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Celtics Versus Team USA?

The dust is ready to settle on the hardwood floors now that the NBA season is officially over, though someone ought to clean up that red stuff on the court in Boston because Tuesday's Laker bloodbath was downright unpleasant. Dwyer neatly provides perspective on the season's final game.

Speaking of final games, remember how the Buck bid 2007-08 farewell? Considering it was two months and two days ago, and only memorable for Ramon-reasons, we'll forgive you if you can't recall.

KG's old buddies (okay, old team) went out with a win just like The Big Ticket's current team, admittedly with a tidbit less fanfare, as the Bucks dropped a 110-101 decision to the Timberwolves.

That game merely served as a sour cap on a final ten weeks of the season that were spent with the draft already on our minds. Now we (and hundreds of our friends... vote, pronto) are positively draft crazy.

With no more NBA action, it's all we have. For a month and change anyway.

In early August,  the Olympics start, so mark your calendars and set your clocks and then make your time zone conversions, because Team USA opens against China on August 10 at 10:15 p.m. Beijing time.

Yi Jianlian is expected to play for the hosts and Andrew Bogut for the Aussies while Michael Redd is considered by some a Team USA roster lock (Ed: it's now official). That means at least three players on the 26-win Bucks should suit up for the game's ultimate international tournament.

And correct me (or virtual slap, take your pick) if I'm wrong, but that's three more Olympians than the Celtics, looking at the new NBA champs' roster. You'll also notice that the Celtics all call the same country home, but none of them are going to have the opportunity to bring Gold back to the USA. In a sport gone global, it's almost shocking that the world's best club team is, well, All-American. 

This sparks an intriguing question: Who would win if Team USA faced off against the Boston Celtics in a seven-game series?

We don't know Team USA's final roster, but it'll surely feature the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Chris Paul. Game, set, match, right?

Consider however that the Celtics are something of a machine, one that has been wrecking teams for more than a half dozen months straight. And do you think if Team USA had to worry about facing KG that 'Melo would still be the chic starting power forward pick? We'll put off our hypothetical series until August, but that doesn't give Dream Team 2008 much time to create chemistry or define roles, if you're into that kind of thing.

By the way, Celtics fans, please think this through before voting. Yes, your team beat Billups, (update: Billups won't be there, but you get the idea) James, and Bryant, but not all at once. Just sayin'.

Poll
Who would win if the Celtics played Team USA?
Team USA in 4
208 votes
Team USA in 5
139 votes
Team USA in 6
99 votes
Team USA in 7
39 votes
Celtics in 4
18 votes
Celtics in 5
19 votes
Celtics in 6
75 votes
Celtics in 7
94 votes

691 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs  |  Comment 4 comments |

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Practice?

Would Team USA have any time to practice against the Celtics or are we just talking about straight up next week? If that was the case, I think The Celtics might be able to squeeze a game or two against Team USA on chemistry alone. If there was practice and chemisty could be built for Team USA, I don’t see how the Celtics could win. There is no way Ray Allen could guard Kobe or LeBron one on one. Everyone else would have their hands full so they couldn’t play help defense. Jason Kidd would run the fast break to perfect so there goes any chance of the Celtics vaunted half court defense. Also, I don’t see Kendrick Perkins containing Dwight Howard at all. The clincher would be Team USA’s bench. Team USA brings in Chris Paul for their back up point guard and Boston counters with… uhh Eddie House?

Oh and Doc Rivers… Team USA in 4.

I am waiting for the day I get to go drinking with Vin Baker.

by smitty7789 on Jun 19, 2008 10:59 PM CDT reply actions  

I assumed Team USA has a month or so to practice…and voted USA in six. But I don’t think you can underestimate the importance of chemistry and having defined roles on a team. Which is why we haven’t been very good internationally for the last six years or so, despite always fielding the most talented team on paper. The Celtics as a team are already more talented than any other national team on the planet outside our own.

by Frank Madden on Jun 20, 2008 9:40 AM CDT reply actions  

Yeah, I pegged the series for Olympic time in August.

The Celtics are tough to figure out since they were pushed to seven by the Hawks but easily took care of the Lake Show. I voted Team USA in five because they are just overmatch the Celtics too much top to bottom; smitty makes a good point about the bench edge that would favor Team USA a ton.

And the comment by Frank about the C’s being more talented than any other national team is really interesting. A few years back some people proposed sending the Pistons as our national team; now the Celtics are NBA champs and they’re all Americans. And yet none of them are on the team.

I suppose I’d only want KG from Beantown if I could build my real Dream Team this summer… And he already won gold back in 2000.

by Alex Boeder on Jun 20, 2008 10:17 AM CDT reply actions  

Garnett

Why isn’t he playing for Team USA this summer?

I am waiting for the day I get to go drinking with Vin Baker.

by smitty7789 on Jun 21, 2008 1:01 AM CDT reply actions  

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