https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FR_9iQqVgAAraOw?format=jpg&name=large

Saw this going around this morning, thought I'd bring it here.

Giannis, Embiid, Jokic, Luka, Bojan.

Definitely a very big team, so not in step with the switchability movement... but obviously this team would utterly destroy inside. My first thought was that spacing could be an issue, but Jokic and Embiid are both so good at mid-range (and both can work the perimeter too, Embiid less than Jokic but both can make outside shots) and everyone is such a good passer there that I don't think there's any stopping that offense.

Defense would obviously be an issue... but most of the USA's best defenders aren't very good perimeter shooters, and I don't think the USA can remotely beat this international team in a battle inside the arc.

The best I can come up with would be, like, Steph, Tatum, KD, healthy AD, and Bam. And even then, defensively, I've no real clue what they do to stop their offense. And I think they'd just play drop coverage with Jokic at the rim and let Giannis and Embiid try to blow up PnR action with their length and relative mobility (if AD and Bam want to shoot pick and pop 3s due to Jokic not switching, I think the international team would be fine with that).

The Americans can pick on Luka and Bojan, for sure, but since one of them would absolutely pick on Steph on the other end, that may not be enough of an advantage to cancel out the sheer size and skill advantage that the international team would have inside the arc on both ends.

And even if you take out one of those bigs and replace him with, like, Kawhi to add more perimeter offense and more defensive versatility... Kawhi can't truly guard, like, three of their players if they get position. If you go all versatility against this international lineup, I think you straight up have to make your game plan "win by shooting a fuckload of 3s." Which, y'know, isn't awful against a team this big... but I don't know.

So the question is two-fold:
1. Do you think that an American team, right today, can beat this lineup 5-on-5 in a 7-game series?
2. Which lineup of American players are you choosing?

Poll question: Can an American team beat this international team?

Poll result (10 votes) Team International (2 votes) Vote Team USA (8 votes) Vote