USA Basketball: Roy out, Bayless in

[BoBoBREWSKI]

You'd think team USA would have invited Blake since OBVIOUSLY he is the better player. I mean Nate started him, and Bayless rarely got off the bench.

Really dumb move on team USA's part

Nate was on one of the local shows the day and he said that Bayless really impressed the Team USA coaches when he practiced/scrimmaged against Team USA previously and that is why they invited him again.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Nate was on one of the local shows the day and he said that Bayless really impressed the Team USA coaches when he practiced/scrimmaged against Team USA previously and that is why they invited him again.

I guess he just impressed the wrong team USA coaches because one of them had him playing garbage minutes behind two guys that would have a heard time guarding you and I.

 

[andalusian]

I guess he just impressed the wrong team USA coaches because one of them had him playing garbage minutes behind two guys that would have a heard time guarding you and I.

Geez. The problem was not playing Blake. It was playing Sergio.

The person standing in JB's place last year was the team's decision to give Sergio one last shot to earn a place with the team long-term, by pairing him with Rudy and giving him more minutes than what he earned in his play.

Blake at this point in his career (and JB's unfortunately) meshed better than any other PG we had with Roy on the first unit, since we needed perimeter shooting next to Roy. That's why you saw Rudy (who technically plays the same position as Roy) spend lots of time on the court next to Roy - and that's why you saw Blake playing there.

Where JB's minutes disappeared was in the backup role - and I suspect that with Nate's (well earned) disdain for Sergio's allergy to defense and shooting - this was not Nate's first choice - but he went with the suggestion as a last chance opportunity for Sergio to earn a place with the team - and a way to help Rudy's transition to the NBA.