Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

[jmood88]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

If Trajan Langdon can pace any team then the results shouldn't be taken seriously. I would also like to see European teams play some NBA teams after training camp and see if the games aren't any different.

[TJdaSportsGuy]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

I would also like to see European teams play some NBA teams after training camp and see if the games aren't any different.

They did. It was called the World Basketball Championships. We lost.

[jmood88]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

In the last few years, I have come to this conclusion. In MLB, NFL, and NHL, most of the players play for championships. In the NBA, most of the players play to be part of the "life", they play for the money. I think very few NBA players care whether they win or not. I just don't see the same passion and heart in the NBA that I see in those other sports I mentioned.

These losses to European teams is all the evidence we need.

Part of that has to do with the guranteed contracts. I am in favor of them for the nfl but when you are constantly for a job like what happens in the nfl then you are going to try to be in the best shape you can for the competition. In the nba if you have a good year and you get a 50 million dollar contract then you know that no matter what you do you're going to get that money. In the nfl you can get cut and you won't see another dime.

[jmood88]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

They did. It was called the World Basketball Championships. We lost.

A team which was not made up of the best nba players or players who's skills are suited for the international game.

[Vince]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

In the last few years, I have come to this conclusion. In MLB, NFL, and NHL, most of the players play for championships. In the NBA, most of the players play to be part of the "life", they play for the money. I think very few NBA players care whether they win or not. I just don't see the same passion and heart in the NBA that I see in those other sports I mentioned.

These losses to European teams is all the evidence we need.

The NFL isn't any better. There are so many me-first big ego guys in that league right now.

[fsquid]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

If Trajan Langdon can pace any team then the results shouldn't be taken seriously. I would also like to see European teams play some NBA teams after training camp and see if the games aren't any different.

aren't these Euro teams also in training camp?

[Air23]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

In the last few years, I have come to this conclusion. In MLB, NFL, and NHL, most of the players play for championships. In the NBA, most of the players play to be part of the "life", they play for the money. I think very few NBA players care whether they win or not. I just don't see the same passion and heart in the NBA that I see in those other sports I mentioned.

These losses to European teams is all the evidence we need.

What about MLB and NHL teams losing to foreign teams? It's happened a lot recently, too.

The NFL is a purely American sport, so it doesn't have to worry about foreign players outdoing it players.

[PdiddyPop]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

aren't these Euro teams also in training camp?

Yep. I'm tired of the excuses. The world is just better at basketball than we are right now. Period. Don't know how many times the US has to get beat in either sending a NBA team over there, or sending a bunch of the NBA's best over there to get beat. Don't give me that Kobe, Shaq, and a few others weren't playing. If the NBA is the best product out there it shouldn't matter what NBA guys we send over there.

[teebone]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

During the Broncos game, they interviewed Carmelo Anthony. Apparetnly theyre playing a team from Turkey soon. Anthony made the comment that he thinks the altitude will help the Nuggets. Someone needs to tell Kobe that parts of Turkey are also higher altitude, namely eastern Turkey.

[darkeim]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

A team which was not made up of the best nba players or players who's skills are suited for the international game.

So Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwayne Wade aren't good enough?
The excuse that "we didn't send the right players" is getting old. They'rel multi millionaires that can't even make free throws. I'm not questioning their commitment but they lost for several reasons. Free throws and jump shooting are the major ones I saw. A few set plays may have helped too. The world has not caught up athletically but they darn sure are ahead of our players in terms of fundamentals. Hell the 2003 team (and yes they had "THE BEST" players) almost got beat by Argentina in the Tournament of the America's. That team was loaded. Our superiority complex about basketball is becoming laughable everytime we take a loss after we shoot 50% from the FT line and resort to and-one basketball when we fall behind.

[jmood88]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

So Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwayne Wade aren't good enough?
The excuse that "we didn't send the right players" is getting old. They'rel multi millionaires that can't even make free throws. I'm not questioning their commitment but they lost for several reasons. Free throws and jump shooting are the major ones I saw. A few set plays may have helped too. The world has not caught up athletically but they darn sure are ahead of our players in terms of fundamentals. Hell the 2003 team (and yes they had "THE BEST" players) almost got beat by Argentina in the Tournament of the America's. That team was loaded. Our superiority complex about basketball is becoming laughable everytime we take a loss after we shoot 50% from the FT line and resort to and-one basketball when we fall behind.

Do you really think that having Kobe, T-mac, Shaq, Ray Allen, a healthy Amare just to name a few wouldn't have changed things? Yes Lebron and D-Wade are great but that team was not made up of the best.

[jmood88]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

Yep. I'm tired of the excuses. The world is just better at basketball than we are right now. Period. Don't know how many times the US has to get beat in either sending a NBA team over there, or sending a bunch of the NBA's best over there to get beat. Don't give me that Kobe, Shaq, and a few others weren't playing. If the NBA is the best product out there it shouldn't matter what NBA guys we send over there.

Sending alright US players wouldn't be anywhere near the same as sending the best US players. We lost when we sent college players over there so just because a country has the best players doesn't mean that just sending anyone over there would mean that the US would win.

[fsquid]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

Do you really think that having Kobe, T-mac, Shaq, Ray Allen, a healthy Amare just to name a few wouldn't have changed things? Yes Lebron and D-Wade are great but that team was not made up of the best.

We will never know because Shaq and co. can't give up a month of their summer. Damn those people who have to work 12 months a year!

[PdiddyPop]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

Sending alright US players wouldn't be anywhere near the same as sending the best US players. We lost when we sent college players over there so just because a country has the best players doesn't mean that just sending anyone over there would mean that the US would win.

I didn't say sending college guys would be the difference, but they did pretty well for a long time didn't they? At least they can hit free throws and jump shots!!! A lost art in the NBA.

[jmood88]

Re: Clippers blown out by CSKA Moscow

We will never know because Shaq and co. can't give up a month of their summer. Damn those people who have to work 12 months a year!

Well for Kobe and some of the other guys they had legitimate reasons for not going and will be back for the next tournament.