Joe Johnson on ESPN

[swolehawk2]

"Bowen sets the defensive tone of the team."

Sure

Bowen is a great on ball defender...but the tone changed last night when D Wade Battier and JJ got in the passing lanes for steals...Bowen looked slow out there last night.

[swolehawk2]

I would add Kobe & Redd...replace Bowen Jamison.

Add a healthy Amare and replace Brad Miller.

[Johnnybravo4]

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I would add Kobe & Redd...replace Bowen Jamison.

Add a healthy Amare and replace Brad Miller.

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That sounds too much like the team that got killed last time.

[swolehawk2]

I would not have Melo on the team either.

[exodus]

Bowen is 35 now and by the time the Olympics roll around he will certainly be feeling his age.

[HawksFan87]

Me personally and notice I said me. I thought Paul looked great last night, and JB although you have a right to your own opinion, there's no way in hell Hinrich would start over Wade, Paul or Arenas for that matter dont get me wrong he is a great player but not better than those 3 and Bowen would never start over Anthony who is a lock for the team unless he decides to leave on his own. Joe did look good that pass he made to Lebron for the dunk was amazing.

[Popeye]

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Me personally and notice I said me. I thought Paul looked great last night, and JB although you have a right to your own opinion, there's no way in hell Hinrich would start over Wade, Paul or Arenas for that matter dont get me wrong he is a great player but not better than those 3 and Bowen would never start over Anthony who is a lock for the team unless he decides to leave on his own. Joe did look good that pass he made to Lebron for the dunk was amazing.

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Carmelo sucks!!

[HawksFan87]

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Me personally and notice I said me. I thought Paul looked great last night, and JB although you have a right to your own opinion, there's no way in hell Hinrich would start over Wade, Paul or Arenas for that matter dont get me wrong he is a great player but not better than those 3 and Bowen would never start over Anthony who is a lock for the team unless he decides to leave on his own. Joe did look good that pass he made to Lebron for the dunk was amazing.

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Carmelo sucks!!

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So do you.

[mrhonline]

1. JJ looked like the 4th best offensive player on the team, after LeBron, Wade, and Carmelo. That should speak volumes to Hawks' fans...

...JJ is the leader of the 2nd unit, which actually outplayed the much heralded starters.

2. Chris Paul is an offensive genius. He was, however, routinely abused by Arroyo last night, who went right around or simply shot over Paul with ease. For every easy bucket Paul created on offense, he gave one up on defense.

3. Hinrich is SOOOO underrated defensively. He hounded the PR guards, which made Paul's lackluster defense even more obvious.

4. Dwight Howard should be starting over Chris Bosh.

5. If the U.S. plays full-court defense like this the entire tournament, no one will beat them. No one.

[Johnnybravo4]

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Me personally and notice I said me. I thought Paul looked great last night, and JB although you have a right to your own opinion, there's no way in hell Hinrich would start over Wade, Paul or Arenas for that matter dont get me wrong he is a great player but not better than those 3 and Bowen would never start over Anthony who is a lock for the team unless he decides to leave on his own. Joe did look good that pass he made to Lebron for the dunk was amazing.

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Hinrich might not be better than those guys talent wise, but that is not the point. The point is who is the better player to play international style of ball.

Carlos Arroyo is avg at best as an NBA player, but he is a stud in international play. It is a different type of game. Hell if Puerto Ricans could play on the American team I'd start him over Paul, Wade and Arenas.

[Popeye]

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...JJ is the leader of the 2nd unit, which actually outplayed the much heralded starters.

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Agree, that second unit played defense, passed the ball, they shot the ball.

They were much better than the first team.

When Carmelo gets the ball, you know he is looking to shoot it.

[Johnnybravo4]

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1. JJ looked like the 4th best offensive player on the team, after LeBron, Wade, and Carmelo. That should speak volumes to Hawks' fans...

...JJ is the leader of the 2nd unit, which actually outplayed the much heralded starters.

2. Chris Paul is an offensive genius. He was, however, routinely abused by Arroyo last night, who went right around or simply shot over Paul with ease. For every easy bucket Paul created on offense, he gave one up on defense.

