Posted on 06/08/2003 8:56:01 PM PDT by Sparta
Edited on 04/13/2004 1:40:44 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
No doubt about it. The shooting and passing were horrible, and very few set plays were run. Both teams looked like they wanted to lose. It was downright embarrassing.
The NBA is a shadow of its former greatness, and it's due to most players lacking knowledge of the fundamentals of the game.
High school (and younger) players are more interested in learning how to perform athletic dunks - making the ESPN highlight reel - than in learning how to properly pass, shoot, box out for a rebound, set a pick, and think basketball. Most games are as disorganized as a typical high-level street ball contest.
That's why even our "Dream Teams" are going to start losing to European teams who have a better grasp of fundamentals.
Our last Olympic team barely got by, and the next one will have an even more difficult time. We're really in a no-win situation -- If we win big, we were expected to do so; if we have a tough time, then we choked but got away with it; if we don't win the gold, then we're the biggest chokers in history. I'd like us to do what we used to do -- send a college All-Star team. It's more in line with the Olympic spirit, and if we win it's a big deal.
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