Team USA 2023 FIBA World Cup (Trae Watch)

[Spud2nique]

NBA champs stop callin it world this is precisely why the rest of the world thinks Americans are arrogant aholes (at times).  

[AHF]

4 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

tf y’all talkin about?  

Read the thread my friend!

2 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

NBA champs stop callin it world this is precisely why the rest of the world thinks Americans are arrogant aholes (at times).  

My personal take:  I would not call the NBA champions "world champions" but I think the NBA champions are clearly the best basketball team in the world so it is distinction that is more semantic than meaningful.  Mileage may vary on who qualifies as "world champs" depending on your definition of that term.

[Spud2nique]

1 minute ago, AHF said:

Read the thread my friend!

 

[Spud2nique]

2 minutes ago, AHF said:

My personal take:  I would not call the NBA champions "world champions" but I think the NBA champions are clearly the best basketball team in the world so it is distinction that is more semantic than meaningful.  Mileage may vary on who qualifies as "world champs" depending on your definition of that term.

Ya I agree with this as well. I believe the best players are definitely in the NBA but I still don’t understand why they say world when it’s in North America, Raptors included. 1/7(6) continents, that’s not even a split vote  

[AHF]

Just now, Spud2nique said:

 

Even though I don't think his personal definition of "world champion" is the only legitimate perspective on the issue, there is some cool stuff on shakes hockey career.  I bet he has some really good stories from those tournaments.

[AHF]

Just now, Spud2nique said:

Ya I agree with this as well. I believe the best players are definitely in the NBA but I still don’t understand why they say world when it’s in North America, Raptors included. 1/7(6) continents, that’s not even a split vote  

The argument for it being a world championship to me is that they have the best Asian, European, African, etc. players in the world who are all eligible to compete for the NBA title.  My personal view is that "world titles" are best left to the events where nations compete rather than clubs so I wouldn't claim the NBA title as a world title.  But I would say the NBA title is the pinnacle achievement for the sport of basketball by far over winning an international competition because that is the height of competition in the sport.  International events do not consistently include the best players in the world, unlike the NBA.

[Jdawgflow]

3 hours ago, shakes said:

Don't need disprove or dispute your "what if" hypothetical argument.   I work with facts, not hypothetical theories.   No non-NBA team is eligible to compete for the NBA title, hence by the same logic that determines that water is wet the NBA can not claim to crown a world champ.

 

my definition IS the only correct one.  Just like there is only one answer to 1+1.  It's really that simple.

No, you can not claim to be world champ for being the best hispanic 32 year old teacher from Chippowa county.  That is not a world competition.  It is not open to the world. It is only open to hispanics from Chppoway county.   If there is a bigger competition to determine the best 32year old or 30+ year old Hispanic teacher and you qualify for that competition by winning the Chippoway regional and then you go on to win the next level and so on until you eventually beat all the 30+ hispanic teachers in the world then yes, you will be able to claim that you are the world champ in that category.

No they can not.  This is where you are dead wrong.  And honestly, your view is insulting to anyone who actually won a world championship.  That's why the USA sprinter opened his mouth in the first place, as a TRUE world champ he was offended that others are claiming the monikor without truly earning it.

1980 Olympics are not world champs.  They are Olympic champs.  They can't even claim to be the world champs of amateur hockey because the tournament was flawed in that there were several pros playing for USSR.  In fact, their entire team was professional.    Once the Olympics went to a best on best format they were able to claim world champ status.  

[AHF]

Just now, Jdawgflow said:

Do you consider a "whites only" competition to be a true world championship for a sport?  This is where I'm pushing back.  Different definitions can be legit because this isn't an officially defined term.  (See my examples of various definitions and how differently they would treat the NBA champion and the Jewish Masters Ice Hockey champion.) 

I think shakes view is fully legit meaning that it is a reasonable definition.  But I think that someone whose definition means that "old man Jews only" or "whites only" isn't enough of an open pool to be a true world championship is also reasonable to me.  As I pointed out, this "old man Jews only" definition (for the hockey championship discussed) excludes 100% or near 100% of people from many countries (see China and Montenegro as examples).  Is someone who thinks that the pool needs to be deep enough that every country can meaningfully compete 100% wrong as shakes says?  I think there is room for reasonable differences of opinion on what defines a "world championship."  