3. Hinrich is SOOOO underrated defensively. He hounded the PR guards, which made Paul's lackluster defense even more obvious.

4. Dwight Howard should be starting over Chris Bosh.

5. If the U.S. plays full-court defense like this the entire tournament, no one will beat them. No one.

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I agree MR. H and I would add that they should never have Lebron and Wade on the floor at the same time. Both like to dominate the ball. When the second unit was in they swung the ball around like they were Princeton. But when Wade and Lebron are in the game it gets sucked into the one on one black hole.

[HawksFan87]

Well thats your opinion I sill would'nt do it.

[jezmund]

I was thinking the same thing regarding #4. I'm a huge GT homer but I think Dwight Howard is a man amongst boys. If only Orlando would have accepted that #6/#17 for #1 deal. Eh....

[mrhonline]

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I was thinking the same thing regarding #4. I'm a huge GT homer but I think Dwight Howard is a man amongst boys. If only Orlando would have accepted that #6/#17 for #1 deal. Eh....

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I know people here will think I'm crazy, but I think Howard can be more dominant than Shaq was when he reaches his prime...

[gsuteke]

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I was thinking the same thing regarding #4. I'm a huge GT homer but I think Dwight Howard is a man amongst boys. If only Orlando would have accepted that #6/#17 for #1 deal. Eh....

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I know people here will think I'm crazy, but I think Howard can be more dominant than Shaq was when he reaches his prime...

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anybody notice what a waste JJ was for 80% of the game on offense? he would just hang around on the outside looking for the pass and then shoot down low to see if he could get a board after someone else shot. when he did get the ball he always either found an open man or created something.

JJ has to have the ball in his hands at all times this year in the half court set. i hope Speedy helps us defensively on the smaller players and helps take some fatigue off Joe by bringing the ball up. other than that Joe is the offensive playmaker on this team without a doubt. it took me seeing Joe play with other star caliber players to realize just how solid he really is. everything goes through Joe in 2006.

[gutz]

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I was thinking the same thing regarding #4. I'm a huge GT homer but I think Dwight Howard is a man amongst boys. If only Orlando would have accepted that #6/#17 for #1 deal. Eh....

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I know people here will think I'm crazy, but I think Howard can be more dominant than Shaq was when he reaches his prime...

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anybody notice what a waste JJ was for 80% of the game on offense? he would just hang around on the outside looking for the pass and then shoot down low to see if he could get a board after someone else shot. when he did get the ball he always either found an open man or created something.

JJ has to have the ball in his hands at all times this year in the half court set. i hope Speedy helps us defensively on the smaller players and helps take some fatigue off Joe by bringing the ball up. other than that Joe is the offensive playmaker on this team without a doubt. it took me seeing Joe play with other star caliber players to realize just how solid he really is. everything goes through Joe in 2006.

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Um....no what are you talking about a waste? I remember one play in particular where Paul penetrated and dished out to JJ for a nice 3pointer on one occasion. JJ didn't look any different than any other player at SG last night. When he got the ball and was one on one he either did that incredible shake and bake move for the reverse layup and 1 or just penetrated to about 15ft and pulled up for a jumper. That is what I saw and that is what Speedy will do for the Hawks. JJ will find all kinds of ways to score this year.

[unknownjdb]

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yea, I would drop Jenna Jamison, Bosh and Carmelo.

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You'd drop Carmelo?! You must be out of your f*ing mind!

[unknownjdb]

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Are you kidding me? Bowen sets the defensive tone of the team. He is the best defender in the NBA and he is there to shut people down..period.

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Okay, could someone please remove Bravo from Bowen's nuts please?

[BusBoyIsBack]

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He shouldn't be the starting PG. The team should be.

Hinrich

Joe Johnson

Lebron

Bowen

Howard

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Replace Bowen with Brand and Hinrich with Arenas and that should be team USA. Arenas and JJ can both shoot the 3 when facing the zone and they both know how to play D and steal the ball to go the other way. In the front court you have two monsters around the basket on both sides of the ball in Howard and Brand. Oh and there is that Lebron James character.

That team would win gold.

Unfortunately we'll probably keep playing the starting team we had out there last time because Coach K will be pressured to play the superstars.