Good thing we had coach Mike! Who was the not-so-coach in Athens ?

larry brown

Very good for the image of the NBA which untill now
looked pretty bad.

I was caught off gaurd during the medal ceremony. When all the Americans had there hands over there hearts, and a couple where singing along with the national anthem. Including Kobe in the NBA these guys never even pay attention to it. They can't even put there hand over there heart.
These guys totally deserved that medal, even Boozer who didn't even get to play. Boozer may not be the best defender, but he can make freethrows and rebound something Dwight Howard can't do.

The final game was a good one. Two questions in my mind. Why a host of NBA "all stars" were nearly beaten up by Spain in the second game?

What about Boozer? He might as well have worn a cheerleaders uniform for all he contributed to the games.

Fantastic basketball game; enjoyed every minute of it. Anyone have an educated guess as to why Carlos Boozer basically didn't get to play in the games? Almost an insult to him to be given only "garbage time" minutes?

Well at least we don't have to be too worried about Booz being worn down from the Olympics... he barely played!

You can count me as one of the skeptical ones throughout the Olympics - I thought the players' rhetoric about playing for the US and wanting a gold as much as an NBA championship was just for show.

But that celebration may have proven me wrong.

I am glad the US got the gold metal. It`s to bad that NBC didn`t so the game on tape delay so everyone could have seen it.

Come on Eddie! That's a cheap shot on Boozer. It wasn't his choice to sit on the bench for a good share of the games. Why do you feel the need to belittle somebody who really deserves a little respect? I play my position on the sofa as well as the next guy, but seriously... Any of these players that I talk about over a beer would eat my lunch on the court. How about you Eddie? I didn't see you on the court either. Are you writing from the US? We won man. I feel happy about the win, even though I didn't even touch the ball. Don't you feel happy? Of course, all of the team mates are happy about the win, as they should be.

Actually Kidd, and Dwill always have their hands over their hearts during the regular season and there may be a few more as well.

But most of them do sit with their heads bowed and their arms crossed behind their backs at least showing some reverance if they don't cover their hearts.

D-Will played some nice minutes throughout these games. Good experience.

Boozer--too slow for this style of hoop.

International basketball is sure different. It was nice to see all of the "superstars" NOT getting ridiculous fouls called for them. The difference was that they knew it so they really did not whine too much either. I think coach K beat that into their heads--don't waste your time whining--everyone gets hacked to death compared to the NBA.

Just goes to show what a reffing farce the NBA is. The first game of the season Kobe will be back to wrinkling up his face and whining when every shot does not drop--begging for his usual foul calls to put him on the line again and again and again and again.

Just goes to show the NBA is more about money and "creating" offensive stars than it is about "real" competition. Did not see Kobe and Lebron dropping 30 points EVERY game in the Olympics did we? Now you know what they would be without the NBA refs giving them an extra 10 pts/game. Donaghy????

Unfortunately I am addicted to the Jazz so I have to watch it.

Boozer, yes, can shoot free throws, unlike Dwight Howard. But Howard is a beast on the boards. Give him some more killer instinct and he'll carry his teams far.

When Stockton got injured from the Jordan knee and didn't play all that much in '92, no one said he didn't deserve the Gold?? Get off Boozer's back....(which I think it the cause of his struggles) We should be honored that we have two new Olympians from the Utah Jazz. There is no team which can claim this kind of representation over the years.

The Americans looked really anxious and over-energized. They were trying to blow Spain away too quickly, playing too much as individuals and not as a team. They got away from the "system" style of basketball that had allowed them to be so dominate prior to this game. Thankfully, D-WADE had an amazing individual performance. Otherwise, I fear we would be celebrating the silver medal right now.

Good job DWill and Booz. You guys make me proud to be a Jazz fan and even prouder to be an American. Finally, something to cheer about as an American.

Being an athlete for many years I was always taught to celebrate like you've either done it before or you can do it again. Our heavy favorited team jumped around and celebrated like they just conquered rights to the moon. This tells the world that even the spoiled U.S. basketball players know the world has caught up with them.

