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| Olympic Basketball thread | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 16 2008, 06:28 AM (1,618 Views) | |
| Johnbuildr | Aug 22 2008, 09:02 AM Post #31 |
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So, it will be the US v Spain for the Gold on Sunday. With the way this has been going, it would be the biggest upset in any sport in the entire Olympic games if Spain were to win. Even a close game would be surprising. That's not bravado or bragging, it's just the way it seems to be this time around. In what other team sport is there such total dominance by one country in 2008? |
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Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum | |
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| rosarino | Aug 22 2008, 10:04 AM Post #32 |
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I think Spain will probably give the US a better game than they did in the group stage but no question the US will be the heavy favorite and with reason. But today Argentina, without Ginobili who went out early with an ankle injury and with Nocioni playing on one leg gave the US a good game for a half. But Argentina just didn't have the depth to keep up with the US' pressure defense. Martin was correct I think in pointing out before the Olympic sbegan that Kobe Bryant's addition to the US has been the big difference between this team and previous US squads. |
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| Johnbuildr | Aug 22 2008, 01:52 PM Post #33 |
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I'll disagree. After watching several of their games, including much of today's game, I don't think you can attribute lion's share of the huge improvement or domination to Kobi. Dewayne Wade, Bosh, Howard, and Anthony, and others have been too big a part of the show. This is truly a team effort. I haven't seen Kobi as the main key, jsut one of the important cogs in the wheel. |
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Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum | |
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| xeneize | Aug 22 2008, 02:08 PM Post #34 |
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It is too bad Ginobili went down injured and Nocioni played these last several games severely limited by injuries but rosarino is right Argentina didn't have the depth to keep up with the US over 40 minutes. I was disappointed in Prigioni's play, not only in this game but throughout the tournament, they needed more from him. He was not able to provide the stability in face of defensive pressure that Pepe Sanchez provided in the past. And Prigioni's 3 point shooting just was not consistent enough. John, I see what you are saying about the US' team play which opposed to past tourneys has been quite good but this is essentially the same team which got whipped 2 years ago in the World Championships. The big difference between that US squad and this one is Kobe Bryant and what he adds to the team both offensively and defensively. All the other players you named were with the US team in the World Championships and Wade, James and Anthony were all on the Olympic squad 4 years ago. |
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| Merengue | Aug 23 2008, 11:14 AM Post #35 |
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To try and answer John's question, the US women's softball team had dominated at every Olympics including this one until the final match when they lost the gold medal game to Japan. Having said that it would probably require a miracle for Spain to beat the US. I have to admit I didn't think the US would be this dominating but they have played extremely well as a team, pressure the oppoennt well and even know how to defend a pick and roll now! xeneize has complained about Pablo Prigioni's point guard play for Argentina, and with reason, I'll say the same for Jose Luis Calderon with Spain. I expected much more from him in this tournament. In fact both he and Juan Carlos Navarro, who were so good in 2006 have been below par in this tournament. To have any chance in this game tonight Spain will need to withstand the US pressure, shoot the ball well and hope the US has an off shooting night. |
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| Hector | Aug 24 2008, 12:45 AM Post #36 |
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118-107 win for United States over Spain in the championship game, the final margin was a little skewed at the end with a technical and a couple of free throws but this was a very tight and tense game. Spain had their opportunities which makes it frustrating because this was a winnable game but Jimenez' open 3 pointer didn't go down while on the other end Kobe Bryant made a couple of important plays. Wade in the first half and Bryant in the 2nd are who won this for the US. I was upset at not giving the ball enough to Pau because the US couldn't stop him, then again they couldn't stop Navarro or Rudy Fernandez either. Fernandez fouling out on a Bryant 3 pointer probably was the key play of the game. I'm proud at how Spain plays basketball and the US knows they will be pushed by Spain in every competition from now on especially with young players like Rubio, Fernandez, Marc Gasol and Berni Rodriguez still developing. Unlike Argentina, Lithuania or Greece, Spain has a nucleus of young players. |
| iPuerta amigo, Sevilla esta contigo! | |
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| Don Balon | Aug 24 2008, 10:36 AM Post #37 |
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It was a very exciting and dramatic final. Like any sport a few missed opportunities here and there determined the outcome but it was a close battle between the two best basketball teams in the world. Like hector says Spain's future is in good shape with it's young players' development and I get the feeling this won't be the last big showdown betwene Spain and the US. |
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| Merengue | Aug 24 2008, 07:52 PM Post #38 |
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I absolutely agree Don Balon and it was an exciting game. Not a whole lot of defense by either team as I think they both shot in excess of 60% (or near to) in the game but also give credit to both offenses. Spain had such an advantage down low with their size and strength I was just hoping, as hector related, that they would have pumped the ball down low more often but with Wade and Bryant making the big plays down the stretch the US pulled out the win. I guess that group round loss was a bit of sandbagging by Spain but even without the injured Calderon, Spain handled the US pressure pretty well and that prevented any repeat of that group play blow out. A fitting final and more evidence that international basketball has ever increasing parity. |
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| xeneize | Aug 24 2008, 11:35 PM Post #39 |
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No question it was an excellent final and Spain did push the US very hard. But as others said this US team had a player like Kobe Bryant who wasn't afraid to take the big shots and he converted them. Lebron James gets a lot of publicity through his shoe company and he is an incredible athlete and great in the open court but he clearly did not want the ball at the end of the title game and in a half court offense he is controllable. The US deserved the gold medal for their work throughout the tournament but they are not as far ahead of the rest of the world as some of their biggest backers want to believe. This is not 1992 or 1996 anymore. The US needs to play it's absolute best in order to win these international tournaments. Argentina displayed it's traditional fighting spirit and without Ginobili and with a Nocioni at far less than 100% they beat a good Lituania team for 3rd place. |
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| Johnbuildr | Aug 25 2008, 10:29 AM Post #40 |
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Until the final game, the US was that far ahead of the rest of the world, at least in this particular tournament. Even US' biggest fans, like me, well understand the rising parity in the world. One would have to be a complete fool to not "get" it after the last 4 or 5 years' events. But this team was on a mission and played like they owned the sport that our coutnry originated, and these men were not to be denied no matter how severly tested. While the game was very intense and close, and Spain played valiently, I never felt like the US might not win this Gold. |
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Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum | |
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| raconteur | Aug 25 2008, 10:34 AM Post #41 |
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Competition is what every sport needs to push the players to be their best. That is what happened in the Gold Medal game and it pushed both the US and Spain to play very well. That bodes well for the future of international basketball. |
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| Johnbuildr | Aug 25 2008, 11:10 AM Post #42 |
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Amen. That is the kind of game most people want to see, not the double digit run aways! |
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Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum | |
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