2012 US Men's Basketball Olympic Team

[cr726]

The big man has struggled mainly because of the lack of players who can actually pass or want to pass. Guards want to shoot 1st, shoot 2nd and pass 3rd.

[RutgersJetFan]

I think if there was ever a team patient enough to try to find the right talent fit they could work the big man system. Certainly the Magic could have have if Dwight was even interested in learning to play offensively. Bynum might actually be able to do it if he stays healthy. I think its similar to being in the NFL and being one of the few teams that runs the "ground and pound" philosophy that benefited the Jets for 2 years and San Francisco last season. When the leagues all gear to play one way the few odd apples can have success. In the NFL you have teams that are now gearing for the athletic tight ends, 3rd down pass catching backs, and in general a deeper and more open passing game. The in the box safety is pretty much disappearing. Teams need faster corner types, not run stuffers with range. The LBs are getting leaner to keep up with their assignments. Linemen are more specialized to play pass than ever before. When a team is completely built to play the Patriots and Saints and you can bludgeon them with a run game and stuffing defense you can win some games despite the general crummy play from the QB. The run first WCO Jets of the mid 200s were a dime a dozen unit. Everyone ran that offense and every defense in the NFL was prepared for it. Without the top level talent it becomes tougher to win.

Yup. Pretty much why Hakeem can charge a billion dollars to work with guys for a few weeks during the summer. Watch Philly bring Ewing on to their staff now.

[Matt39]

I thought Simmon's summed this argument up pretty well. the 92 team vs a team that lived and died with the 3 and was getting ate by Pau Gasol...no shot

Q: Why haven't you taken the time to sit down and thoroughly dissect the chances of the 2012 Olympic team beating the 1992 team? Isn't it tempting? Kobe vs. Jordan, LeBron vs. everyone else, even the two college kids and who impacted the team more! I need someone with real basketball knowledge to tackle this, not talking heads.

— Melvin, Boston

SG: Melvin, your effective guilt trip shamed me into a response. 1992 vs. 2012 … hmmmmm … sounds like the perfect topic for our second Dr. Jack Breakdown of the month!

WHICH TEAM WAS MICHAEL JORDAN ON?

The original Dream Team featured the greatest basketball player of all time at his absolute mega-apex. To be clear, "mega-apex" isn't a word. You can't have a mega-apex. In the summer of 1992, however, Jordan was experiencing a mega-apex. Nobody has ever been better at basketball than Michael Jordan in 1992 — he submitted the rich man's version of the year LeBron just wrapped up (right down to the hardware). He also happened to be homicidally competitive, quite possibly the most ruthless athlete in the history of team sports. Jordan loved beating people so much that he couldn't stop doing it. He had to beat people at everything: golf, poker, half-court shots, even whose bag came out first in baggage claim.

So if we're having a hypothetical "1992 vs. 2012" conversation, that means we're convening the Dream Team in August of 1992 and telling them, "Hey, fellas? We just built you a time machine. We're traveling 20 years into the future so you can play America's 2012 team — these guys are really good; more than a few people even think they can beat you guys."

That's when 1992 Michael tries to fight off a sarcastic smirk and says, "Really? I'd love to hear more. Tell me a little about these guys."

"Well, they have someone named LeBron who's the best basketball player since you. They have someone named Durant who's an even better shooter than Bird in his prime. They have a guy named Kobe who's probably the best 2-guard since you — he's near the end of his career, though. Their point guards are really good. They have incredible outside shooting — the 3-point line is too short for them. And they're extremely athletic."

That's when Michael says, "Sounds interesting. Who are their centers?"

"Well, that's their weak spot — they don't really have any centers. They don't have a low-post game at all. Or anyone to protect the rim. They basically play small ball and shoot 3s."

And that's when Michael starts laughing, asks for directions to the time machine, and wonders aloud if his golf clubs will make it through time travel. So much for our Dr. Jack Breakdown.

(Important note: Had Dwight Howard played this summer, you might have been able to coerce me into a "1992 vs. 2012" discussion. But after watching Pau Gasol pick open the 2012 team's small-ball scab with a shrimp fork for two hours, it's just not happening — we can't waste 6,000 words wondering if Tyson Chandler, Kevin Love, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron could have handled Barkley, Malone, Robinson and Ewing down low, much less if their teammates could have slowed down Jordan and Scottie during the most devastating two-way peak of their alliance. The 1992 team wasn't losing to a gimmick like small ball. And 1992 MJ wasn't losing, period. Let's just move on before I get pissy.)

[SMC]

That's pretty much the concensus. I give the 2012 Team a lot of credit because they faced waaaaayyyy better international competition than the 92 Team, but the 92 Team's size would simply be a dead end for the 2012 Team. There would be no way for them to get around it.

The 92 Team would find a way to guard the perimeter. There was no way the 2012 Team could guard the basket.

[Jetsfan80]

That's pretty much the concensus. I give the 2012 Team a lot of credit because they faced waaaaayyyy better international competition than the 92 Team, but the 92 Team's size would simply be a dead end for the 2012 Team. There would be no way for them to get around it.

