Tag Archive for: USA

One and done: The USA Celtics lost to France and are out of World Cup

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We were waiting for it to happen, and it did. But earlier than we expected. The USA Celtics lost in the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup and will be coming home empty-handed.

This “national” team never really had a lot of support here in Miami

The reason: too many Celtics and zero Miami Heat players.

Weird, but reasonable I guess. Some people might actually be happy this Team USA lost.

Bam!

The USA is out.

— Five Reasons Sports Network (@5ReasonsSports) 11 de septiembre de 2019

The United States lost to a French team that is used to play this type of competition together, while the US took their fifth best team (or worse) to the second most important international event, after the Olympics.

Are you, as an American, happy your national team lost?

Hard to believe.

Even though I know here in Five Reasons nobody really cared about this team.

Serbia and the United States, the two favorites to win it all, are out in the round of 8.

A World Championship that should be always for the United States, the country with the best basketball players of the world, by far, is now in the air.

Arthur Freyre and our Lasner Sport had an interesting exchange about what happened with the American team and what should the USA do for the next competitions.

What do you think? Should we care more about this?

 

 

 

The USA Celtics struggle into the second round

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The “USA Celtics” are receiving no love from Miami fans. That’s for sure.

Gregg Popovich — in part because of superstar disinterest — formed a team that does not really represent the United States and most of its teams in what is, by far, the best basketball league in the world.

However, the United States still have one of the, if not, the best team in the tournament.

They beat the Czech Republic in the first game of the first round with ease, but struggled a lot to beat Turkey in the second game.

Before the tournament, some critics even put Serbia as the favorite to take it all. I don’t know what’s more impressive, the fact that the United States is not the clear favorite to win the world championship, or the fact that nobody really cares about what this team does.

That’s what’s happening in Miami, at least, even though this is a basketball town.

Anyway. Check out the last game of the United States, as they get ready to face Japan in the last game of the first round on Thursday morning (8 am ET).

These are some of the best plays made by Japan and the United States in their first two games:

In the second round the United States could face Turkey again, if the Turkish beat the Czech Republic, Brazil and however gets through between Greece and New Zealand.

Nothing to worry about for the “USA Celtics”, for now…

 

They don’t care about this United States team, but they sure do care about the NBA and our Miami Heat. Check Five on The Floor’s episodes, as the NBA Seasons approaches faster than Dorian. Be ready!

Why do you hate the Heat, America?

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The NBA’s best legal tampering period is right around the corner and Miami is being left out.

USA Basketball Men’s National Team Training Camp opens in Las Vegas on August 5th. And so far, there’s been zero mention of any Miami Heat players – specifically Bam Adebayo and Justise Winslow – being invited to participate. Now, that could change. Guys are seemingly dropping out every second.

But we all know the national biased against Heat players.

A month ago, Josh Richardson was just “a nice player” to some. Yet the second he’s traded to Philly everybody loves him, even Team USA apparently. So, it feels safe to say the roster will pretty much remain as it currently stands. And that is a damn shame. Not just for Bam and Justise, who deserve to be in Vegas, but for the Miami Heat organization.

USA Basketball isn’t just patriotic, it’s strategic. Besides All-Star weekend, where else can you find the game’s best talents training together, in a single gym? And fans in Miami know all about the benefits of great players spending ample time together, on and off the court. Yes, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James were friends before USA Basketball. But it was the Gold-Medal winning Redeam Team that really strengthened their bond. It also served as a trial run for what would become the eventual Big 3 in Miami with Chris Bosh, another USA Basketball running mate.

Great players want to play with other great players. They notice who gets the accolades and attention. That stuff matters. That’s why when Jerry Colangelo (Director of USA Basketball) calls, players should ALWAYS answer.

Now I’m not saying that if you send Bam and Winslow to Vegas for practice they’re coming back to Miami with another All-Star. But I am saying that putting them in a competitive environment amongst elite talent, will only further elevate their game. More importantly, their contacts around the league. If I’m the Miami Heat, I want Justise to go to Team USA practice and prove that his PointGOD skills have gotten much #Better. And just imagine the OoooooooOOOOooooo echoing around the gym as Bam throws down a breakaway dunk.

Everyone in the gym will walk away saying – I need to go to Miami and play with those guys!

So fine, have it your way America. Bam and Justise will sit this one out while Marcus Smart and Thaddeus Young represent our country.

Hopefully USA Basketball will have a brighter future.

Important Update: WE DID IT!!!