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Olympic Basketball thread
Topic Started: Jul 16 2008, 06:28 AM (1,620 Views)
Merengue
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I caught a few minutes of the US incredibly easy and immense win over Canada, somehting like 120-65 was the final score! Of course Canada were kind of like the Washington Generals in the match but still a very impressive victory margin. From the bits of the game I caught, having an outside shooter like Redd on the US will pay off big time in Beijing.

Spain scored another big win in a warm up match, this time over Argentina, winning 87-62. Again Pau gasol and Garbajosa are playing secondary roles and it has been Spain's pressure defense and speed which has been the key ingredient for them in these warm ups. A couple of worrying signs for Argentina, Ginobili is still bothered by his ankle and the team, which were easily beaten by Lithuania the night before, are not playing well, lack depth and don't rebound like they used to.
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Martin
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I am really interested to see Spain play and to see Rubio and Fernandez running the court. Spain are far more than just Pau Gasol which they showed when they beat Greece in the world championship final without him. As Merengue and others have pointed out the current team looks even better than that world championship winners.

Adding a consistent outside shooter like Michael Redd is a smart move by the US but a big difference between this and recent US teams is Kobe Bryant and what he adds not just offensively but also defensively.

I agree with those who say Argentina look a little past it and other than Prigioni they really haven't added any significant newcomers to their aging team. Meanwhile they've lost valuable contributors like Hermann and Wolkowyski who have not been adequately replaced. I think Argentina would consider this a successful Olympics if they even make it as far as the semifinals.

I really enjoyed watching Schortsiannis (spelling?) the "wide bodied" Cameroonian-Greek forward. His vertical leap may be equal to the thickness of a sheet of paper but he can play.

Germany have added US born Chris Kaman to their roster as he was recently granted citizenship based on some German ancestors. That's somebody who will help Nowitzki out on the boards.

Russia also have a US born player on their team, JJ Holden a guard who has played many years in the Russian league. I haven't seen Russia play recently but let's not forget they are the current European champions. This looks like an entertaining basketball tournament.
Club Sportivo Desamparados
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Johnbuildr
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Gunners,Jul 25 2008
07:11 AM
Johnbuildr,Jul 24 2008
04:49 AM
Gunners,Jul 16 2008
07:28 AM
I didn't know where else to put this, but anyone following the Olympic Basketball Qualifying Tournament?  I know we have some members who follow basketball.

The U.S., Argentina, Spain, Lithuania, Russia, Australia, China, Iran, and Angola are already in.  They will be joined by the top 3 finishers from a Qualifying Tournament that began on Monday.  Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil, New Zealand, Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, and Lebanon are competing in the Qualifying Tournament.  Traditional powers Italy, France, Serbia, and Turkey have already been eliminated.

Going in, Greece was the big favorite in the Qualifying Tournament.  The other favorites to win a berth into the Olympics include the 3 other European sides, Puerto Rico, and Brazil, with Canada and New Zealand as long shots.  Thus far, things have basically gone according to script, with all of the favorites moving on to the single-elimination phase.  The only close call was Canada, which beat South Korea by two points this morning after getting blown out by Slovenia yesterday.  Unfortunately, Canada is missing top players Steve Nash and Jamaal Magloire.

Before the tournament, I picked Greece, Slovenia, and Germany to prevail. 

Thoughts, comments?

My thought is that you must be a German homer, Gunners!! LOL!

The Germans barely made it into the field, and any pick of the top three favs that doesn't include the US team is betting agasint one of, if not thee, top favorites!

My top three are US, Croatia, and Spain.

But as someone has mentioned, with single elimination, not to mention reffing that can often be irritatingly pivotal, anything can happen and any team can find themselves out of it in an instant. It certainly makes every game count and exciting!

John,

I just picked Greece, Slovenia, and Germany to qualify for the Olympics out of the recent Qualifying tournament.

My picks for the actual Olympics are the U.S. for the Gold, Spain for the Silver, and Greece for the Bronze.

woops. reading too fast for total comprehension I guess..... :blink:
Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum



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Johnbuildr
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rosarino,Jul 25 2008
12:44 AM
The pressure will be on the US to win in Beijing with their "Redeem Team" as some are calling it. LeBron James has already gone on record as "guaranteeing" a US Gold Medal which won't win him much sympathy elsewhere. Bottom line is the pressure will be on the US, not for what James has promised but because the US has not won an Olympic Gold Medal or won the World Championshp since 2000. That is three major championshiops without a championship.

It should be an enjoyable tournament. US, Argentina, Spain and Greece are the four favorites for me. I'm less certain about Russia and Croatia but they should add to the excitement of the event and make this one of the more competitive Olympic basketball tournaments ever.

Well, several on the US team have been quoted as to how important they feel all warm up games are this time around, and they certianly backed up those comments in the Canada shellacking.

LeBron's comments don't do anything to help the team in any way including psychologically, which is why I don't care for the trash talking. But on the other hand, in this day and age, it is pretty much a routine fact of life so I don't see any big deal about it either.
If you catch the back page of the latest SI, there is a funny/sad opinion piece on the Death of "Cool" in our sports society. There are very few John Wayne-silent- let's just show them our game on the court types left in the US, or anywhere else for that matter. SAd but true.
Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum



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Manzanares
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I guess Lithuania is not as strong as they once were. Both Spain and the United States easily defeated them in warm up games. Where are Marciulonis and Sabonis when they need them?

The US plays Russia in the next few days so we may then find out if the Russians are serious medal contenders or not. Serbia are another traditional team who aren't doing all that well in these warm up games. They lost to Iran a few days ago!

