2006-09-06 12:42:45 · 16 answers · asked by Farez 4 in Sports ➔ Basketball
This is just an opinion, but I see three problems with our American national teams. First, they play poor defense. American basketball all-star teams focus largely on feeding the ball inside and dunking. Very little attention is paid to guarding the opponents. Check out the score of recent All-Star games and you'll see that the scores are like a stock ticker. Next, they go for the high percentage shots and don't hone their skills from the perimeter. The teams that win gold in international competition are great defenders and even better at shooting from the outside.
On one side the great international teams play awesome defense and force our shooters into lower percentage shots. And since our guys don't shoot well on the perimeter, we score a lot fewer points. On the other side, they shoot the ball very well. Since our guys don't defend exceptionally, the hot international shooters are willing to drift outside and hit a ton of threes.
Finally, our guys have star mentalities and they're more about what they can get out of things than doing something for nothing. In 1992, when our first "Dream Team" scalded the world in Barcelona, they played like it was a privilege to be on the team. No one was "the" star, and as a result, everyone was a star -- and everyone went home with a gold medal. That mentality doesn't exist in the more recent Dream Teams, and the result has been nightmarish.
2006-09-06 13:09:22 · answer #1 · answered by CapnPen 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Team USA lost because Greece has a great coach and a team that has been together for 4 years.
I don't consider them a failure, though. On the contrary, I think they did a good job. I actually think they did great soley based on their average age and overall international experience. International basketball is like an entirely new game to US players. I said at the very beginning of the Tournament that I was afraid of Greece. I watched them play last year in the European Championships and the were just so crisp and clean. I think they were only team that could beat the USA, but I knew Spain could beat them.
Of course when they lose, everybody is a coach and they know what went wrong. "They didn't have a shooter" or "they're all too selfish and can't play as a team"... WHATEVER!! They were 8-1 (or 13-1 if you want to include the Friendly games leading up to the tournament) and averaged winning by 24 points with 1 lost to Greece (who, by the way, is the reigning European Champions) by 4 points in the Final 4. Way to go guys.
Now, next summer they have to qualify for the Olympics. There they will have the chance to become a little more familiar with each other and whatever new additions they may have (Kobe, Marion, Arenas...and the list goes on). Then in 2008, The Olympics. I will wait until then to make my final comment on if the team is a failure or not.
2006-09-10 17:53:05 · answer #2 · answered by Indy Finesse 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The ''Dream Team'' failed because A) They dropped Gilbert Arenas, 3 point threat, B) They dropped Bruce Bowen, another perimeter Defender, C) The team is still trying to gel together player in the International format, its needs to get out of the whole ''Dream Team'' ego crap, its a team game, not a ''Dream Team'' game hence why Greece beat the USA, and got beaten easy by Spain, they are a far better version of Greece.
2006-09-06 20:02:08 · answer #3 · answered by kendo_nakasaki 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just because you get the best players in the world does not mean you get the best team in the world. The lacked an inside presence and lacked heart on the defesive end. Other teams play with a chip on there shoulder to beat the americans and we play like ah whatever we are better then everybody so we will win.
2006-09-07 04:04:15 · answer #4 · answered by the_fun_lovin_criminal_187 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The US could not hit the outside shoot or a free throw. Spain and most of European teams have well rounded teams.
I am kind of excited because 2 Spanish team members are playing for the Toronto Raptors.
2006-09-06 19:49:29 · answer #5 · answered by de_dark_angel71 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because this was not the "Dream Team"!! There was only (1) Dream Team and there will never be another one!!!!!!
2006-09-09 21:02:48 · answer #6 · answered by beakman57 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because most of the player are young and not as experienced as kobe and Iverson and stuff. I also think some of the refs didnt like the usa team so they called stupid fouls and stuff. There just hatin on us cause we can play ball better
2006-09-06 22:22:08 · answer #7 · answered by Dreman 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There was only ONE "Dream Team" and that was '92.
This team is more like a nightmare.
2006-09-07 23:09:08 · answer #8 · answered by Hoopfan 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because the other team scored more points than we did.
2006-09-06 23:20:49 · answer #9 · answered by theblessedknower 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Too many egos on the team. There are too many I players. They don't play as a team they play as me
2006-09-06 19:49:08 · answer #10 · answered by bajakid2001 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