Team USA has its final tune-up on American soil before heading off to London to continue training there in preparation for the 2012 Olympics.
The U.S. takes on Brazil in Washington DC and while it’s just an exhibition game, it should be a pretty good test for the Americans. The Brazilians always play Team USA well and have some interior size and strength, which is said to be Team USA’s weakness.
In the first exhibition game Kevin Durant came off the bench, which was odd, but I’d expect more of the same for at least a little while. KD should probably be starting ahead of Melo, but Coach K is just kind of sticking with his 2008 experience.
Tip at 7 p.m. CT. Go Red (KD), White (Russ) and Blue (James).
I know it is in the past but does anyone think the Finals series would have been different if it were played in the same 2-2-1-1-1 format as the rest of the playoffs?
@Jameswade99 of course it would. going to miami and playing 3 games there was a huge mental block. I personally HATE the 2-3-2 format. it doesnt seem to benefit the home court team at all. i understand its meant to be a 7 game series format but still.
http://www.dailythunder.com/2012/07/video-kd-hammers-on-brazil-with-two-hands/#respond
Miami regular season only won 58% against good rebounding teams. One of their less good stats.
Yeah, rebounding has not been a recent Presti / Brooks / team priority. That is why I mention it.
@Crow 6 of the 7 games the Heat lost in the playoffs, they lost on offensive rebounding %. Just one factor but it seems like it could be an important one.
Chicago was #1 on off reb% last season. May be one of their main weapons against the Heat next playoffs.
@Crow What would it take for the Thunder to be a [great] rebounding team?
@thelaughingwiseman @Crow good rebounding bigs
@thelaughingwiseman @OBoymuzik Heat lost game 1 on offreb% then won 3 straight and barely lost in game 5.
@OBoymuzik @DennisBerry @thelaughingwiseman http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/players/serge-ibaka/stats/12/21/307 Ibaka got better in feb / march then had a weak april and playoffs
@thelaughingwiseman @Crow the problem is when we give up a million offensive rebounds to our opponent
@Crow @OBoymuzik *struggling
@Crow @OBoymuzik really, that's what I want from what ever bigs we have, for them to consistently get offensive rebounds. Every time I see the Thunder play it's like they're always strongling to get all their rebounds even when they have size advantages.
@DennisBerry @thelaughingwiseman @Crow lol serge got better in the 2nd half of last season
@thelaughingwiseman @OBoymuzik ibaka is alright but not great at rebounding. perkins does ok on defensive glass but used to be better. fairly weak on offensive glass. collison is alright on offensive glass but way low ondefensive rebounding.
@OBoymuzik @thelaughingwiseman @Crow Serge's rebounds rarely matter anyways because he just finds a way to lose the ball or go up all soft like he isn't a 6'10 Congolese Hulk and get his shit blocked and fall down
@thelaughingwiseman @Crow no...serge's improvement on offensive rebounds is the only hopefully thing i see..him and perk are both inconsistant on the boards and Nick is actually pretty bad at getting rebounds..we'll either need KD to average 10 boards a game or find another big that is committed to rebounding. Cole isn't the answer for rebounding. Lat williams i think could come in and be on of our better rebounders now but it looks like the organization doesn't want him yet
@OBoymuzik @Crow Do you think we have that in Ibaka and Perkins? Or do you mean who regularly get 10+ rebounds and at least 3 offensive rebounds
@Crow and we're getting ready to let Lat go
Ok so today officially became the day I MORE THAN HATE MY BOSS!!! He bitches me out for saying something to a potential client (the truth mind u). And after 30 F-ING minutes he then says "Now remember, I'm ok with what u said, just say it behind closed doors.". ARE U KIDDING ME?!?
@Jameswade99 You gotta stand up to him, literally and figuratively.
This dude talks out of both sides of his mouth more than a politician. I was proud to work at a "High-Line" store because I thought the bull shit would be at a minimum. Well, I was so wrong.
@Jameswade99 @DennisBerry @Crow I'm starting to think "loosers" may have an identity
@DennisBerry @Crow He's fat and married to a nice lady. No Facebook or twitter.
