Why Team USA lost 

You can say whatever you want why the US men's basketball team failed to win gold in the Athens Olympics. (Yeah, they did win bronze, but nobody remembers who finish second, much less third.) Take your pick, is it because: 

a) they lacked dead-eye shooters (well, Ray Allen begged off, Michael Redd wasn't even invited, Steve Kerr had retired); 

b) they didn't have their best players (Shaq said no, Kobe raped someone, KG... yeah, what was his reason again?); 

c) they didn't have a true point guard (unless you're one of the dimwits who think that Stephon fits that); 

d) they had too many egos on the team (Melo thinks of his own skills too much for his own good, AI, Steph, Amare, Dwyane, and RJ; not LeBron though); 

e) they didn't have a true center (TD is a power forward, Brad Miller could've helped); 

f) Larry Brown was overrated (well, you really can't blame the man); 

g) they weren't accustomed to international rules (damn, it's still basketball--this excuse is only used everytime the Philippine basketball team loses in the Asiad); 

h) they didn't prepare enough, playing together for only one month tops (yet another excuse that draws parallelism to every RP team debacle); 

i) LeBron, Melo, and Amare were used sparingly--the selection committee should've just given their roster spots to role players (no qualms about the 2 idiots, but 'Bron is the best-player-in-the-planet-to-be); 

j) the selection team sucked (they do, big time); 

k) all of the above, and so much more 

But you see, they could've still won the gold given all these reasons. They had more talent than all the other teams combined, period. That's enough to win the gold medal. It won't work for the NBA, but it should for the Olympics. (I won't give up my stance on talent, so there's no point arguing). They had TD, one of the top 5 players on the planet today. Oh, so you now see where I'm going? Well, TD is hands-down the best player in the tournament. Problem is, the US had him on the floor for just 15 minutes in their games against Spain and Argentina due to foul trouble. No, it's not the Big Fundamental's fault that the US team lost. Why would it be? He was just playing basketball--the same basketball that earned him 2 MVP trophies and 2 NBA championships. Yeah, 'twas the refs fault. No doubt about it. All the handcheck calls, damn, you just don't call that. That "moving" pick, the Argentineans were doing that much more obviously all game long. As Larry Brown put it: "...it's obvious that they (the refs) were consistent. Consistent in keeping Duncan on the bench." In the end, the refs cost the US their gold medal--sounds pathetic but definitely merited. 

Side notes: Obviously, I’m still sour-graping following Team USA’s defeat. I said in 2002 following their lackluster performance in the World Championships that the Americans would be vengeful come Athens 2004. I said that they were going to take a shit at everybody’s heads en route to a gold medal--I said it would be Barcelona and Atlanta all over again (well, they did in the Olympic qualifiers, when they had better players; but that doesn’t matter now does it?). And just last week, I predicted USA all the way. I like Manu, but still, damn those Argentineans… When Lithuania beat the US in qualifying last week, people went as far as saying that Sarunas Jasikevicius was the best point guard in the world (he is not). But in their semifinals game against Italy, he just gave up in the last 2 minutes. He didn’t like the refs’ calls (nobody did), so he decided he doesn’t want to play anymore, he just quit. Now, by my dictionary, great players never quit. I guess that’s why Jasikevicius never made it to the NBA… Arvydas Macijauskas shot the lights out from downtown in the first half of Lithuania’s semifinal game against Italy. But then he was already exhausted for the second half. And he’s a lefty. A southpaw shooter who easily tires out? Sounds like me. I don’t know if Macijauskas will play in the NBA this season, but in any case, he’s becoming one of my fave players… Speaking of, somebody asked Darius Songaila if Macijauskas was the best shooter in the world. He answered, “When he’s on, he’s one of the best.” Wondering why he didn’t answer “yes”? Well, it just so happens that Darius plays for Sacramento and teammates with Peja. So you tell me, how can he answer “yes”… I just remembered that me old friend tele-‘Tavi has been in Italia for 2 years now this month. And Italy finished second to Argentina in basketball, so I guess he must be one proud bastahd right now. But then, he gave up the game when he arrived at Roma, so I’m not sure if he even bothers about those stuffs. Well, I guess the Peja-Dirk connection is a thing of the past. (Dirk is no Italian, but ‘Tavi’s a 6-footer who can’t play inside. Get it?)… After the US took bronze medal, I realized (not that I don’t already know) that Michael Jordan is such a winner. He won the Olympic gold in 1984 and 1992. The remarkable thing is, he never finished 2nd. Yes, there were times when the Bulls were still struggling and the Wizards never made the playoffs; but nobody really remembers that. He won the NCAA championship in 1983 with UNC. He won the NBA title 6 times. The Olympic gold twice. He just never loses when the title is on the line. He epitomizes best my motto of “nobody remembers who finish second”…

