National Team Performance

[mpj96]

Anyone see the Vegas scrimmage that aired yesterday afternoon? That was a great 40 minutes of basketball with Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, Kevin Durant, Mike Miller and others really performing well and trying to win.

JJ and Shane were our only alums that I saw out there. JJ did not get a lot of touches and kind of looked like he was just honored to be out on the floor with those guys. He had a nice two that was initialy counted as a three -- until the replay showed his toe on the line.

Shane did his typical masterful all around good game. Great defense, drew a charge, did the little things that will make this team much better than they would be without him.

As for the non-Dukies, Kidd was just lighting up the defenses with his passing in the first half. In the second half, Kobe and Durant basically decided that, despite being down all game, they were not going to lose. Did anyone else think Durant went from looking like a lost little kid to looking like an all-star in the second half?

I can't wait to see more of this squad on Wed. Glad I am not in charge of making cuts for that team. I thought everyone really played with effort and heart and it was a pleasure to see some really good off-season basketball being played.

[lmb]

I thought he had dropped out due to family reasons?

[theasem]

mpj96 is referring to the state farm challenge that actually occurred a few weeks ago. at that time, battier as well as kirk hinrich were on the team.

the game was replayed again yesterday (i think it was yesterday...)

we all know JJ isn't going to be there on Wednesday, so it was nice to see him play in that intrasquad schrimmage.

[mpj96]

You are right, it was from a week or so ago, although I didn't know that when I watched it or posted. It was a great scrimmage and I'm not sure I would have cut Durant after how he played in that game. That guy is the real deal, played hard, really did not want to lose and didn't lose.

[theasem]

I truly do not know why he was cut either. I guess, like the DBR post says, it was just the inexperience. But I thought he showed some really sweet moves in the Blue-White game, including some floaters and a sick spin move followed by a dunk.

But let me get this straight, heading into the 2nd leg of US team workouts, JJ was already considered cut and thusly on the USA Select Team? I know Coach K blatantly said "JJ will not make the team," but did they cut him, or was he just transferred to the practice team side?

[ACCBBallFan]

I heard the last two cuts were Nick Collison and Kevin Durant but do not have a link.

Check your local cable listings and set your Tivo or VCR beginning Wednesday late night and Thursday very early morning for Team USA preliminary games on ESPN Classic and ESPN2 with Venezuela, Virgin Island, Canada and Bazil in successive days

[SilkyJ]

I truly do not know why he was cut either. I guess, like the DBR post says, it was just the inexperience. But I thought he showed some really sweet moves in the Blue-White game, including some floaters and a sick spin move followed by a dunk.


Well if you would have kept him who would you cut? I haven't thought about this really, so lets break it down (this is somewhat stream of conciousness)

We clearly have been lacking in two Key areas in recent years: a really good PG (especially ones who play Defense = NOT chris paul) and outside shooting, so you have to keep Kidd/Billups and Redd.(thats 3...some would say you have to keep miller, but lets say you HAVE to keep just 1 of redd/miller). You aren't gonna cut Kobe/Lebron/Melo (thats 6). Dwight Howard and Amare Stoudemire are no brainers in the post (thats 8). You can't go around with just 2 post players on your roster, so Chandler is in (thats 9). So you've got Miller, Prince, or Deron Williams you can cut. Prince is is virtually the same size/stature as Durant, not to mention a veteran and a winner, and a very good defensive player (even if he did go to UK...). So basically its either Miller or D williams. I think you have to bring D williams along in case kidd/billups gets hurt, and the same could be said for miller vis a vi Redd.

There's another thing in Miller's favor too, which is that for several years now the #1 criticism of our teams has been lack of outside shooting, and miller helps in that area. So basically I would see it as Durant vs. Miller, and since we need the outside shooting, you have to go with Miller...but its definitely close.

[theasem]

I actually think that Deron Williams is going to play more than Chauncey.

He's more of a pure point guard, and the opinion that Chauncey will not be in as much as Deron is shared by some writers on ESPN. I don't know if Chauncey can play at the 2-spot either, since Kobe will lap up most of those minutes. I actually would take Chauncey over Durant though, just because his experience, passing, defense, clutchness, and in my opinion, strength, makes him a better candidate than Durant.

I was just thinking out loud about Durant, just because he showed so much versatility and skill in the schrimmage.

[dukemomLA]

Go Jason Kidd!!! (..Although I also wish that A.I. was on the team). I think J.K will make the difference. GO USA!

[gw67]

I like the USA team and their chances for winning this competition. In addition to the great one-on-one players, they have quality point guards and some outside shooting. The only relatively weak position is center.

I note that DBR failed to mention that Greivis Vasquez of Maryland is a reserve on the Venezuela team.

gw67

[dukeENG2003]

you also have to remember that the cuts were made based on more than just the blue white scrimmage. Sure, Durant looked GREAT in the scrimmage, but we don't know how he performed in practice/against the select squad. Michael Redd looked pretty bad in the Blue White game, but could prove to be CRUCIAL to our success in Vegas.

In addition, with all the emphasis being put on how "physical" international ball is, perhaps his slight frame might have had something to do with it as well. Really, its not so much that he did anything wrong, its that the other guys did things right. I just hope he takes it better than Gilbert Arenas did, JJ Redick had the right attitude about it, just getting to play with these guys should be an honor.

[HK Dukie]

anyone got a link to the box score of the scrimmage with the select team that happened yesterday?

[Jaymf7]

I note that DBR failed to mention that Greivis Vasquez of Maryland is a reserve on the Venezuela team.

gw67

Watching the game now. Vasquez actually started and has played all game so far, being HOUNDED by Bryant, then Billups, then Williams. I am amazed at his ability to keep up that pace and stand up to our best. Of course, he has not dominated or anything, but he continues to attack and I'm impressed by his guts and conditioning.

Maryland was surprising last year. I suspect they will be pretty dangerous this year, particularly with this kid and the experience he is getting this summer.

[dukelifer]

Watching the game now. Vasquez actually started and has played all game so far, being HOUNDED by Bryant, then Billups, then Williams. I am amazed at his ability to keep up that pace and stand up to our best. Of course, he has not dominated or anything, but he continues to attack and I'm impressed by his guts and conditioning.

Maryland was surprising last year. I suspect they will be pretty dangerous this year, particularly with this kid and the experience he is getting this summer.

Vasquez showed that he was able to run with the big boys. He was not afraid amd hit some nice shots with guys in his face-of course the USA team was not playing very hard given that they quickly built a huge lead. Venezuela was so overmatched in this game-it was almost not fair. Great experience for him for sure, though. He will be a very good player in the ACC.