US Men

[Geew1992]

I love basketball. I watch wether it's men or women's, college or pros. But these "people" that say the women's game is boring haven't a clue. I'm watchin the men's US team right now and the don't play D and the one on one is ridiculous. The women play such a better team game. How can you not appreciate it!!??

 

[MilfordHusky]

The men tried to win the game one-on-one. The women play beautiful basketball. The women also have the best guard pairing in the Olympics.

 

[Kaizen]

I love basketball. I watch wether it's men or women's, college or pros. But these "people" that say the women's game is boring haven't a clue. I'm watchin the men's US team right now and the don't play D and the one on one is ridiculous. The women play such a better team game. How can you not appreciate it!!??

Agree. USA men basketball barely survived today ..

 

[EricLA]

You would think after years at the helm, Coach K would be able to get more out of them than glorified all star game performances. Has no one paid attention to how teams like Golden State and San Antonio have been so successful?

 

[Kaizen]

You would think after years at the helm, Coach K would be able to get more out of them than glorified all star game performances. Has no one paid attention to how teams like Golden State and San Antonio have been so successful?

If they send either Golden State or San Antonio can do better job than the national team.

 

[BigBird]

A Serbian team that is now 1-3 made our guys look like high schoolers at times. Team USA will learn from this and come back with a better game. Please.

 

[superjohn]

The men tried to win the game one-on-one. The women play beautiful basketball. The women also have the best guard pairing in the Olympics.

Yup, the women's backcourt is better than Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson. Just when I think I've heard it all.

 

[triaddukefan]

The women's team has probably 11 of the best 12 American Players.... while the Men's team has maybe 4 of the top 12 ?? I dont plan on watching a second of the women's games..... but I'll definitely tune in to the men's semis and finals.

 

[victor64]

The men are relying on their talent. Teamwork, ball movement, help defense are all lacking. You can tell that the staff is under instructions to limit minutes. Collins said on the broadcast that they barely practice. They have dominated for so long that they are trying to cut corners to gold. Would not surprise me if they got beat.

By the way, if Durant is shooting poorly and not guarding anybody why have him in there. Coach K could find five guys to guard on defense and move the ball on offense.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Yup, the women's backcourt is better than Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson. Just when I think I've heard it all.

Kyrie and Klay are very good, but they haven't earned an invitation to the Hall of Fame yet.

 

[Plebe]

I was reading the comments people had left on the ESPN article on today's men's game, and many were rightly pointing out how this team is just a collection of great players without much thought given to how the pieces fit together into a cohesive unit. And they're right. This team sorely lacks a floor general and playmaker like Sue Bird, and they have about 7 or 8 wing players.

Many people raised such an unholy ruckus when certain all-stars were left off the U.S. women's roster, and they scoffed when people said that it's not about choosing the best players, but rather the best team. The lackluster and disjointed performances of the men's team against Australia and Serbia have been the cautionary tale for the all-star-team approach to roster selection.

 

[baggerbob]

The bit by Kyrie, I want to be like Sue Bird, twice at the end of the game he drives into the lane with no idea what to do. Gets one shot blocked, and a turnover, he had Melo open outside, on one of the drives, never looked. Do you really think Sue wouldn't have found an open team mate on a drive into the lane? That's the big difference between the Women, and the Men, the Women actually know the fundamentals, and practice them.

 

[bags27]

We also have to appreciate the special chemistry that Geno has with the current team; 4 UConn starters, and 5 altogether. The rest (esp. Tamika, BG, and EDD) have reverence for what Geno's accomplished because they all very aware of UConn for the 4 years they were in college.

That's not true of the men's game. How many Duke players? How many even spent more than a year in college, and how many of them thought about Duke during that year? Coach K has no chance to really express a philosophy and draw on past relations with them to mold them to that philosophy.

 

[Wbbfan1]

If Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant were playing up to their NBA standards, the men would be easily winning their games by 20+ points. Both UMHO have been extremely disappointing in their play. If they don't turn it around USA will not win the Gold Medal. Carmello Anthony has been saving the men with his play.

 

[blackbird]

You would think after years at the helm, Coach K would be able to get more out of them than glorified all star game performances. Has no one paid attention to how teams like Golden State and San Antonio have been so successful?

It's rare for players to play like Golden State and San Antonio. Most players didn't grow up idolizing that style of play.

MJ might be the greatest of all time, but he hurt the sport, because all players want to play like him, and most players aren't good enough. (Kobe Bryant being the only player capable, really.) Lebron is somewhat of a hybrid of Magic and MJ, but still..it's a lot of ISO.

There are some great defensive players on this team, but they aren't used to guarding teams that move so much without the ball. And why would they be? They have never played that style. Coach K can't change 10+ years (in some cases almost 20) of playing basketball a certain way. So a lot of times, they'll be solid defensively in the first 10 seconds, but afterwords, they break down.