USA all the way

As bad as the US team has been in this Olympics--they're now 4-2 after going 109-2 in previous Olympics--there is no doubt in my mind that they'll win the gold. Although there will be no more blowout games as in 1992 Barcelona (the best team ever) and 1996 Atlanta, the American team is still the best in the Olympics. Yes, they lost to Puerto Rico, but the Puerto Ricans had one of those nights when everything they threw found the bottom of the net; while the Americans had one of those nights when they bricked everything. And they did lose to Lithuania, but they really played well up 'til the last minutes when their lack of true point guard hurt them (unless you're one of the dimwits who think Stephon fits that position). The fact is, they are still the most talented bunch in Athens. And they're getting better each time they step on the court. They disposed of previously-unbeaten Spain last night, which they could've done rather easily if the refs didn't call those stupid handcheck fouls on TD. Another reason why they'll win it all is TD himself, the Big Fundamental, who is arguably the best post player on the planet. If he wasn't in foul trouble last night--and if his teammates gave him the ball often enough--I bet he would've schooled Gasol. Lastly, Team USA has the best-player-in-the-planet-to-be LeBron James. He hasn't seen much playing lately, but I think he'll break out in the semis or the finals. C'mon 'Bron, don't put up all those J's, all you've gots to do is drive, half-step, and dunk everything (a la NBA Live 2004)!

Methinks:

Pistons send Williamson to Sixers for Coleman... Not much to be said, except that both players are already past their prime. Williamson was the Sixth Man of the Year 2 or 3 years ago, but he only showed shades of that last year. Coleman was a former #1 pick (1990), a star in New Jersey in the mid-90s; however, all these are just trivial things of the past--right now, he runs the floor slower than Arvydas (Sabonis). Anyway, the Sixers are stacked at the small forward spot, already with Glen Robinson starting, Aaron McKie coming off the bench, and now the Big Nasty. Well, the 3 are capable of shifting positions, and so long as they know how to give AI the ball, it really doesn't matter. As for the Pistons, they got themselves an aging version of Memo--you know, a big guy who loves to shoot threes and doesn't rebound well. Yeah, I guess they must've really loved brother Memo. But I think it's more than just getting somebody to supplant their infatuation with Memo; I think it's getting some body to prepare themselves for a Shaq-attack in the East. Never mind that, in losing Williamson, they'll have nobody to relieve Tayshaun at the 3-spot (though it's imperative that they do for them to repeat); they do have a frontcourt of Big Ben, Sheed, Darko, McDyess, Elden, and DC. Now that's what I call Shaq-proofing.

The Lakers traded Gary Payton and Rick Fox to the Celtics for Chucky Atkins, Chris Mihm, and Marcus Banks... I honestly don't know what the Lakers are trying to accomplish by ridding themselves of their best point guard. As much as I hate GP, and as much as how he was schooled by Tony Parker and Chauncey Billups in last year's playoffs, he still has some 2-3 good years left in him. And with new coach Rudy T., he could've thrived under the new system. It doesn't matter though, the Lakers are going down, and it's gonna be good to see them hit rock-bottom.

The Knicks traded for Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams, dealing Mutombo and 3 other players to the Bulls... What the hell are the Bulls thinking? Crawford was their best player last year, and all they get in exchange for him were washed up players. They could've at least received Penny or Houston from the trade. They've been rebuilding since Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, and Jackson left in 1998. It's been 6 years, and they're still rebuilding. Bad trade, bad trade... As for the Knicks, I don't know what they're trying to accomplish by stacking up all those talent. I guess Isaiah hasn't learned from the Portland disaster a couple of years back.

