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re: U.S. loss and Travis Best

There's been a lot of activity, but this has to be the best post (imo) recently. Some comments:


From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

1. Basketball still is a team game. The sum can be greater than the
whole of its parts. That's what is so great about it. As NBA fans we always
hear "it's all about talent" and it's true to an extent. But is Argentina'
s
talent superior to the U.S.? Of course not. But Argentina's team is
better-last night, anyway-than the U.S. team. By working together, they
elevate their game to a level none of them could reach individually. This
isn't an indictment of the U.S. team. They don't have the time to practice
together.
Agreed. The "extent" that you referred to, I've always thought of as based on an assumption. To whit; Assuming you play together (or, have a minimum skill level in team skills) as a team, then it *is* all about the talent. Or at least mostly. Even the team from "Hoosiers" had that one guy (Jimmy?) with "star" talent


2.	The NBA game is different. It's different from college and it's
different from international basketball. The NBA has chosen-and been very
successful doing so-to try to showcase "stars." They don't want the
Nets-where everyone has an equal opportunity, no one stands out.
I'm not so sure I'd be as quick to hold up the Nets as a prime example of a team with no stars, or that doesn't showcase stars: Kidd springs to mind.
There was the Orlando Magic of a year or two ago, but they went out and got themselves some stars. But what I really wanted to say was that the NBA has manufactured a game that is different than the international game,
and that hinders American teams internationally. Can't get away from that, though, unless you just adopt international standards.


3.	There aren't many good NBA coaches anymore. Everyone talks about the
NBA players losing, but it seems to me the NBA coaches should be held
accountable. They don't adjust to the different style of game. They go to
this tournament and try to play NBA basketball and act surprised and
frustrated when it doesn't work.
Interesting. I'm not sure, but I will say that George Karl does seem to be just throwing guys out there. I wonder if he assumes NBA players know what it will take to win internationally?


4. Everyone talks about the foreign invasion of the NBA. You watch a
tournament like this and it's more obvious than ever why it's happening. The
U.S. put such a premium on athleticism for so many years that basic
basketball skills fell by the wayside.
You kind of imply that all, or most, basic basketball skills have fallen, and I'm not sure that's the case. Shooting, especially the mid-range game,
absolutely. Defense? I don't know: I think the "USA" (or the NBA) still plays a better style of defense; more harassing, more physical. Argentina won by, in part, emulating that style effectively. Passing? Yes, could be, with the caveat that, the best NBA passers are probably still the best,
but perhaps "foreigners" are better on average. Part of the way the game is constructed in the US, as you mentioned. Conditioning? I think the foreign player comes to the US to learn what conditioning means: Gasol, Nowitski are the examples that spring to mind.

It also helps that the non-American teams that some of their better guys are getting seasoned in the NBa, where the competition is still the toughest.

Bird