Olympic Basketball - Argentina Thread

[SilkyJ]

Ginobli is a great player,but having Kobe Dwayne and Tayshaun coming at him for 40 minutes is going to wear him out! Its going to be fun to watch.

did you really just drop tayshaun prince's name in the same breath as kobe and wade?

[Channing]

did you really just drop tayshaun prince's name in the same breath as kobe and wade?

do you honestly not think Tayshaun is in their category defensively (as the post implies). Would you have a problem putting Shane in that category defensively? Tayshaun is one of the best defenders in the NBA - he can guard the 2,3, or the 4 and do it well.

[SilkyJ]

do you honestly not think Tayshaun is in their category defensively (as the post implies). Would you have a problem putting Shane in that category defensively? Tayshaun is one of the best defenders in the NBA - he can guard the 2,3, or the 4 and do it well.

I do not think Tayshaun is in Kobe's category defensively, but more importantly he also doesn't see the floor enough for me to justify mentioning him.

[phaedrus]

I do not think Tayshaun is in Kobe's category defensively, but more importantly he also doesn't see the floor enough for me to justify mentioning him.

Prince is one of the best defenders in the league, without question; if he is not even in Kobe's league, then I suppose Kobe's league must be somewhere between Bill Russell and God. Fairly impressive, considering Kobe rarely even tries to play defense in the NBA.

And Prince is well ahead of Wade defensively.

[Indoor66]

Prince is one of the best defenders in the league, without question; if he is not even in Kobe's league, then I suppose Kobe's league must be somewhere between Bill Russell and God. Fairly impressive, considering Kobe rarely even tries to play defense in the NBA.

And Prince is well ahead of Wade defensively.

He must have tried a little, Kobe made the NBA All-Defensive team in 2008!

NBA All-Defensive Team: Tim Duncan - Spurs, Bruce Bowen - Spurs, Marcus Camby - Nuggets, Kobe Bryant - Lakers, Raja Bell - Suns

[BlueintheFace]

He must have tried a little, Kobe made the NBA All-Defensive team in 2008!

NBA All-Defensive Team: Tim Duncan - Spurs, Bruce Bowen - Spurs, Marcus Camby - Nuggets, Kobe Bryant - Lakers, Raja Bell - Suns

Yah, it has never really been much of a secret that Kobe is one of the best defenders in the NBA. Do you really think K would put him on the other teams' best guards otherwise?

Kobe will be defending Ginobili next game.

The reason we don't think of him as much of a defender is because in the playoffs it is usually good strategy to put Kobe on a poor offensive player so that he can save his legs.

[BlueintheFace]

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer...gentina-080821

[phaedrus]

The reason we don't think of him as much of a defender is because in the playoffs it is usually good strategy to put Kobe on a poor offensive player so that he can save his legs.

I do think Kobe is a very capable defender, maybe even better than Prince; but I'd submit that the above is true not just in the playoffs but for much of the regular season. Kobe's continued presence on the All-Defense team is a mystery to me, but this is the same institution that regularly leaves Shane Battier in the dark.

[SilkyJ]

Kobe's continued presence on the All-Defense team is a mystery to me

ok, well as you said, "continued" so clearly people arent getting fooled just once. that should tell you something.

[Johnboy]

I do think Kobe is a very capable defender, maybe even better than Prince; but I'd submit that the above is true not just in the playoffs but for much of the regular season. Kobe's continued presence on the All-Defense team is a mystery to me, but this is the same institution that regularly leaves Shane Battier in the dark.

Check out the second team:
Battier, Prince, Paul, Howard and Raja Bell. I wouldn't call that leaving Battier in the dust or putting Kobe "in a different league" than Prince. While it's interesting that we only have one first-team NBA defender on the Olympic team, we do have 3/5s of the second team, and if Battier hadn't been hurt, it mighta been 4/5.

[phaedrus]

Check out the second team:
Battier, Prince, Paul, Howard and Raja Bell. I wouldn't call that leaving Battier in the dust or putting Kobe "in a different league" than Prince. While it's interesting that we only have one first-team NBA defender on the Olympic team, we do have 3/5s of the second team, and if Battier hadn't been hurt, it mighta been 4/5.

That's the first time in his career Battier's even made the second team, and it was in a year that some argued he should have won defensive POY (or at least been close).

Anyway, I don't want to keep directing this thread off-topic. Kobe has played great defense for Team USA, and that's all that really matters here. But let's not underrate Prince, who wouldn't even have sniffed the Team USA roster if he weren't one of the best defensive players in the world.

[Bluedog]

That's the first time in his career Battier's even made the second team, and it was in a year that some argued he should have won defensive POY (or at least been close).

Battier finished second in defensive POY voting, IIRC. But still made the second team despite that.

[devilirium]

This game will be another asswhipping...

[EarlJam]

This game will be another asswhipping...

Not quite, but you are still correct to a point. Please all, do NOT be to amazed how accurate I am on this. Remember, I am a professional. The score of U.S. vs. Argentina will be very close to:

98-82

Not an arsewhoopin, but not a close game either.

-EJ, who has spoken with the gods.

[hc5duke]

Remember, I am a professional. The score of U.S. vs. Argentina will be very close to:

98-82

A professional what?

I'll go with 97-81, Bob... I mean Drew.

[heyman25]

Chris Bosh will probably be on Ginobli when there is a switch. The USA' s defense will be kicked up a notch. They have the best scouts in the world giving Collins, Dawkins and Wojo every possible tendencies every player on Team Argentina does when they are on the court. That will be given to Team USA. They will be prepared. I still would like to see higher fg and ft %'s from the entire team. There ft shooting is atrocious.

[heyman25]

From ESPN
"They will attack us with their system, and they believe they can beat us," said chief U.S. scout Tony Ronzone, who stayed up with the American coaching staff until 4 a.m. on Thursday reviewing game tapes and tinkering with the game plan for the renewal of the rivalry

[BlueintheFace]

This is crap. Table Tennis is on USA network.

[EarlJam]

Looking fairly decent so far. Up 20-4. Wow.

-EJ

[Indoor66]

US 21 Argentina 4 time out in first quarter!