The Heat sign outside specialist Wesley Person... Miami needed to a shooter to complement Shaq. They got just that in Wes. Although his best years are behind him i.e, no more double-digits scoring average. He'll still be able to contribute because he can still hit the trifecta with his eyes closed. And with teams double-teaming Shaq down low, he'll have plenty of opportunities to do just that.

Rockets sign Bob Sura and Charlie Ward... The only problem of dealing Francis for McGrady was the void left at the 1-spot. The signing of the two--along with Tyronn Lue--gives them enough bodies to fill the slot. Of the 3, I think Bob Sura's gonna get the nod to start at the point--he did have back-to-back triple doubles for the lowly Hawks last year. Yeah, I reckon that he's gonna have a good solid year with Houston--and Houston's gonna have a solid year as well, maybe challenge for the #4 playoff slot in the mighty West.

My Pre-season Rankings

  Eastern Conference:

1. Detroit Pistons

2. Indiana Pacers

3. Miami Heat

Why I say so:

The Pistons are #1 in the East by default: they are, after all, the reigning champs. And, in fact, there's plenty of rationale why they should be the conference favorites. First of all, they've got depth. Yes, they lost Memo to Utah, but they easily got a replacement in Antonio McDyess, who would further fortify the team's frontline. Last year, the Piston's frontline, led by the Wallace boys, dominated the East frontcourt since 'Sheed's arrival all the way to their thrashing of LA. With the addition of McDyess, it's just hard to imagine anybody in the East outrebounding the Pistons. Second, the "Darko Age" is imminent. Unless Larry Brown is stupid enough to sit Darko on the bench for another season, Milicic would be ready to contribute in the upcoming season--I see him averaging around 10 ppg and 5 rpg. Lastly, the Nets are Nets no more. They were Detroit's biggest thorn in last year's playoffs, but with the departure of K-Mart and Kittles, it will be all the easier for the Pistons in the weak East.

Technically, the Pacers can't be seeded #2 if the Pistons are #1. Because of some stroke of bad luck in the re-alignment, these two teams are lumped in the same division. This means that if Detroit is ranked #1, then Indiana could only go as high as #4--meaning they will play each other in the first round. Anyways, Indiana retains much of last year's lineup that posted the league's best regular season record; I don't know what Rick Carlisle teaches these guys, but it seems to work. The only major move they made was trading Al Harrington for Stephen Jackson. Talent for talent, they lost out. But Jackson is more of a role-player and could be a perfect fit to the Indiana system. One thing though, they don't have enough talent on the team; aside from Jermaine, who do they go to?

Miami is #3 because of one reason: Shaq. In probably the biggest offseason move, the Heat acquired Shaq in exchange for Odom, Grant, and Caron. Nevermind that they lost their best player, Odom, and 2 other starters; at least they got Shaq. With Shaq in the East, he could probably be an MVP-candidate once more. Along with rising star Dwyane Wade, the Heat will be a shoe-in for their division's title. Wade carried Miami in last year's playoffs, so expect him to try to do the same for an entire season--of course, with a little help from the Big Fellá . But mind you, Wade is no Kobe, so don't expect a title in Miami any time soon. And Shaq wasn't able to beat the Pistons last year with Kobe and Payton, how can he possibly do it this time with Wade and an aging Eddie Jones?

        ***

  Western Conference:

1. San Antonio Spurs

2. Minnesota Timberwolves

3. Sacramento Kings

Why I say so:

Almost the same as last year, with the significant omission: the defending conference champs LA Lakers. Maybe Kobe made the biggest mistake in his career by parting ways with Diesel, because they could've probably won more titles together--the Shaq-Kobe tandem is arguably, in recent memory, second only to the Bulls' Jordan-Pippen. Moreover, the Lakers organization could've made the biggest mistake in the club's history by deciding to stick it out with Kobe, who could end up in prison if convicted of rape--there's a new "woman" who came out this week, which is bad news for Kobe.