The 92 Team would find a way to guard the perimeter. There was no way the 2012 Team could guard the basket.

Only way the 2012 team even makes it a contest is by running the '92s out of the building. Make guys like Malone, Barkley and Ewing gasp for breath and force the '92 team to run with a smaller lineup. That would be their only chance.

[JohnnyHector]

Only way the 2012 team even makes it a contest is by running the '92s out of the building. Make guys like Malone, Barkley and Ewing gasp for breath and force the '92 team to run with a smaller lineup. That would be their only chance.

You can't run when you're getting absolutely killed on the offensive glass... plus, there'd be less long rebounds to rip and run with since the '92 team would'nt have been chucking it up from downtown as frequently as the current squad.

[Jetsfan80]

You can't run when you're getting absolutely killed on the offensive glass... plus, there'd be less long rebounds to rip and run with since the '92 team would'nt have been chucking it up from downtown as frequently as the current squad.

Agreed, which is why the 2012 team would pretty much have no shot.

[jason423]

You can't run when you're getting absolutely killed on the offensive glass... plus, there'd be less long rebounds to rip and run with since the '92 team would'nt have been chucking it up from downtown as frequently as the current squad.

Yup. The lack of interior play is as big a reason for running as anything else. Long shots = long rebounds = transition ball. The 92 squad never lets the transition begin.

[T0mShane]

Is Lebron v. Jordan a real conversation yet, or do we wait for Lebron to win four more rings? I'm afraid of being that old guy we all laughed at as kids when he'd say sh*t like "Jordan couldn't hold Oscar Robertson's jock."

[JohnnyHector]

Is Lebron v. Jordan a real conversation yet, or do we wait for Lebron to win four more rings? I'm afraid of being that old guy we all laughed at as kids when he'd say sh*t like "Jordan couldn't hold Oscar Robertson's jock."

Talent-wise, he's already eclipsed Jordan and by a fair margin IMO. What he's yet to display in large enough doses is that "**** you, there's no way you're beating me" mentality that made Jordan the GOAT.

[RutgersJetFan]

Talent-wise, he's already eclipsed Jordan and by a fair margin IMO. What he's yet to display in large enough doses is that "**** you, there's no way you're beating me" mentality that made Jordan the GOAT.

Yeah. Though I'd say that's inevitable. With his performance in this postseason and even its continuation in the Olympics. He's officially crossed into that territory. I could see that happening with Durant as well. He's in for a bunch of heartbreakers over the next 3-4 seasons deep into the playoffs, whether it's at the hands of LA or Miami. I could see him turning into a mean, cold blooded dude on the court as the years go on ala Jordan and Lebron. He already has the ice gene and the talent. Perfect setup for it IMO.

[T0mShane]

Talent-wise, he's already eclipsed Jordan and by a fair margin IMO. What he's yet to display in large enough doses is that "**** you, there's no way you're beating me" mentality that made Jordan the GOAT.

That's kinda where I'm at, too. We've seen Lebron half-ass a playoff series, but I don't think I've ever seen Jordan half-ass a possession. I also remember Jordan as a better mid-range shooter, though that might just be revisionist on my part. If Lebron ever adds Jordan's post-up game, though, he could/should average 35 per.

[cr726]

That's kinda where I'm at, too. We've seen Lebron half-ass a playoff series, but I don't think I've ever seen Jordan half-ass a possession. I also remember Jordan as a better mid-range shooter, though that might just be revisionist on my part. If Lebron ever adds Jordan's post-up game, though, he could/should average 35 per.

Lebron is more of a Magic type of player, he can defend every position.

[RutgersJetFan]

I don't think I've ever seen Jordan half-ass a possession.

As an owner, however...

[jason423]

Talent-wise, he's already eclipsed Jordan and by a fair margin IMO. What he's yet to display in large enough doses is that "**** you, there's no way you're beating me" mentality that made Jordan the GOAT.

See Im not sure I fully agree with that. I think one of the things that made Jordan so good was the refinement of his game when he began to lose the freakish jumping ability. Lebron is nowhere near the smooth shooter Jordan was. James still puts up some shots that are nothing like Jordan would have ever put up. He has more range than Jordan, who was never a 3 point guy, but I dont know if that mid-range game is going to keep him at the Kobe/Jordan level for the duration of his career. I still see him as a streak shooter when he isnt in the paint. I guess we will know sometime soon. This was probably the age where Jordans game began to change and Id imagine Lebron is near that time now. At that size your joints cant take the pounding he puts on it.

Its kind of hard to compare them sometimes because the play is so different. Lebron is definitely more Magic. This was really the first season he displayed that killer scoring instinct that Jordan had, but even then it was only in the playoffs. Im not sure he would ever do that for 82 games. Jordan did that for his whole career.

[Louisser]

I saw 2012 Olympic game. And I watch every match of basketball. I truly loved watching my favorite team US Men. I could say that it showed great performance during the tournament.

[Blackout]

I saw 2012 Olympic game. And I watch every match of basketball. I truly loved watching my favorite team US Men. I could say that it showed great performance during the tournament.

you are like 10 months late son