day Bosh would get time and tear it up, the next day he doesn't sniff the court. Same with Dwight Howard, Joe Johnson, Kirk Heinrich and it looks like, Elton Brand, who is our best frontcourt player. How do you explain that?

Chaplin

Bingo. Not exactly a "team" game, is it?

Russ Smith

Melo is certainly not Larry Bird or Chris Mullin if that's what you mean comparing this team to 92. This is not that good of a team most of these players are on the upside of their career, that team was loaded with superstars in their primes.

I don't think it's an accident this team lacked low post scoring, Duke has been ignoring post players for over a decade under Coach K. Even this year most of the points from Shelden Williams were putbacks they didn't really run plays for him that often.

That said he wasn't the one missing FT's.

__________________
“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

Chaz

You are absolutely right but that isn't what lost the game against Greece.

Even with all the ball hogging and over dribbling going on they still scored 95 points in 40 Min against a team who's previous high was 81.

On the other hand if they executed better on offense maybe they could have scored 120 and the bad defense and missed FT wouldn't matter.
Keep in mind the Suns don't have to face a true zone defense and they have Steve Nash.

hafey

Never understood the dislike for Carmelo. Never. I think part of it is because he is not as "corporate" as Wade or Lebron.

Frankly Carmelo is the only only one scoring and he was doing it effeicintly. His teamates were either afraid to shoot (heinrich), can't shoot (paul), or simply didn't shoot (LeBron).

95 points in 40 minutes is not the problem. Repeat 95 points in 40 mins is not the problem. The defense was the problem.

What does team first mean anyways? Its a cliche. What they really should mean is win first. The emphasis on a more well-rounded game is simply a means to that end.

Chaplin

As much as we all love the players that were on that 92 team, defense most definitely wasn't their strong suit.

But hey, I guess if everyone think it's ok for Carmelo to ball-hog in these games, that's cool. Guess we won't know if it truly works until 2008, huh?

cheesebeef

wow - I do not get the Melo hate - the only reason this team even got as far aas it did was because Melo bailed their asses out. When you're shooting 58%, you're doing something right.

If everyone could stroke the J like Carmelo, we wouldn'thave gotten beaten by the Greeks.

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hafey

I guess I fail to see how Anthony was being a ball hog. He scored 27 points on 9/15 shooting (FYI: thats 60%) and didn't turn the ball over. Doesn't seem like a ball hog to me, huh?

Just because someone scores alot of points, doesn't mean they're a ball hog.

Chaplin

How is anyone supposed to get into any rhythm? Wade, Melo and Lebron were really the only 3 guys that got consistent time. For some reason, Lebron chose not to be aggressive. But don't underestimate the importance of meaningful and consistent minutes for a team of individuals trying like hell to play as a more cohesive team unit, rather than the only star of their NBA team.

Carmelo shot well because he was the only one that was able to get into some kind of groove. Don't get me wrong, I think Carmelo is a very good player, he just reminds me of Kobe--maybe that's where the "Melo hate" is coming from.

hafey

Well I'm pretty sure carmelo wasn't making the substitutions last night. Like I said, this was not a talent loss but a coaching one. And frankly I don't think Carmelo was taking shots of the rhythm of the offense because the US had no offense.

Russ Smith

So doesn't he get credit for getting into that groove? Afterall he played about 2 MPG more than Wade or Bron. his game is simply better suited to international play.

I also think you're highly underestimating how much better the rest of the world is in 2006 compared to 92, a LOT has changed in 14 years.

If we really want to blame someone blame Sonny Vaccaro. If he wasn't destroying amateur ball with shoe camps and AAU ball, these kids would know how to play the game when they get to the NBA .

__________________
“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo