2023-24 NBA Thread

[HutchwasClutch]

Hutch,

Would this be similar to MU losing to Cardinal Stritch or am I being hyperbolic?  I can't see any rational argument of being down 31-12 to begin tbe game.

Probably more MU losing to a 300 type level D1 team IMO. Their players can ball, but it's a considerably lower talent level. But good enough if you look past them you'll get burned.

[lawdog77]

Probably more MU losing to a 300 type level D1 team IMO. Their players can ball, but it's a considerably lower talent level. But good enough if you look past them you'll get burned.

Lithuania is ranked #8 in the FIBA rankings, itsnot that big of a talent disparity. When Josh Hart is your starting SG, you're not that talented.

[MuggsyB]

Probably more MU losing to a 300 type level D1 team IMO. Their players can ball, but it's a considerably lower talent level. But good enough if you look past them you'll get burned.

That sounds more logical.  Of course Kerr was all smiles after that dumpster fire performance. 

[tower912]

Like MU losing to an A-10 school on a neutral floor.   

[MuggsyB]

Like MU losing to an A-10 school on a neutral floor.

LOL.

[tower912]

It isn't Virginia-UMBC or Purdue-Fairleigh Dickinson.   Lithuania is solid and came to play.   Good for them.   Big picture, yawn.
Still going  to the Olympics, can still win this.

[MuggsyB]

It isn't Virginia-UMBC or Purdue-Fairleigh Dickinson.   Lithuania is solid and came to play.   Good for them.   Big picture, yawn.
Still going  to the Olympics, can still win this.

I vehemently disagree.  And we got destroyed on the glass and never lead the entire game.  The talent discrepancy between the rosters is rather pronounced.  You can't allow wide open three after wide open three after wide open three.  That's extraordinarily bad coaching. 

[tower912]

Or execution of the game plan.

[MuggsyB]

Or execution of the game plan.

What was the game plan defensively besides pressuring tbe ball?  Tower, did you watch the first quarter?  it looked like shooting practice.

[Jockey]

I vehemently disagree.  And we got destroyed on the glass and never lead the entire game.  The talent discrepancy between the rosters is rather pronounced.  You can't allow wide open three after wide open three after wide open three.  That's extraordinarily bad coaching.

Yes. Kerr is a terrible coach. He should never be allowed near an NBA team.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Me: "Huh, Muggsy is really going after the Team USA coach and not the players."

*Googles who the coach is*

"Ah. That makes sense"

[MuggsyB]

Me: "Huh, Muggsy is really going after the Team USA coach and not the players."

*Googles who the coach is*

"Ah. That makes sense"

Ya....that's a bad take.  I've actually praised Kerr as a very good coach many times.  Including during the '21 Finals.  But the International game is different and no rational and honest person could watch that 1Q and not be critical of the coaching.  And there are multiple good coaches on that staff.   Lithuania literally got any shot that wanted and no one was near their three point shooters.  And they also haven't adjusted to guys clogging the lane in the half-court on the other end
.

[MuggsyB]

Yes. Kerr is a terrible coach. He should never be allowed near an NBA team.

Another bad take/invented narrative.  I never said he was a terrible coach.  Clearly you and others here didn't watch the game or refuse to accept reality. 

[wadesworld]

The Warriors have had some of the best defenses in the NBA basically every year Kerr has been coaching them. And their offense is certainly not isolation and does not lack ball and player movement...

[MuggsyB]

The Warriors have had some of the best defenses in the NBA basically every year Kerr has been coaching them. And their offense is certainly not isolation and does not lack ball and player movement...

That's true but neither occurred this morning with Team USA. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

That's true but neither occurred this morning with Team USA.

So either Kerr forgot how to be a good coach or maybe, just maybe,  assembling a group of players who have never played together before and giving them limited practice time together and having them play in some exhibition matches where they are more concerned about not getting hurt before their real seasons can result in some dud performances.

[PGsHeroes32]

Another bad take/invented narrative.  I never said he was a terrible coach.  Clearly you and others here didn't watch the game or refuse to accept reality.

But your take was that because of the 1Q of one game, the coach of a team is not the right coach???

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

We don't have our best coach. Spoelstra or Jay Wright please. 

Very good 3Q start so we'll see about today. A win today won't change my opinion we have better options than Kerr for our national coach. 

