Olympic Hoops
- Thread starter HomeRunBaker
- Start date
Yeah, he had an insane amount of hype coming in. Seeing him play internationally is just wild considering how he's peaked in the NBA as just a solid starter.
Tatum seems extra tentative, which is a little out of place considering Durant is the only guy on the team clearly better than him (Tatum was 2nd in points today despite not starting and finishing just 9th in minutes and 6th in shots). It's cliche but it still feels worth noting that Tatum is the youngest guy on the roster (other than Keldon Johnson, who will never play a meaningful minute).
The USA rolled in the third. Spain did a great job of taking advantage of USA's lack of size. They were cold all 1st half. That said Spain's bigs missed easy shots 2nd half.
Not sure how booker is earning more minutes than Tatum
Not sure how booker is earning more minutes than Tatum
Tatum looks a step slow and hesitant to me, but I agree he should be playing more than Booker.
Not that Tatum is a great rebounder, but for a team playing with zero size, he should be out there more.
Aside from McGee, Tatum and Durant are the biggest guys on the roster.
If you’re going to play 5 smalls/wings, at least play the big wings when you can.
I mean, and Bam and Draymond (the latter isn't that tall but he plays bigger).
The only thing Booker has over Tatum is shot creation, and he's not exactly killing it there (8.5 ppg on 38.7% from the floor and 28.6% from 3). Tatum is doing far better there (15.8 ppg on 51.2% from the floor and 40.7% from 3). As noted Tatum is bigger and a far better rebounder, and far better defensively, and unlike Booker, he's well rested. It is a mystery.
Tatum and Durant are both taller than Bam and Draymond.
Obviously they aren’t big rebounders or inside players, but if you’re going to play a bunch of non-bigs, seems better to play the bigger wings when you can.
Tatum is also just better than Booker, regardless of size. It’s odd.
I rewatched the game, and full confession, my age, being a high school coach (where the other team has maybe two scorers) I am on the "anti" side of the switch spectrum. I also love the post up. But, I can see what Pop is going for. 2nd Q comeback and 3q putting the game away, they had pressure on the ball and switched everything, Spain was forced to make longer passes and the USA was off to the races. It was frightening, when they trapped rather than switch here and there. Holiday seems to have adjusted to the reffing and is handchecking the shit out of guys, stopping the ball. If they get pressure on the ball, this small lineup can put up a 40 point quarter at some point.
Man I love athletic D when it works.
edit:I am saying all my gamethread type comments were, you know, kinda, wrong
Man I love athletic D when it works.
edit:I am saying all my gamethread type comments were, you know, kinda, wrong
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Durant is taller than both but Bam is bulkier (and when Durant and Green played together, Green always guarded the bigger guy). Tatum is taller than Green but not Bam - Tatum isn't actually 6'10, he's 6'8 (and looks it). Bam has at least an inch and 30 pounds on Tatum.
Regardless they should be fine if Durant/Tatum are the biggest guys on the floor for USA, but I take issue with anyone saying they are actually the two biggest (non-McGee) players on the roster.
Lol, what a weird thing to take issue with.
I didn’t say they play down low, they’re taller than Draymond by a lot. Tatum looks as tall as Bam to me, but we’re splitting hairs here.
Regardless, this was about more minutes for Tatum over Booker. Not if Tatum is an inch taller/shorter than Bam or not.
I didn’t say they play down low, they’re taller than Draymond by a lot. Tatum looks as tall as Bam to me, but we’re splitting hairs here.
Regardless, this was about more minutes for Tatum over Booker. Not if Tatum is an inch taller/shorter than Bam or not.
I think that we all agree that we want more Tatum than more Booker. But in principle, against international teams with these 1980s style bigs, I'm psyched to see the guys who want that low post contract being the guys getting that job. That's Bam and Dray. If I'm coach, the last thing we need is some 7 foot stiff from eastern europe wearing down our two best wing scorers in Tatum and KD with elbows to the solar plexus and strain on the posterior chain.
If KD taps out of any of these games, it'll be a grind scoring.
As long as Lillard and Tatum have a few possessions to get into “take the game over mindset” we still have plenty of firepower. I’m actually impressed at how this team has come together so quickly in adapting to their roles (for the most part). Naturally, there will be some who won’t find that synergy but that’s going to be the case with all team.
I think Pop is alternating KD and Tatum in the lineup until the 4Q to keep one big wing in the game.
US had more ball movement against Spain than I had seen previously (haven't watched every game). Once US started hitting some open 3Ps, Spain didn't have a chance.
US had more ball movement against Spain than I had seen previously (haven't watched every game). Once US started hitting some open 3Ps, Spain didn't have a chance.
You'd think at some point the USA games would be televised nationally, no? I know NBC has been trying to milk as many Peacock subscriptions as possible out of hoops, but aren't the semifinals a big deal?
Sign of the times, it appears:
https://irish.nbcsports.com/2021/08/04/peacock-to-exclusively-air-notre-dames-2021-home-opener-vs-toledo/
NBCOlympics.com has a bunch of live stuff that I couldn't find elsewhere (like Slovenia-Germany the other night). But you need a cable provider login to watch more than 30 minutes.
Booker and Bam are thoroughly unimpressive. Bam I get as they are hurting for big men, but Booker's presence is beginning to annoy me.
And he's probably tired from a long playoff run, and it's really not fair that he essentially has to play the 3 when he starts alongside Holiday and Lillard. He shouldn't be starting over Lavine/Middleton/Tatum.
NBC sports app too.
Joe Ingles is going to be talking so much crap if Australia wins. That and not a medal is reason enough for the US squad to beat these guys.
Is it too late to send Middleton back home? He’s singlehandedly tried to kill us in every game.
Anyone not named Durant on Team USA is playing terribly. At least do the guy a favor and run him through screens to get Thybulle off him.