Then, there's no real playmaker, they're all finishers. The team could use Chris Paul or Curry. So it's all Isos..which are easy to guard. Once again, this isn't really the team's fault. You can't pick all finishers for the team, and then wonder why no player can create for others.

Meanwhile, the International game is a lot off ball stuff (like the women's..) and it's a different style for the men to play..so those adjustments are just hard for them to make on the fly.

I think you can debate which style is "better." I know which style I prefer. But, I think either type has proven itself to be capable of victory. (Just this season, The Cavs beat Golden State..) Still, when the passing offball style is forced on you as it is in the international game, it puts the men at a disadvantage style wise. (As the game will be called in that favor, and as a team of players who haven't really had the chance to gel, they don't have a chance at imposing their style on the game against the better teams.)

 

[Geew1992]

Yeah the men don't know the fundamentals? This thread is hilarious!

Keep it coming it's very entertaining

Do u watch the men's game??

 

[uconnfan68]

Yeah the men don't know the fundamentals? This thread is hilarious!

Keep it coming it's very entertaining

Glad you're enjoying the board.

 

[superjohn]

The bit by Kyrie, I want to be like Sue Bird, twice at the end of the game he drives into the lane with no idea what to do. Gets one shot blocked, and a turnover, he had Melo open outside, on one of the drives, never looked. Do you really think Sue wouldn't have found an open team mate on a drive into the lane? That's the big difference between the Women, and the Men, the Women actually know the fundamentals, and practice them.

Every once in a while it's good to come over here for comic relief. It's scary there are people on this board that believe something this crazy but it's always entertaining.

 

[blackbird]

Every once in a while it's good to come over here for comic relief. It's scary there are people on this board that believe something this crazy but it's always entertaining.

People who honestly believe that there is absolutely nothing the women do better than the men in basketball are just as ridiculous as those who think Maya Moore could beat Lebron James in a game of one on one.

 

[superjohn]

People who honestly believe that there is absolutely nothing the women do better than the men in basketball are just as ridiculous as those who think Maya Moore could beat Lebron James in a game of one on one.

He said Kyrie Irving wants to be like Sue Bird. Then said the big difference between the women and the men is the women actually know the fundamentals. How would you expect any rational person to respond to this, or that the USA women's team has the best guard pairing in the Olympics? These are absolutely crazy statements to any rational person who knows anything about the game of basketball. What do the women do better than the men? I shouldn't have to qualify this any time ridiculous statements are being made, I love the UConn women and the Olympic women but please with the wild comparisons or trying to detract from the men's players.

 

[bags27]

Every once in a while it's good to come over here for comic relief. It's scary there are people on this board that believe something this crazy but it's always entertaining.

I believe it, sort of. The statement you are ridiculing is: "That's the big difference between the Women, and the Men, the Women actually know the fundamentals, and practice them."

1. What are fundamentals? They are different for different styles and levels of play. If we mean (broadly speaking) team-coordinated offense and defense, then, yes, top women tend to play that better than top men. If we mean more individually-specific fundamentals (such as how to guard individually, how to get the baseline on offense, etc), then I don't see much of a difference at all between the two.

2. "know the fundamentals". I think both genders "know" what they're supposed to know about fundamentals.

3. "practice them." I do think that the top college teams (men and women) are more committed to a broader array of what we understand as fundamentals than are the pros. However, the U.S. women's team is special, in that nearly 1/2 played in college for the team's coach, and it's pretty obvious that he's asserted his control in getting these players at least leaning toward a more UConn-like demeanor. It's hard not to see them as more "fundamentally sound" than are the men's team.

Okay, if you're still checking in on this board, go ahead and laugh at me, too.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

He said Kyrie Irving wants to be like Sue Bird. Then said the big difference between the women and the men is the women actually know the fundamentals. How would you expect any rational person to respond to this, or that the USA women's team has the best guard pairing in the Olympics? These are absolutely crazy statements to any rational person who knows anything about the game of basketball. What do the women do better than the men? I shouldn't have to qualify this any time ridiculous statements are being made, I love the UConn women and the Olympic women but please with the wild comparisons or trying to detract from the men's players.

To some degree, what bags said above. The men's style of play is different from the women's. Both the men and women in the Olympics in general and the USA teams in particular are first rate practitioners of their games. I don't support anyone who criticizes the skill level and style of play of the men (any more than I appreciate the criticism of the WNBA style vs. the college style that crops up at time). As a matter of taste, I prefer the women's game to the men's and the college to pros. But I recognize that the players I enjoy are not yet necessarily at the top of their game (for those that go on) and certainly could never do what the men do because they are not built that way. That said, it doesn't mean the men are "better", just different.

Now on the specifics of this Olympics, I do think that the women play a more cohesive team game, for a variety of reasons including the coach's choice and their mutual familiarity (with the coach and each other). What all this gets one, I'm not sure. Everyone will most likely continue to enjoy the style they like.

