Sunday. 8.15.04 9:56 pm
USA got their asses whooped by the Puerto Rico national team, whom they crushed by about 20 just 2 weeks ago in an exhibition game. The US roster could be so much better, even if the top-notch, marquee NBA'ers couldn't/didn't want to come(i.e. Tmac, Carter, Shaq, Kobe, Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, Ray Allen.) Here are some suggestions. The following players should not be on the US team:
+ Richard Jefferson: Its a shame that he's on the team. However, it is a travesty that he is in the starting lineup! In the first few minutes, he jacked up several three pointers. All of them resulted in bricks that clanged off the rim. Oh yeah, they were wide open. Wide open enough that he took like 5 seconds to concentrate and aim before shooting. For further validation, let the offical play by play speak for itself:
9:30 15 JEFFERSON Richard Three point throw, missed
9:22 15 JEFFERSON Richard Two point throw, missed
7:06 15 JEFFERSON Richard Three point throw, missed
5:15 15 JEFFERSON Richard Three point throw, missed
5:03 15 JEFFERSON Richard Foul on
5:00 15 JEFFERSON Richard Turnover
4:25 15 JEFFERSON Richard Offensive foul
3:04 15 JEFFERSON Richard Three point throw, missed
2:47 15 JEFFERSON Richard Substitution out
In the final quarter, when the US was on a serious run, trimming a 20-something defecit to single digits. At the 6:45 mark, during the heart of the run, Larry Brown decided to put Jefferson back into the game, even after he missed a free throw from a potential three point play a few minutes ago. With 5 minutes left, the US pulled within 9,making this matchup a "game" again. Then RJ strikes again. let the info speak for itself again:
5:01 4 IVERSON Allen Three point throw, made 75 - 66
4:40 7 ARROYO Carlos Turnover
4:40 13 DUNCAN Timothy Steal
4:27 15 JEFFERSON Richard Two point throw, missed
3:08 15 JEFFERSON Richard Turnover
2:42 15 JEFFERSON Richard Foul on
2:42 15 JEFFERSON Richard Free throws, missed
2:08 15 JEFFERSON Richard Three point throw, missed
(note on most recent play: he shot a three with a good look that ended up hitting nothing but. I don't even know what it hit. I think it hit the edge of the backboard, but that might even be pushing it in his favor)
After the game, the stats of the official box score are shocking. Despite his detrimental play, Coach Brown ended up playing RJ nearly 27 minutes, third most on the team. In those minutes, Jefferson shot 3 for 16, which is 19%. He was 0 for 6 from three point range. And this ain't the three point range you see in the NBA. The international three point line is about 3-4 feet closer to the basket.Since the US was not hitting their shots on offense, they should at least get in their free throws, right? Had RJ not attempted any free throws, the US would've shot 70%, better than Puerto Rico who shot 67%. With RJ shooting 2 for 5 (40%), the US ended up shooting a dismal 62%.
Richard Jefferson plays for the Nets, thus representing my area of the country,so I can't hate on him too much, even though my bashing is justified. Just ask any unbiased fan who saw the game. So, I'll commend him on one highlight, when he dunked over Jose Ortiz of Puerto Rico in emphatic fashion, drawing a foul as well.But what followed basically described his night:he missed a free throw that would have caused a three point play and motivated the team due to the nature of his preceding forceful dunk .
Carlos Boozer: The only reason somebody would refer to Boozer in the Olympics would be due to his imfamous signing with Utah this summer (note: He supposedly promised Cleveland that he would resign if they opt him out of his current underpaid contract and give him a raise. He ditched the Cavs, who relinquished his rights at his request to resign, to sign a multiyear deal with the Jazz.). His play on the court justified that notion. Boozer played about 12 minutes, and he ended up taking no field goals, and hitting one only free throw.
Emeka Okafor: The number two draft pick will have a great future, but for now he is just an unpolished rookie. He should be back home training with his respective NBA team like the other rookies. Why does every US team seem to have a rookie benchwarmer? There was Christian Laettner, Jay Williams, Nick Collison, etc.. In this game, he didn't play a single minute. By the looks of things, he won't be playing much for the rest of the tournament.
Stephon Marbury: He carried the Olympic torch in New York, and he is one of the more famous figures on the squad. But in all of the international games the US has played thus far, he has been nearly inexistent. In this first game, he shot 1 for 5 in nearly 25 minutes. You could say that despite his proven scoring ability in the NBA, he is the point guard of this team, so he does not have to score a lot...being a good playmaker is more important. That is 100% true. But his numbers did not showcase him being a good playmaker. He recorded a petty 1 assist. I hate to say this, but that stat is pitiful. Look at all the offensive weapons he could pass to.He has shown his tremendous passing ability in the NBA, with his behind the back and no-look dishes of accuracy and flair. In the Olympics, occasional fanciful dribbling while coming up the court uncontested is not praiseworthy. It is worthless. The teams are playing for their country to win some sort of medal. I am sure any other country would take production over style in terms of priority in this Olympics.
Coming Tommorow: Who should play more, and who the NBA should have invited as replacements for the players mentioned above.
iverson and duncan are pretty much holding the team on thier shoulders... :-( Compare this to the USA team of 1992. *laughs*
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