Wonder if this take will turn out as freezing cold as your last one about the national team's coach.

https://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=62110.msg1362356#msg1362356

[HutchwasClutch]

So either Kerr forgot how to be a good coach or maybe, just maybe,  assembling a group of players who have never played together before and giving them limited practice time together and having them play in some exhibition matches where they are more concerned about not getting hurt before their real seasons can result in some dud performances.

Yes, it's a tough task, but this is what Kerr signed up for as our national coach.  Coach K was 75-1 doing it. 

[HutchwasClutch]

Wonder if this take will turn out as freezing cold as your last one about the national team's coach.

https://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=62110.msg1362356#msg1362356

I don't think Popovich validated anything as US coach by taking the team with by far the most talent and the best player who dominated in Tokyo as well, but if you're so sure he did, great.  There was already that impressive 7th place finish in the 2019 FIBA World Cup he led as well.

[MuggsyB]

But your take was that because of the 1Q of one game, the coach of a team is not the right coach???

When you watch a team with exponentially more talent,  allow 31 pts in 10 mins of playing time, while simultaneously looking like a rec team on the offensive end, it's okay to render an opinion.  It was a s-storm that frankly should never happen.  And Kerr and the coaching staff did nothing to stop the deluge.  Now the positive is you would think this will wake them up and they will win this tournament easily but as Hutch stated it was like a 300+ ranked team blowing out MU or a top 10 team.  The level of talent on Team USA snd perhaps Canada vs everyone else, in this weaker than normal field, isn't remotely close.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I don't think Popovich validated anything as US coach by taking the team with by far the most talent and the best player who dominated in Tokyo as well, but if you're so sure he did, great.  There was already that impressive 7th place finish in the 2019 FIBA World Cup he led as well.

When you watch a team with exponentially more talent,  allow 31 pts in 10 mins of playing time, while simultaneously looking like a rec team on the offensive end, it's okay to render an opinion.  It was a s-storm that frankly should never happen.  And Kerr and the coaching staff did nothing to stop the deluge.  Now the positive is you would think this will wake them up and they will win this tournament easily but as Hutch stated it was like a 300+ ranked team blowing out MU or a top 10 team.  The level of talent on Team USA snd perhaps Canada vs everyone else, in this weaker than normal field, isn't remotely close.

The problem is player selection - not coaching.  The US continues to throw out B-level and poorly constructed squads for the FIBA World Cup, while other nations have a more systematic and long-term approach.  One would think people would appreciate this considering Shaka's approach at Marquette.  The time has long passed that the US can just trot out a random selection of 15 players and think that's good enough.

The idea that Pop and Kerr, despite winning nine NBA titles between them, are bad coaches is really a bad take.

[HutchwasClutch]

The problem is player selection - not coaching.  The US continues to throw out B-level and poorly constructed squads for the FIBA World Cup, while other nations have a more systematic and long-term approach.  One would think people would appreciate this considering Shaka's approach at Marquette.  The time has long passed that the US can just trot out a random selection of 15 players and think that's good enough.

The idea that Pop and Kerr, despite winning nine NBA titles between them, are bad coaches is really a bad take.

Neither Muggsy nor I said either are bad coaches.  I simply said about Kerr there are better options for our national coach.  It's my opinion, feel free to disagree but don't misstate my position.

And same with Popovich. I never said he's a bad coach.  My criticism of him was solely confined to what I felt was a lousy job he did coaching the national team. Period. And he was openly ripped by many, including reportedly his own team during the Tokyo Olympics. In just two appearances as our head coach, he managed to lose 3x the games Coach K did in 10 years. And that leaves out Pop's exhibition losses. 

I do agree a big problem is player selection, but that's in large part on them as well. Although getting commitments to Team USA isn't easy by any stretch now.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

So when you said that Pop was an "absolute disaster as our national coach," you didn't mean to say he is a bad coach?

Regardless, I get your point. I think getting commitments is the biggest problem. I think it goes in waves - when an "emergency" is declared, the best players commit. But after winning the last four Olympic golds, I think complacency can set in, especially if a player already has won a medal.

[MuggsyB]

So when you said that Pop was an "absolute disaster as our national coach," you didn't mean to say he is a bad coach?

Regardless, I get your point. I think getting commitments is the biggest problem. I think it goes in waves - when an "emergency" is declared, the best players commit. But after winning the last four Olympic golds, I think complacency can set in, especially if a player already has won a medal.

No, he didn't. He explained the difference between coaching the National Team vs his job for the Spurs.