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Dream Team whatever version. Anyone impressed, or care?

MalagaBulls wrote:Dream Team whatever version. Anyone impressed, or care?

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It's understood that the talent level across the world has risen but that team should win by no less than 20 points every night.

Wait till they all drop out because they are hurt and can't play.

Feel like Demar deserves an invite.

That's a loaded team. There are only three American players in the Top 15 for VORP this season who are not on the squad -

#6 - Brunson
#13 - Kawhi
#15 - MiItchell

(Sabonis is American-born and is #5 on the list, but plays for Lithuania. Which, now that I think of it, is kinda funny. First, almost nobody, including hard-core NBA fans, would answer "Sabonis" when asked the question "name the best American-born player in 2024, according to a modern analytic statistic." Second, the player doesn't even represent the United States! Ironic that.)

Feel like they need a glue guy - someone like Caruso honestly or if going for the best, Brunson as Kawhi is injury prone.

_txchilibowl_ wrote:It's understood that the talent level across the world has risen but that team should win by no less than 20 points every night.

Not sure why informed basketball minds think stuff like this.

I posted on the GB that the “Redeem team” was a missed shot away from only being up 3 with about 1:30 to play.

That team had Kobe, Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Melo, CP3. All but Kobe on the younger side, but the banana boat crew had 5 years in the league at that point…and coming off a Worlds bronze (thus the “redeem”).

Since the world has only gotten better, and that team was that vulnerable, not sure how we’re nearly invincible now to think we’re going to win by 20+ every night?

At least no Bulls to worry about getting injured.

This lineup will change. Injury dropouts will happen.

Michael Jackson wrote:This lineup will change. Injury dropouts will happen.

But let’s add Kawhi to fill out the roster. If he plays the first pool game, then the last pool game, skips everything else, then hopefully he can make the Gold medal game.

All that to beat Andi Obst.

Wingy wrote:

_txchilibowl_ wrote:It's understood that the talent level across the world has risen but that team should win by no less than 20 points every night.

Not sure why informed basketball minds think stuff like this.

I posted on the GB that the “Redeem team” was a missed shot away from only being up 3 with about 1:30 to play.

That team had Kobe, Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Melo, CP3. All but Kobe on the younger side, but the banana boat crew had 5 years in the league at that point…and coming off a Worlds bronze (thus the “redeem”).

Since the world has only gotten better, and that team was that vulnerable, not sure how we’re nearly invincible now to think we’re going to win by 20+ every night?

I don't think anyone does think this. I've not heard people say that. We're still the dominant favorite every year we send our best guys, but we're in competitive games every year too.

dougthonus wrote:I don't think anyone does think this. I've not heard people say that. We're still the dominant favorite every year we send our best guys, but we're in competitive games every year too.

I was responding to a person in this thread saying they should win by no less than 20 every night. Plenty of people on the gb doing the same. I’m sure people might walk that one back quickly, but the idea is still out there.

this has to be one of the oldest teams (if not the oldest) ever, right?

Andi Obst wrote:All that to beat Andi Obst.

Andi Obst is the type of player that strikes fear into the heart of Lebron James.

I had a lot of fun watching the last World Cup game. Latvia and Germany was fun to watch. I expect the same level, even better, competition this summer.

_txchilibowl_ wrote:

MalagaBulls wrote:Dream Team whatever version. Anyone impressed, or care?

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It's understood that the talent level across the world has risen but that team should win by no less than 20 points every night.

I can almost guarantee that they won’t win by 20 every night.

sco wrote:At least no Bulls to worry about getting injured.

I know you were thinking of team USA, but Vuc might be at the Olympics, if Montenegro wins their qualifying tournament.

robert76 wrote:

sco wrote:At least no Bulls to worry about getting injured.

I know you were thinking of team USA, but Vuc might be at the Olympics, if Montenegro wins their qualifying tournament.

Man, you're right, great point - but then again it's Vuc, but if you told me Bitim was playing...

Wingy wrote:

dougthonus wrote:I don't think anyone does think this. I've not heard people say that. We're still the dominant favorite every year we send our best guys, but we're in competitive games every year too.

I was responding to a person in this thread saying they should win by no less than 20 every night. Plenty of people on the gb doing the same. I’m sure people might walk that one back quickly, but the idea is still out there.

I'm not super impressed by this team frankly, it feels like a motley collection of talented players who won't play team basketball and so will not play to their potential as a unit. They might end up steamrolling through the competition regardless on talent alone, but I wouldn't be so sure, there are talented national teams with actual team chemistry.
I thought Kyrie made a good point that players should have to check their egos and try out to make the team. I bet they'd end up with a better team and possibly even invite some "glue guys" like another poster alluded to, someone without star power but would probably help out more than a 12th shotmaker.

SalmonsSuperfan wrote:I'm not super impressed by this team frankly, it feels like a motley collection of talented players who won't play team basketball and so will not play to their potential as a unit. They might end up steamrolling through the competition regardless on talent alone, but I wouldn't be so sure, there are talented national teams with actual team chemistry.
I thought Kyrie made a good point that players should have to check their egos and try out to make the team. I bet they'd end up with a better team and possibly even invite some "glue guys" like another poster alluded to, someone without star power but would probably help out more than a 12th shotmaker.

There's a lot of game that doesn't live up to the size of the name. Sure, Lebron is amazingly productive and high caliber for his age, but he's not as effective as the legend of his name and his accomplished past. Same can be said for Steph and KD.

It's funny to me that Grant Hill touts that they really needed to get better on defense and thinks we've done that. Half the team is pretty long in the tooth, and injury prone - Lebron (it's just the age, not his iron man past), Kawhi, Embiid, Durant, AD, Steph. I just don't know how that lends itself to going really hard on the defensive end after an NBA season, and for some playoffs. Then you have guys that are flat out weak on D like Hali. Jrue supposed to be pivotal, but how much gas can that guy have in the tank by then? Title run in 2021, then 2021 Olympics, then another season...I guess the Bucks had 2 short playoff runs in between, but it would be surprising if he doesn't have a long Finals run leading into these Olympics.

I guess Steph's resting now, and we presume Joker will get Lebron/AD resting soon. Perhaps Luka will send Kawhi home to rest til the Olympics too??

If healthy, obviously the heavy, heavy favorite. I def. don't see them as invincible. Too many guys tossed together that are used to being 'the man' are a whole less than the sum. Always championed the idea of 'star role players' like AC, Derrick White, but they basically never pick them cause they just never seem to learn.