Did you get past the first grade? Do you know basic reasoning/math skills. There are two clear points as to why they aren't averaging their usual points per game average. First off they play less minutes as a result of the international game (10 min quarters) and secondly, there is a massive difference in talent sitting on the bench. These players simply don't need to score that many points. However, I do agree on one thing you said, which was the way the international game is played. They allow much more physicality. Although there is a huge difference in the quality of refs. The calls were far from consistant. I know...I know...the same argument can be made for the NBA, but there was a clear difference with the international refs.

re Salute??

Ya, your right, Dwight Howard can't rebound much. He only led the NBA last season at 14.2/game!!!!

Last season Howard also shot nearly 60% from the field to boot. His FT% is a bit of an issue but less of one since he rarely misses. Kind of like who didn't want shaq in his prime? Duh?

There is not a person with a brain who would not trade Boozer all day long and twice on Sundays for Dwight Howard. Our inside defensive black hole would disappear overnight and we would be hanging up a championship banner.

D-Will to Dwight Howard?? That would be unstoppable in the NBA.

You are either completely clueless to make a statement like that or more likely someone who posts obvious innaccuracies to incite banter.

Detroit Pistons, Billups would have been on the team this year (which would left left d will out) and weren't three pistons on the national team only a year or so ago? I'm not sure I'm just asking.

to the people who criticize those who don't put their hands over their heart during the anthem. Originally, it was only the pledge of allegiance that involved placing one's hand over their heart, there is not problem with arms crossed or folded while showing reverence for the song.

I could be a awesome power forward with John Stockton OR Even Better Deron Williams. Lets face it. Boozer is average at best. Its jerrys system and the POINT guard that make the power forward look so good. get boozer out of town and to Miami where his darn wife likes it anyway. make Paul Milsap the starter and he will get 20 and 10 every night. Boozer(wheres no clothes)!!!

Boozer did really well.

I think people (Jazz fans) Don't give Boozer enough credit for his general toughness in the paint. He is one of the best back-to-the-basket scorers in the NBA and he is a GREAT rebounder.

That being said he can be a defensive liability, and it's not just because of lack of effort. He is in a tough tweener stage in that he is a little undersized for a power forward so bigger guys can take advantage of him and he does not have the open court quickness to guard the perimeter.

@ Moto X

I think you are absolutely right about the pace and style of play being to fast for Boozer. When you add to that the fact that he is not a good perimeter defender, which is a huge problem in the international game, Boozer was kind of the odd man out on this team.

Also I watched the games and the refing was horribly inconsistent and everybody was whining. Not only that, but I was amazed at how much they were allowed to yell at the refs and not get T'd up. I mean I watched players get right in the refs face and yell at them and ther refs just took it, that would never fly in the NBA.

I don't think the NBA refs intentionally favor super stars, I think the rules favor the skill set the NBA wants in it's "super stars" and theose players have learned how to use the rules to their advantage.

That being said I sill firmly believe that NBA refs intentionally effect the outcome of games every year. Wether they do it for the NBA or for the mob I don't think it matters the point is they do it.

Hey lets face it, you must be fresh from grade school to think you could be an awesome power forward in the NBA. I doubt even in the church league. I think Milsap is a great player, but I really don't think he is a 20 and 10 guy every night. Definetely the 10, but not the twenty. To think Boozer is average at best leads me to believe you have ate too many boxes of under cooked jell-o in your lifetime. Boozer is above average or at least the two all-star games lead me to believe that. Milsap is definetely better at defense, and has a nose for the ball, but Boozer can score a heck of a lot better. So the next time you are leading your church league in scoring remember its not the same as the NBA.