@Crow @Jameswade99 Is he married? Is his wife under 30? If she, she has a tumblr/twitter and/or facebook. Send me that info, I'll help u get him back. Trust me. It;ll even get you a promotion once you use the "content" for blackmail
@Jameswade99 only you know the details but might be good to just shake it off and treat tomorrow as a new day
@DennisBerry @Jameswade99 That sounds like "When keeping it real goes wrong" from the Chappelle's show.
@Old Man Game @Jameswade99 We all have those moments. My best keeping it real moment was when I showed up to work, not even dressed in what I was supposed to wear, just to tell them I quit.. Douchebag move and I didn't want it to come to that, but I told their ass before they hired me, I am in college and even turned in my schedule and they said it'd be no problem, meanwhile every time a schedule came out they had me working terrible overnight hours or during time I was supposed to be at work.
This is precisely why I can't stand the car business. You don't have to lie to sell a car. If u do, then u suck and shouldn't be in the business.
So the "Nexersys" kickboxing dummy robot, dumb exercise contraption or dumbest exercise contraption. I say dumbest.
@Old Man Game You think so? I actually want one, just not at the price.
@DennisBerry It just looks like it would fall apart to me. Most of the stuff you buy on tv isn't the highest quality stuff and this is something that's actually supposed to take you beating on it?
Enjoy it while it lasts Norris Cole. We're coming for you bro.
@Old Man Game f that haircut
@Old Man Game I really don't like how he looks and his stupid flat top
So, how'd the game go? How did the Thunder boys do?
Kyle Weaver and the rest of the Miami Heat summer league squad is up 106-56 against the Lakers summer league squad, which actually features 3 guys who will be in their regular rotation for the real season.
@DennisBerry The Lakers have been playing poorly in the summer league, not just this game
@DennisBerry pittman, cole, who else? harris?
@DennisBerry oh you were talking about the lakers lol
@OBoymuzik Christian Eyenga, Darius Morris, and Andrew Goudelock
thunder send their best four players to Olympic and the only thing they can do is seeing those super stars playing
Holy Shit Lin is going to make more than RW????
@CDSpark shhh! don't let russel know!
@CDSpark in the last 2 years maybe
@OBoymuzik Yeah, 3rd year of 3 yr contract is 14.5M total 25.1M for all 3
@CDSpark @OBoymuzik Russ makes $14.8 mill that year.
nuggets considering amnestying the birdman...lol 9 mill in 2 years isn't really that big of a deal
@OBoymuzik yea it is dudes a bum.
@Lost Ones yeah but most teams use the amnesty for big contracts..4.5 per year with 2 years left isn't really a big deal...should we amnesty Cook? 6 mill over 2 years
@DennisBerry @Old Man Game @cemitten @Lost Ones lol we're not signing him after what he got into when he was on the hornets in okc
@OBoymuzik @Old Man Game @cemitten @Lost Ones I know. I agree from what I read. If we signed him though, we would definitely have to have someone motor his cold medicine purchases. It's way too much meth him for him to not get caught up
@DennisBerry @Old Man Game @cemitten @Lost Ones it looks like he's getting extorted and he's innocent...it's funny how it's a huge headline when the story breaks and then you hear nothing when it ends up not true
@Old Man Game @cemitten @OBoymuzik @Lost Ones They can actually just wait until he gets thrown on jail over his latest skirmish with the law which seems to involve some teenage girl, the internet, and have spanned all the way from Cali to Coloroda. Chris Hansen will be knocking on his door anyday now
@Lost Ones @Old Man Game @cemitten no ones going to pick him up after that child crimes thing...even though it looks like he's innocent
@Lost Ones @cemitten @OBoymuzik That must be the reasoning.
@Old Man Game @cemitten @OBoymuzik if they amnesty and he's picked up they wont have to pay full anyway.
@Old Man Game @cemitten @Lost Ones yeah i would think so
@cemitten @OBoymuzik @Lost Ones Couldn't they just negotiate a buyout and not have to pay him the full amount?
@OBoymuzik @Lost Ones better than not using it i guess
@OBoymuzik they have nothing else to amnesty might as well use it
@OBoymuzik I like Turiaf better. Brandon Rush too.