World Cup of Basketball in Spain

[redsrule]

Quote: Originally Posted by ProfessaPackMan

For the 100th time, it's not about who's the better individual player. But what exactly are they going to miss from Korver or Lilliard that they won't get from any of the other Guards? They got enough guys on there that can play multiple positions(especially guys that can play the 2 or 3)that Parsons was going to have a hard time making that cut anyway.

Did I say it was? Lillard is a better shooter and is just as good at passing the ball + he is a better defender. I don't really have an issue with Irving making it over Lillard. They are very similar players, and Coach K went with his guy there. Nothing wrong with that.

Plumlee, getting an invite to the camp over guys Taj Gibson, DeAndre Jordan, etc was a joke and if he went to UNC or any other school not named Duke he wouldn't be on the select team, let alone the main team.

[ojandpizza]

I don't think Lillard is a better shooter, or scorer, or finisher at the rim.. I think he's amazing in the P-n-R offense and greatly benefits from playing with Aldridge.. Defensively they are a wash.. Kyrie is a better ball handler, better at breaking down a defense, and forces more turnovers..

Idk about who's a better passer.. Lillard benefits from playing with Wes, Batum, Aldridge.. Irving always looks like a damn good playmaker when he plays with other good players, we don't get to see that in Cleveland.

As for Plumlee, we don't see how he does in practice against Drummond, Cousins, Davis, so how the hell can we possibly say how well he does/doesn't fit in? Or if he can/can't play at their level?

He's a very good positional defender, good help defender, high basketball IQ, doesn't care if he gets shots, runs the floor well, and can play PF/C. I guess I don't understand people's issue with his fit on this team.

We already have a ton of athletes, a ton of scorers, why not grab a hard nosed role player? And if coach K likes his fit so be it, as long as he can utilize him and the US wins it shouldn't matter if "we" consider him worthy of a roster spot?


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[702]

Don't see the issue with Plumlee. It's not some Duke conspiracy, he made the roster as a fluke anyway.

Durant pulled out (he'd of played 90% of his minutes at the four), Love pulled out. Neither Cousins nor Drummond really showed out well enough to earn the trust of the staff... I'm sure they planned the big man rotation to be Love/Davis/Durant/Drummond or Cousins.

Plumlee wasn't invited with an expectation to make the team. But Cousins struggles on D, Drummond isn't mentally there yet. Plumlee isn't the athlete Drummond is but he's still going to be more athletic than most guys he's going to face, he sets his screens and he's a smart player. He fits fine for what they can realistically want.

If Coach K, who helped rebuild this national team, isn't confident in his backup big situation and wants to bring along a solid role playing big man he's comfortable with, I don't see the issue.

[ProfessaPackMan]

I'm not about to defend a dookie, even one that plays on my team, but the notion that(hyperbole alert)he's some bum and that he didn't even deserve an invite to the team, much less even get an invite or that he can't play at all or that he stole Parson's or Lilliard's spot like it was insinuated earlier is a bit much.

Especially considering he's one of the few big guys that we have on this team along with Cousins(who everyone and their mama was ready to throw a fit when reports came out that Plumlee was supposedly taking his spot)and Drummond.

But of course, he went to Dook so that's the only reason why he made it. Not like he can't hold his own with other NBA talent on the court.

[King_B_Mack]

I can tell you right now the Taj Gibson angle on this one is flat out wrong. Considering Taj was on last year's select team I would think he'd have been on this one had he not severely sprained his ankle in the Bulls' last game.

[phenom1990]

The issue with the roster isn't about Plumlee given that they need a couple big bodies. The issue is whether Kyrie was the right 3rd point guard for this team. The bigger issue from my standpoint is whether they made a mistake cutting Wall so early. It's clear that their emphasis with their guards is to have outside shooting.

[JazzMan]

Yeah, I have a tough time believing that Plumlee is a better fit for this team than a guy like Gibson, Favors, hell even Amir Johnson would have been solid.

As for Kyrie, I'd have taken Wall any day over him, but with Rose being such a similar player to Wall I understand the logic there.

[ojandpizza]

I think the guards they kept were the right ones.


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