The best part about the Olympic b-ball games was that the teams only had 2 time-outs per half. Not like the NBA where the last 30 seconds of the game take 30 minutes to play. I like the fact that the players got to play and that they didn't have to have the coach draw up every little last second play for them.

i can hardly wait for the season to start,or is it cant . clem

TO Lets face it,

IF it is Jerry's system and the POINT guard that make the power forward good then how do you explain the fact that Boozer was an All Star before coming to play for Utah? He didn't have a point guard in Cleveland and he also wasn't in Jerry's system so how is it that he is only good becuase of the system and his PG? Doesn't make sense to me and I do agree his defense is his down point but it isn't the job of the PF to be the inside stopper. That is what the center is for. I like Memo but if he was an inside presence then I think the Jazz would be better off. Or even if the Jazz got a stopper and had Booz and Memo at PF then the Jazz would be better off.

re: BCarney

Yes I know there is less time in the games. Duh!! That is not the primary reason they score less though. My point was the reffing they get in international vs. NBA.

The reffing has more to do with them scoring less than the other talent. These "star" guys make a living (and a big paycheck) on the FT line in the NBA. These star players get protected by the refs so they get free lanes to the basket and easier shots than others so they can pile up the stats. Nobody dares go near them because they know the whistle will blow.

In international/Olympic ball Kobe was not going to the line 22 times like he did against the Jazz in the playoffs (despite there being plenty of contact). He did not get all the ridiculous phantom calls he gets in the NBA either. That was the point.

The world caught up before.

When they do it again who will we send?

And how would we do if had to send 4 teams or more so that it is proportional to the populations of other countries?

What will happen if China gets its act in gear and has a pro leage 4 ot 5 times the size of ours with an economy to support it.

What will happen if other cultures ever start valuing basketball and other athletic endeavours as much as the black culture does?

And start learning and paying sports from time they 2 years old intead waiting until they teenager before they get serious.

I guess we better enjoy it while we can. While, as Magnus claimed in a comment to the previous story about this team, not even this "black Culture" will be able to save us.

And will happpen we stop valuing basketball so much in this culture or Magnus's "black culture" stops putting such a premium on athletic ability.

For a country and culture that supposedly supports and encourages diversity,

The american team was not very diverse.

Not diverse at all.

@ Sports Insanity

Since when was "black culture" mine? Are you assuming I'm Black?

You really don't watch much international sports do you?

Why the bitterness?

It's pretty clear you don't appreciate or particularly enjoy sports so I just want to help and dispell some of the ignorance that you have based your assuptions on.

Do you think the Chinese winning 51 gold medals was just pure luck and raw talent? They valued those gold medals enough to separate families for years and take young athletes out of their homes before they became teenagers.

Other cultures do value sports as much as we do, in fact compared to many countries our passion for athletics is benign.

Every culture in the world respects athletic ability. In every culture in the world there is sport, and the best players of that sport (whatever it may be) are held up by the people as a sort of hero.

Your right, we should enjoy it while we can. Thats why sports are so great, starting today everyone in the world can dream that next time, the person with the medal around their neck will be them, or their team, or their country.

Boozer's a loser

Get Real. Walk up to Boozer and tell him how you realy feel! Let us know when so we can watch.

You messed up in your article. "but Bryant one-upped his Laker teammate with a four-point play, being fouled after hitting a trey.

And when Carlos Jimenez drained a right-side 3, Kobe answered right back with his own 3-pointer to up the advantage back to seven with two minutes to play."

It was wade who hit that 3 point to up the advantage back to seven, not Kobe.

Here is the play by play. Please correct your article.

"3:12      Kobe Bryant made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Dwyane Wade.      107-99     
3:10            107-99      Foul on Rudy Fernandez
3:10      Kobe Bryant made Free Throw.      108-99     
3:00            108-101      Juan Carlos Navarro made Two Point Layup.
2:38      Kobe Bryant missed Three Point Jumper.      108-101     
2:38            108-101      Ricky Rubio Defensive Rebound.
2:29            108-104      Carlos Jimenez made Three Point Jumper.
2:08      Dwyane Wade made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by LeBron James.      111-104      "

the referee'ing?? so unlike when the Jazz played the Lakers in the playoffs??? I mean it wasnt corrupt and crooked! wow!