Olympics: USA Basketball

[Czvosec]

Some 1st quarter thoughts:

-Its a shame Juan Carlos Navarro (LA BOMBA!) left the NBA. He could really help someone as that streaky shooter off the bench. He always seems to come to play in the big games too.

-Rudy Fernandez is a little bitch. His flopping is out of control, and he just jacks up threes left and right.

-LeBron is simply the best player in basketball, and its an undeniable fact at this point.

-Does anyone else think Deron Williams is looking a little pudgy?

-Kobe's ball-stopping could potentially derail any hopes the Lakers have of winning a title. The guy is the fourth best player in the that starting lineup, and he's still calling isolation plays for himself. What's going to happen when he (thinks) he's the best player on the floor again? It was annoying to watch him with this team. LeBron and Paul were constantly passing. Durant didn't pass as much, but he usually shot the ball as soon as he got it, which was his role. But Kobe would get it and... just hold the ball.

-Its hilarious that Carmelo (supposedly) ran off Jeremy Lin because he's EXACTLY the type of player that can bring out the best in Melo. He's at his best when he's being spoon fed open looks, and Lin is a good enough drive and kick guard to do just that. Now he plays with Felton's fat ass and an ancient Jason Kidd. Oh well, sucks for Melo.

[Czvosec]

Kevin Durant might be the best catch and shoot guy in the league. He is basically automatic when he gets an open look and just has to go right up with it. And that is EXACTLY why many, including myself, think the Thunder might be better off with a true point guard like Rondo or CP3. Those two guys would be able to get KD open look after open look, and I think the Thunder offense would look so much better.

[Walter White]

Is there gonna be a replay? Once again, I missed the freakin game.

[Czvosec]

There's a replay on NBC Sports right now. Middle of the third.

[Powerslave]

Man... watching that interview... after 2 more years there could be no more Kobe

Cry us a goddamn river

[Tlyons]

[InBoobieWeTrust]

I can't wait to see Kyrie play with Durant in 2016.

[Daddy Deezy]

Kobe's ball-stopping could potentially derail any hopes the Lakers have of winning a title. The guy is the fourth best player in the that starting lineup, and he's still calling isolation plays for himself. What's going to happen when he (thinks) he's the best player on the floor again? It was annoying to watch him with this team. LeBron and Paul were constantly passing. Durant didn't pass as much, but he usually shot the ball as soon as he got it, which was his role. But Kobe would get it and... just hold the ball.

Completely agree. Honestly, other than the referees and some crazy-good play by Pau and Navarro, I think Kobe getting slightly-hot at the beginning of the game was one of the main reasons why this game stayed so close. He just kept going 1 on 5 every time he touched the ball (with exception to a nice pass to Lebron). It was so damn frustrating to see Spain staying close while he stopped the ball time after time.

I've always respected Kobe... and I've enjoyed watching him play, but I'm not so sure at this point if he's going to be the type of player that "ages gracefully." In other words, I could envision that instead of us seeing him embrace his role as a secondary, off-the-ball type of guy as he gets older, we'll see him be a player who thinks he can carry a team, and ends up hurting the team by being a less efficient player taking away shots from more efficient players (like Howard, Gasol, and maybe even Nash). Its obvious his efficiency numbers are dropping all across the board (which obviously does happen as players age), but I think his numbers seem to be dropping without his domination of the ball dropping in tandem. Maybe Nash and Howard (and their superstar status) will help to ease the transition though...

[BrownsBoy315]

Only Olympics thread, so...

For what it is worth - Tim Warsinskey of the PD won "worst stench" in the media mix-zones during the Olympics. Everyone that was around him said he smelled.

It blows my mind that people have a lack of hygiene.