 

[mauconnfan]

I believe it, sort of. The statement you are ridiculing is: "That's the big difference between the Women, and the Men, the Women actually know the fundamentals, and practice them."

1. What are fundamentals? They are different for different styles and levels of play. If we mean (broadly speaking) team-coordinated offense and defense, then, yes, top women tend to play that better than top men. If we mean more individually-specific fundamentals (such as how to guard individually, how to get the baseline on offense, etc), then I don't see much of a difference at all between the two.

2. "know the fundamentals". I think both genders "know" what they're supposed to know about fundamentals.

3. "practice them." I do think that the top college teams (men and women) are more committed to a broader array of what we understand as fundamentals than are the pros. However, the U.S. women's team is special, in that nearly 1/2 played in college for the team's coach, and it's pretty obvious that he's asserted his control in getting these players at least leaning toward a more UConn-like demeanor. It's hard not to see them as more "fundamentally sound" than are the men's team.

Okay, if you're still checking in on this board, go ahead and laugh at me, too.

Great post until 3 although it is somewhat correct but it's pretty simple as to why. Much like UConn and 90% of their games they are so much better than their competition its easy as hell to run sets until you get a great look or lay up. Now having said that Geno is the king of women's offense and it's a beautiful thing. But any offense looks prettier vs opponents who are less talented, can't guard you like it or not.

The men are too much one on one I agree, and they haven't played together but for 2 weeks. I can agree that in men or womens I love to see what is perceived to be a wonderfully played fundamental game, it is beautiful. But in the mens game there will always be the requirement to be able to be creative out of the play as the defenders are much better and can take you of their sets, different than in the womens game when a team is as dominant as UConn and USA. We have seen over the years when a Notre Dame/UConn game has been ugly offensively because they are able to guard each other and take them out of what they want to do right? Most teams can't in the womens game, even if they know what's coming. It is great to see, the passing and cutting etc etc, but again, not as easy to do that in the men's game due to defensive differences.

All good Go Huskies, Go USA

 

[blackbird]

Sorry, I don't buy that.

Australia had no problem running that type of offense against the United States. The US men don't run a pretty offense against against easier teams, and likewise, you don't give other women's teams enough credit. (The US women consistently beat a team that had two of the top 5 players in the world going against them, in Jackson and Taylor). Obviously talent is necessary to run a pretty offense (although, I'd argue it's more important to have a well constructed team..), but that's not an issue for the US men.

The men's game doesn't have that requirement. The men's game went in that basketball direction. The International game has repeatedly proven that the well played floored game can more than compete with the creativity of the NBA. (As have a few NBA teams).

Now, again..I'm not saying one is better than the other. I have my preference. That doesn't make what I like better, it just makes it what I like. But I think it's obvious that the top women (as there is still a talent disparity, even in the professional game. ) Understand and play this type of game better than most men do..because that's how they learned to play basketball. (So it makes sense.) And there is a variety of NBA players who have said the same thing.

edit: Skill wise, the USA women absolutely do have the best backcourt. Offensive skill wise, Kyrie and PG aren't even close to Bird and Taurasi. Athletically, PG andKyrie are far superior and would kill them in a game of two on two. (And I shouldn't even have to say that) But when you talk about better passers, shooters, ball handlers, court awareness, playmaking ability...etc..it's not close.

And yes, I'm comparing what Bird and Taurasi do against women to what Kyrie and PG do against men..because Bird and Taurasi are women, and their skills should be judged based on what they can do athletically against women, just as Kyrie and PG's skills should be judged against men. I'm saying it comes down to a difference in athleticism, not skill.

 

[mauconnfan]

Sorry, I don't buy that.

Australia had no problem running that type of offense against the United States. The US men don't run a pretty offense against against easier teams, and likewise, you don't give other women's teams enough credit. (The US women consistently beat a team that had two of the top 5 players in the world going against them, in Jackson and Taylor). Obviously talent is necessary to run a pretty offense (although, I'd argue it's more important to have a well constructed team..), but that's not an issue for the US men.

The men's game doesn't have that requirement. The men's game went in that basketball direction. The International game has repeatedly proven that the well played floored game can more than compete with the creativity of the NBA. (As have a few NBA teams).

Now, again..I'm not saying one is better than the other. I have my preference. That doesn't make what I like better, it just makes it what I like. But I think it's obvious that the top women (as there is still a talent disparity, even in the professional game. ) Understand and play this type of game better than most men do..because that's how they learned to play basketball. (So it makes sense.) And there is a variety of NBA players who have said the same thing.

Your opinion I respect that. Men know fundamentals "most" are taught although I admit not the way it used to be. The athleticism and physicality of the men's game just takes too much away from seeing the "beauty" fans here describe. I guess like the game itself, beauty is in the eye of the beholder huh? lol

People like what they like, it's all good.