I think there's a real chance Spain knocks us out this year...

[fpliii]

I still think USA wins gold, but losing went from an impossibility to an unlikely event IMO with Griffin, Love, LMA out and PG getting injured.

What do you guys think?

[JohnFreeman]

Spain probably has a midget that can guard Durant as well

[moe94]

Spain probably has a midget that can guard Durant as well

[dubeta]

Spain probably has a midget that can guard Durant as well

[Milbuck]

We'll be fine if we go with a traditional PF/C lineup. Losing PG means we can't afford to let KD wear down with too many minutes at the 4. Plus Spain is gonna force us to put more size at those positions anyways..might as well build that foundation from the start.

Rose/Curry/Lillard
Thompson/Harden/Derozan
Durant/Parsons/Derozan
Davis/Durant/Parsons
Cousins/Drummond/Plumlee

I don't see how we lose with that roster, no clear weakness.

Derozan splits minutes at 3rd string SG and SF, Durant and Parsons split minutes at SF and PF, while Davis primarily plays PF.

Starting lineup (and mostly likely the main lineup against Spain) has lots of shooting, size in the front court that has scoring from Cousins and defense from Davis, and two dynamic scorer/playmakers in Durant and Rose to carry the team in the clutch. The bench is sick too.. tons of scoring with Curry, Harden, Lillard, Derozan, etc. and having a huge, athletic defensive presence in the paint in Drummond will help compensate for having a skinny SF playing stretch 4 (KD, Parsons).

[Euroleague]

We'll be fine if we go with a traditional PF/C lineup. Losing PG means we can't afford to let KD wear down with too many minutes at the 4. Plus Spain is gonna force us to put more size at those positions anyways..might as well build that foundation from the start.

Rose/Curry/Lillard
Thompson/Harden/Derozan
Durant/Parsons/Derozan
Davis/Durant/Parsons
Cousins/Drummond/Plumlee

I don't see how we lose with that roster, no clear weakness.

Derozan splits minutes at 3rd string SG and SF, Durant and Parsons split minutes at SF and PF, while Davis primarily plays PF.

Starting lineup (and mostly likely the main lineup against Spain) has lots of shooting, size in the front court that has scoring from Cousins and defense from Davis, and two dynamic scorer/playmakers in Durant and Rose to carry the team in the clutch. The bench is sick too.. tons of scoring with Curry, Harden, Lillard, Derozan, etc. and having a huge, athletic defensive presence in the paint in Drummond will help compensate for having a skinny SF playing stretch 4 (KD, Parsons).

I don't think that team can beat Slovenia or Lithuania in an elimination game on USA side of the bracket without serious help from the refs. But USA WILL get that ref help because FIBA is clearly itching for this Spain-USA final, even going as far as to rig the bracket.

Which after that happened, even people in Europe that never believed in this rigging tournaments for USA thing, now all believe in it after that.

I'm not entirely sure they can beat Slovenia or Lithuania even with ref help though....so the refs will have to bring it.

As for the final, if it is Spain, not a chance in freaking hell. With Spain being at home...too much pressure for the refs to rig it for USA, especially since the refs rigged two Olympics finals for USA against them already. It won't go over in Spain.

USA better hope Spain slips up along the way due to pressure - unlikely though, because the refs will also be pushing them the whole way to get to the final and will rig games if needed for them to get them there.

[MastaKilla]

I don't think that team can beat Slovenia or Lithuania in an elimination game on USA side of the bracket without serious help from the refs. But USA WILL get that ref help because FIBA is clearly itching for this Spain-USA final, even going as far as to rig the bracket.

Which after that happened, even people in Europe that never believed in this rigging tournaments for USA thing, now all believe in it after that.

I'm not entirely sure they can beat Slovenia or Lithuania even with ref help though....so the refs will have to bring it.

As for the final, if it is Spain, not a chance in freaking hell. With Spain being at home...too much pressure for the refs to rig it for USA, especially since the refs rigged two Olympics finals for USA against them already. It won't go over in Spain.

USA better hope Spain slips up along the way due to pressure - unlikely though, because the refs will also be pushing them the whole way to get to the final and will rig games if needed for them to get them there.

V span was such a shit player in the nba.

[UK2K]

Harden/Durant >>>>> anything anyone else can put on the floor.

[ImKobe]

No way

[juju151111]

I don't think that team can beat Slovenia or Lithuania in an elimination game on USA side of the bracket without serious help from the refs. But USA WILL get that ref help because FIBA is clearly itching for this Spain-USA final, even going as far as to rig the bracket.

Which after that happened, even people in Europe that never believed in this rigging tournaments for USA thing, now all believe in it after that.

I'm not entirely sure they can beat Slovenia or Lithuania even with ref help though....so the refs will have to bring it.

As for the final, if it is Spain, not a chance in freaking hell. With Spain being at home...too much pressure for the refs to rig it for USA, especially since the refs rigged two Olympics finals for USA against them already. It won't go over in Spain.

USA better hope Spain slips up along the way due to pressure - unlikely though, because the refs will also be pushing them the whole way to get to the final and will rig games if needed for them to get them there.

[Fudge]

A Durant-led team will beat any team in its way. It won't even be close.

[Rooster]

Spain probably has a midget that can guard Durant as well

It was 5 to 1 last time around and Durant still pounding them Euros like tomato cans.

[Milbuck]

I don't think that team can beat Slovenia or Lithuania in an elimination game on USA side of the bracket without serious help from the refs. But USA WILL get that ref help because FIBA is clearly itching for this Spain-USA final, even going as far as to rig the bracket.

Which after that happened, even people in Europe that never believed in this rigging tournaments for USA thing, now all believe in it after that.

I'm not entirely sure they can beat Slovenia or Lithuania even with ref help though....so the refs will have to bring it.

As for the final, if it is Spain, not a chance in freaking hell. With Spain being at home...too much pressure for the refs to rig it for USA, especially since the refs rigged two Olympics finals for USA against them already. It won't go over in Spain.

USA better hope Spain slips up along the way due to pressure - unlikely though, because the refs will also be pushing them the whole way to get to the final and will rig games if needed for them to get them there.

So what you're saying is that the US is far and away the most talented squad and are the clear favorites?

[Rooster]

I still think USA wins gold, but losing went from an impossibility to an unlikely event IMO with Griffin, Love, LMA out and PG getting injured.

What do you guys think?

Undersized frontcourt works well in the amateur game. Look at Odom, he put up 15 points and 11 reebies in the last FIBA World Final game while on crack.

But Spain has a lot of NBA players with NBA experience. So they can probably put a surprise for 1 game.

[sportjames23]

Spain probably has a midget that can guard Durant as well

Ok, I 'd