John, you are right about the trash talking, certainly an exception to that is a soccer player I discuss in the Other European Nations forum who retired today, Lilian Thuram. One of the classiest players of recent times and a guy who let his play on the field do the talking for him.
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Johnbuildr
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Manzanares,Aug 1 2008
11:48 AM
I guess Lithuania is not as strong as they once were. Both Spain and the United States easily defeated them in warm up games. Where are Marciulonis and Sabonis when they need them?

The US plays Russia in the next few days so we may then find out if the Russians are serious medal contenders or not. Serbia are another traditional team who aren't doing all that well in these warm up games. They lost to Iran a few days ago!

John, you are right about the trash talking, certainly an exception to that is a soccer player I discuss in the Other European Nations forum who retired today, Lilian Thuram. One of the classiest players of recent times and a guy who let his play on the field do the talking for him.



The US rather lazily handled Russia with ease, he way it looked to me. Russia did hold them way below their 120 avergae or whatever it is, but this was obviously a warm up game, as could eb seen by the lack of intensity.
I rather doubt Russia will be a contender, unless they were holding back a lot of their game today....
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Merengue
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I saw some of the US-Russia game too John. All these US exhibition games have looked just that, low intensity matches with the Us just killing their opponents on the break. As you say Russia, coached by an American by the way, David Blatt (not to be confused with the Englsih soccer player David Platt!) did keep the pace down and held the US under 100 points but like you I was not that impressed with Russia. The commentators mentioned they were missing a starting power forward but Russia just doesn't seem to have enough offensive firepower to be a serious contender in these Olympics.

As for the US, well when they get out on the break they are deadly but in a half court offense, the US reverts to isolation plays which could become a problem down the road against better teams who can stop the US fast break and know how to defend.
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Pepe
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Opening day of the basketball tournament and the US were easy winners over China, Germany won big over Angola and Spain, without exerting itself much beat Greece by 15 in an impressive opening game. Croatia also with a comfortable win over Australia to place themselves as candidates to win their group. But the upset of the day was probably Lithuania's 79-75 win over Argentina. With 4 teams frome ach group advancing an opening day loss isn't fatal to qualification but it does tell us a bit about this team's play under the spotlight.
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Yogi
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Croatia are making a frst round statement after beating Russia today. China pushed Spain inot overtime before Spain emerged victorious while Greece rebounded from their big loss to Spain by easily defeating Germany. The US meanwhile keeps rolling along...
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hobbes
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That China-Spain game was fantastic. I've been impressed by China, but they should have finished that one off easily. They were up 15 in the second half and I think 11 heading into the fourth.

Spain didn't come to life until late and China panicked late and then disappeared when Yao Ming fouled out. But I thought once it went to OT they were toast.

Has the Spanish basketball ads been controversial elsewhere? TBH I don't know if the Chinese were really offended or rather if it was the west that was offended on their behalf. Anyway in case you didn't see it the Spanish team posed for a picture in an ad campaign all making a "slit-eye gesture". I remember someone on the Brazil team (Ronaldo?) did this in 2002 as well at an airport of something.

cheers,
hobbes
Saskatchewan for the CPL: multis e gentibus vires
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Manzanares
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Apparently it was the Spanish basketball's teams sponsor, a Spanish courier company's idea,

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/b...=yhoo&type=lgns

Doesn't excuse it, this was a stupid idea and Spain have just made themselves the most hated team in the tournament by the Chinese fans. I have always maintained the controversy over Luis Aragones comments to Jose Reyes about Thierry Henry were overblown by the English media and the controversy erupted without a true understanding of we Spanish's delight in swearing. But this latest issue about the "slanted eyes" is just dumb and without any excuse.
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Don Balon
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We Spanish are like a cranky old woman, the more you push us in one direction we will go the other! In Spain it has not been a big issue but now that the English and American press are getting hold of the story, it will just make the team and public opinion dig their heels in deeper. It was a childish thing for the team to do but is really not that big of an issue. Every Olympics, the press look to create some controversy, this time it is the turn for Spain's basketball team.

The US took it to Greece tonight, an easy win over a Greek team who have been disappoointing in these Olympics. Both the US and Spain easily beat Greece who have been turning the ball over too much. Spain with a comfortable win over Germany which sets up Saturday's US vs Spain game. With both teams already into the quarterfinals, this game likely will see both teams hiding their best moves and saving them for when they count.
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raconteur
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The US basketball team sure send a strong message to everyone with an easy victory over Spain. That was supposed to be the marquee matchup of the tournament.
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Johnbuildr
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raconteur,Aug 17 2008
01:59 PM
The US basketball team sure send a strong message to everyone with an easy victory over Spain. That was supposed to be the marquee matchup of the tournament.

Whoa, what a team! Not too difficult or risky to predict US Gold at this point. This team will not be denied.
You have to give a ton of credit to Jerry Coangelo and Mike Shaschefski(my preferred spelling)! I am very impressed with their entire approach to the rebuilding of the US national team powerhouse.
We all knew the talent was there to do it, but who knew if it could actually be done in the present day and age of the pro athlete psyche?? :blink:
The team have all "bought in". What a planning and coaching accomplishment!
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Johnbuildr
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Another day another blow out win by the Redeem team. Ho-hum.

Even non USA fans must appreciate how these multi millionaire super stars have set aside ego and self in favor of the greater good of the team. You have to love that Dwayne Wade is not even starting and is the leading scorer.

For long stretches, these guys are as fun to watch as any team in any sport ever.
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