2006-09-02 09:04:23 · 20 answers · asked by dane p 2 in Sports ➔ Basketball
The USA players think that all they have to do is throw down a couple of dunks and the rest of the world will give up.
The US players can't defend a pick and roll, and they can't shoot.
Greece still plays basketball the way US players did in the 60s and 70s... today's NBA players can't defend simple things like a pick and roll, when it's done correctly.
Our guys looked pathetic. Someone needs to teach them how to play basketball.
And what happened to all this 'new attitude' I've heard so much about?? Yeah, these guys really want to win... spare me...
Even though the rest of the world's players are getting better, it wouldn't matter if OUR players would get better too...and they're not..they're getting worse!
And I'm sick of hearing about how Greece has players that have played together for a long time (true enough)... you think our 1992 Dream Team had a lot of practice time? Jeez, for 5 decades we'd throw together a few college kids and go out and destroy the rest of the world... our guys didn't have to have a long history of playing together, because they knew how to play basketball.
The quality of play of NBA players is worse than ever, and it looks like there's no turning back.
Well, at least they'll be able to dunk their way to (maybe) a bronze medal or two... if they even get THAT.
The NBA has some sorry a** baskeball players these days...
The basket's still 10 feet high in 'international' rules, so it's ridiculous to use the rules as an excuse... the '92 team had to endure the international rules as well, and here's how they handled it:
Results at the 1992 Tournament of the Americas in Portland
* USA 136 Cuba 57 (won by 79)
* USA 105 Canada 61 (won by 44 )
* USA 112 Panama 52 (won by 60)
* USA 128 Argentina 87 (won by 41 )
* USA 119 Puerto Rico 81 (won by 38 )
* USA 120 Venezuela 80 (won by 40)
(average margin of victory 50.3 points per game)
Results at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona
* USA 111 France 71 (Pre-Olympics in Monte Carlo, Monaco, won by 40)
* USA 116 Angola 48 (won by 68 )
* USA 103 Croatia 70 (won by 33)
* USA 111 Germany 68 (won by 43)
* USA 127 Brazil 83 (won by 44 )
* USA 122 Spain 81 (won by 41 )
* USA 115 Puerto Rico 77 (won by 38)
* USA 127 Lithuania 76 (won by 51 )
* USA 117 Croatia 85 (won by 32 )
(average margin of victory, 43.3 points per game)
You think Jordan, Magic, Bird, Barkley etc, thought that it wasn't fair that they had to go by 'international rules"?
Poor Lebron...poor 'Melo... have to play by international rules... I could just cry... LOL
2006-09-02 14:56:08 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because they can't play like a team. That's no prob when facing minnows like China or Senegal, but shows how competitive you're when playing against good players and teams.
American players cant defend as a team, their tactical and fundamentals is very poor and base all their game on individual skill and physical strenght. Not enough to win a major international championship.
Well, this explains why american basketball isn't hegemonic on the international arena. The real answer to your question is; Because they lost to Greece. And they lost to Greece because Greece was better.
2006-09-02 20:26:16 · answer #2 · answered by rtorto 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
simply becaus ethey played agains t the best team..so it was expectedthatthey would lose...playing in the nba is not the most important thing....there is basketball all around the world and ppl need to understand this...its not only the usa that plays basketball...so these players should learn not to underestimate...
then againif its all aboutthe nba then greece also has a player who will be playing in the nba and thats Fotsis...but still we can prove that nba is not everything....
2006-09-02 16:43:22 · answer #3 · answered by Blou 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because American players S*U*C*K at playing as a unified, coherent team because they are too busy showboating. That is why we have been, and we always will, lose in the Olympics and world championships. Since the other teams have caught up with us in quality, they have dominated us by playing good, hard, basic TEAM basketball and we can no longer compete.
2006-09-02 16:11:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because anyone can win on any given day, because the international game has different rules than the NBA game (which favors non-American teams), and because the US team didn't shoot very well on that day.
2006-09-02 16:10:25 · answer #5 · answered by Otis T 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they put too many "star" players on one team, they all want the ball, and they don't show too much team work since they are all so used to being the one with the ball. the other teams like greece (not one player on the greece team is in the NBA) know how to work as a team, and it shows. it's plain and simple, the u.s. team just brought their biggest name young players, and the better teams brought players that knew how to function together.
2006-09-02 16:10:34 · answer #6 · answered by GhostBear 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
well international rules does not support isolation plays like the USA players do, and it's so difficult to send help side defense in international games because international balls will pass it to the open man.
2006-09-02 17:13:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anthony C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Greece was better!!!!
And because the USA team underestimated them
2006-09-02 16:19:19 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They underestimated Greece.
2006-09-02 16:08:22 · answer #9 · answered by PDZ 247 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Greece is obviously better
2006-09-03 07:25:17 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