RebKell's Junkie Boards

[dtsnms]

I was checking things out this season, and for all the whiners that didn't want to go and play in the Olympics, has anyone else noticed the INCREASE (or at least no decline) in productivity and stats from the Olympians?

Go down the line:

INCREASES:
Wade: HUGE! up almost 8 ppg, 1 rpg, and 3 apg
Stoudemaire: up almost 6 ppg (50!!!!)
Boozer: up 4.5 ppg
AI: up 2.7 ppg (50 pters back to back!)
LeBron: up 3.5 ppg, and up in every major statistical category
Jefferson: up 4.5 ppg
Marion: down in scoring (see Amare) but up in every other category
Emeka: no previous, but I don't think anyone expected 19 straight double doubles

STAYED THE SAME:
Duncan: how much upside could there be?
Marbury: has team in 1st place
Carmelo: for all the talk about "bad year" his numbers are almost identical to last year
Odom: will give him a pass for now, due to new system, Kobe, etc.

I was pretty impressed by that. You would think they might be a little tired, but it seems playing against each other helped some and certainly elevated others. I wonder how Amare and Emeka would have done this year without getting beat on by Duncan and Boozer all summer?

Of course there are other factors, like Shaq in Miami and Nash in Phoenix, but still, it's a little something to think about...

[BCBG25]

I think we were to fast to blame the players. Larry Brown has something to do with it too...

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Kings of the World!

[Admiral_Needa]

[Ballwinner]

I think the bronze is another huge dent into the image of men's basketball in the US. David Stern & friends have a lot to do if they want to restore the greatness that was once the Dream Team and NBA.

After the US women had struggled in the early '90s, USA Basketball recommitted itself to the success of the women's side. The result was the creation of the '95 National Team that became the '96 Olympic Team. Those players and coaches amazingly invested an entire year into winning the gold medal. The attitude of that team is still in the organization with Leslie, Swoopes, & Staley, and it seems that they have done an amazing job passing that along to the younger stars.

A gold medal is of little value to NBAers anymore. USA Basketball has to convince them of its worth or find others that respect it. It also can no longer throw teams together weeks before competition. The US has by far the most basketball talent. However, talent does not win championships.

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There are good ships, and there are wood ships, the ships that sail the sea. But the most important ships for a viable WNBA future are ownerships, and that will always be.

[CamrnCrz1974]

Larry Brown as head coach, Roy Williams as his assistant? This team was doom to fail with the Tar Hole connection.