But who cares about the Lakers anyway? The Spurs are once again the top dogs. They would've been the champs if the refs disallowed Fisher's 0.4 sec shot--but there's no use crying over spilled milk. Well, they shouldn't have blown a 2-0 series lead in the first place. The acquisition of Brent Barry insured that it would never happen again. Their outside shooting sucked big time in the series against LA; so for the Spurs' biggest offseason move, they added Barry, a combo guard with a dead-eye from downtown. Sure, it's sad to see brother Hedo go, but Brent's the guy they need. They don't have as much talent per position as Minnesota, but their trio of Duncan, Ginobilli, and Parker, plus all their reliable role-players should be enough to keep them atop the West. For their last offseason move, I'd like to see the Spurs pursue Bucks free agent Toni Kukoc to replace the void left by Hedo and (presumably) Robert Horry. (I was hoping they'd make a pitch for Pippen last year--get the connection?)

The T-Wolves were the top regular season team in the West last year. But during the postseason, after the Lakers beat the Spurs, you got the feeling that the West was already won. No disrespect to league MVP KG, but they were just no match versus LA last year. In fact, they could've even been beaten by Sac'to [in the 2nd round] had Anthony Peeler played in Game 7 (even more so if Bobby Jackson played in the series). They lost swingman Trenton Hassell to Portland this offseason--a notable loss for the Wolves because Hassell played solid in the last postseason. They're still pretty strong though, since they've got KG, Sam, Spree, Wally, 'Kandi-man, and Hudson. Hudson and Wally was out for most of last season, so the team could be even better this year. And if Olowokandi can go back to his form 2 years ago, when he averaged career-highs in points and rebounds, Minnesota will definitely give San Antonio a run for the Western crown. The way I see it, Minnesota will still challenge for the West's #1 seed in the regular season, but I just don't see them getting past the conference finals.

Sac'to. They were a lock for last year's #2 seed in the West--before they crumbled at the end of the regular season. This year, they lost Vlade Daddé, the team's locker room leader. How much will it affect the Kings? It's really hard to tell, but rumors circulating that there was a rift between Kings players last season (Peja-Vlade against Bibby-Webber) is not good. Maybe the Kings are on their waning years as a title contender, like the Blazers in 1999-2002. Right now, though, they're still good enough to challenge. With C-Webb and Bobby Jackson (hopefully) coming back in full force, they'll be a better team than last year's (when they had to fit C-Webb to the rotation at the end of the season). The effects of Vlade's departure will be softened because they still have Brad Miller. Peja was the league's #2 scorer last season, and Bibby was once again big in the playoffs. But the lack of depth in the Kings bench might spell trouble once the fatigue factor kicks in. They'll still be good, but the road to the finals will go through Minny and San Antón--and whether Sac'to is good enough to beat them is another question altogether.

Dallas ships Walker to Atlanta for Terry, Henderson

     The Mavericks traded Antoine Walker and Tony Delk to the Hawks on Wednesday for Jason Terry, Alan Henderson and a first-round draft pick.

Methinks:

The trade means one thing: the Dallas isn't ready to give the team's reins to second-year man Marquis Daniels. This could be a good thing, since Daniels is not as talented as Jason Terry, and he could be one of those one-season wonders. Well, the Mavs rid themselves of Antoine Walker, only one year after acquiring him from Boston. In fact Dallas has lost 3 of their top 5 players this offseason: Nash (to Phoenix), Jamison (to Washington), and Walker. I don't know how good the Mavs will be with their new lineup, but with Nowitzki, Finley, and Terry, they are still good enough to be a playoff team. (I'm sure Mark Cuban is crying in his pants right now, cos he could've gotten Shaq had he been willing to depart with Dirk, Nash would've stayed, and they could've been title contenders)... As for Atlanta, it really doesn't matter if they've added 'Toine to their team. They'll still be bad. They'll still lose 60 games. To make matters worse, next year's draft is expected to be a weak one; so whether they purposely tank games or just plain lose (or get blown out), they'll not get any better any time soon.

Where has the great "NBA Methinks" gone to?

Check out the NBA Blog archive for:

July 2004