[Jdawgflow]

1 hour ago, AHF said:

Do you consider a "whites only" competition to be a true world championship for a sport?  This is where I'm pushing back.  Different definitions can be legit because this isn't an officially defined term.  (See my examples of various definitions and how differently they would treat the NBA champion and the Jewish Masters Ice Hockey champion.) 

I think shakes view is fully legit meaning that it is a reasonable definition.  But I think that someone whose definition means that "old man Jews only" or "whites only" isn't enough of an open pool to be a true world championship is also reasonable to me.  As I pointed out, this "old man Jews only" definition (for the hockey championship discussed) excludes 100% or near 100% of people from many countries (see China and Montenegro as examples).  Is someone who thinks that the pool needs to be deep enough that every country can meaningfully compete 100% wrong as shakes says?  I think there is room for reasonable differences of opinion on what defines a "world championship."  

I was responding with that being Shakes is in his high horse.  Obviously that did not come through well.  I am on the side that Shakes is not debating in good faith and feels his opinion is in fact “facts”.  That annoyed me and led to the high horse comment.

PS- I think the NBA champs are the world champions as it is the best players in the world.

[AHF]

22 hours ago, Jdawgflow said:

I was responding with that being Shakes is in his high horse.  Obviously that did not come through well.  I am on the side that Shakes is not debating in good faith and feels his opinion is in fact “facts”.  That annoyed me and led to the high horse comment.

PS- I think the NBA champs are the world champions as it is the best players in the world.

I saw that as someone clapping instead of a horse’s head.  It looked a bit strange but I didn’t focus in on it and didn’t have color to tip me off.  So maybe I need glasses, lol.  
 

I think shakes has a fine take for one reasonable definition.  The fact that he thinks it is the only possible reasonable take is where I think we aren’t connecting.

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, AHF said:

The fact that he thinks it is the only possible reasonable take is where I think we aren’t connecting.

 

[ShooterSays]

Lithuania beats team USA. Ouch.

Edited September 3, 2023 by ShooterSays

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[Spud2nique]

4 hours ago, ShooterSays said:

Lithuania beats team USA. Ouch.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! Kerr blows! Haliburton and Hart, that’s cute. …. Oh oh we don’t need a Trae Young type on our squad…

 

Well ya know what Kerr, you did!

I’m gonna leave this year to celebrate Jonas Valancuinis, Motiejunas and the rest for a minute. Nice win fellas!

[shakes]

Yea, tell me again how the NBA has clear and away the best players in the world when we just saw a team with one middle of the road NBA player beat a team of NBA all stars and future stars.

 

If the NBA is soooooo good that they can just declare that their league champ is the best pro team in the world then there’s no way a team like Lithuania should be able to beat the presently constructed team USA.   

 

If you can’t see the nonsense in that then I don’t know what to tell you.

If you think this is just semantics then you clearly don’t know how significant it is to be a world champ and how much work it takes to get there.

[kg01]

Youre vastly exaggerating the greatness(sic) of the usab team to try and make your point.  It's not a good look on you. 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

10 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

 

I hate to toss doubt on the "if they had Trae" narrative, but I have wonder . . .

Did the US "throw" that game vs Lithuania?

 

The right side of that bracket is the "Side of Death", compared to the US side.

FIBA Rank of teams:

• USA ( 2nd )
  • Italy ( 10th )
• Germany ( 11th )
  • Latvia ( 29th )
• Lithuania ( 1st )
  • Serbia ( 6th )
• Slovenia ( 7th )
  • Canada ( 15th )

 

Was the US was ducking Bogi and Serbia, a team that could get hot from the outside and knock them out, and hoping they'd knock Lithuania out? 

Also, Canada is ranked 15th, but with all of the NBA players on that roster, they're probably closer to 5th. Then you have Luka, who tends to excel in international ball.

That side of the bracket with Serbia, Slovenia, and Canada . . is much more formidable than Italy, Germany, and Latvia.

They may have thrown that game.

Edited September 4, 2023 by TheNorthCydeRises

[Spud2nique]

6 hours ago, kg01 said:

It's not a good look on you. 

Better or worse than..

[Spud2nique]

The WORLD (it’s a big place folks, seriously travel outside the states to catch talent) BEAT the snot out of the Americans…

 

I gotta tell ya, I feel really good about it. I don’t think I’ve ever rooted against the US till this stupid world NBA BS and Trae not getting on the team.