Olympic Qualifiers 2016

durden_tyler · Post #1 » by **durden_tyler** » Thu Jan 21, 2016 2:40 am

3 hosts: Serbia, Italy Philippines
3 Olympic slots available

Grouping not yet announced by FIBA but most likely (and hopefully) and balance one for all qualifiers.

Thoughts?

UcanUwill · Post #2 » by **UcanUwill** » Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:50 am

Cant wait to see the groups, will update.

durden_tyler · Post #3 » by **durden_tyler** » Fri Jan 22, 2016 1:40 pm

Africa: Angola, Tunisia, Senegal
Americas: Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico
Asia: Philippines, Iran, Japan
Europe: France, Serbia, Greece, Italy, Czech Republic
Oceania: New Zealand

+ 3 added (Turkey, ?, ?)

Muizha · Post #4 » by **Muizha** » Sun Jan 24, 2016 10:16 am

durden_tyler wrote:+ 3 added (Turkey, ?, ?)

Latvia (PORZINGIS!) and Croatia

durden_tyler · Post #5 » by **durden_tyler** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:29 am

Muizha wrote:
durden_tyler wrote:+ 3 added (Turkey, ?, ?)

Latvia (PORZINGIS!) and Croatia

Thanks!

Will Porzingis play though? i believe the Knicks did not allow him the last time around (Euros) did he commit already for the OQT?

Muizha · Post #6 » by **Muizha** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:54 am

durden_tyler wrote:
Muizha wrote:
durden_tyler wrote:+ 3 added (Turkey, ?, ?)

Latvia (PORZINGIS!) and Croatia

Thanks!

Will Porzingis play though? i believe the Knicks did not allow him the last time around (Euros) did he commit already for the OQT?

I dont think NBA teams can prohibit a player to play for his national team (they can strongly advise though), but no he has not commited yet.

durden_tyler · Post #7 » by **durden_tyler** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 1:03 am

Muizha wrote:
durden_tyler wrote:
Muizha wrote:
Latvia (PORZINGIS!) and Croatia

Thanks!

Will Porzingis play though? i believe the Knicks did not allow him the last time around (Euros) did he commit already for the OQT?

I dont think NBA teams can prohibit a player to play for his national team (they can strongly advise though), but no he has not commited yet.

The Knicks did last time. Not blatantly of course.

UcanUwill · Post #8 » by **UcanUwill** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 12:48 pm

Did they? I think it was mainly Porzingis' decision to concentrate on the NBA.

Grba · Post #9 » by **Grba** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:22 pm

Muizha · Post #10 » by **Muizha** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:33 pm

Love the draw for Latvia. Getting to Olympics is still a very unlikely scenario, but at least we can win our group with Czechs and Japan

Von Bismarck · Post #11 » by **Von Bismarck** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:37 pm

Latvia got good draw but there's one obstacle that they simply cannot pass. It's Serbia in hot atmosphere (probably loudest bball fans in the world) in Belgrade.

So I would say Serbia is sure from group A. In group B, France and Canada will decide but France is alot stronger than Canada though. Group C will be a triangle of Greece, Croatia and Italy.

Grba · Post #12 » by **Grba** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:51 pm

Love the draw for Serbia.

We have a solid chance to go to Rio ...

Let`s see the rosters for the tournament ... Latvia has very good players, but we're playing in Belgrade, so I expect we will win the tournament

Muizha · Post #13 » by **Muizha** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:54 pm

Want to reiterate that I also believe Serbia will advance from the Belgrade group. However, I think Latvia has a solid chance to get to the final against them, if we manage to beat Czechs and then Puerto Rico in semi-final (which are both very good teams)

durden_tyler · Post #14 » by **durden_tyler** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 2:46 am

We're one of the hosts but we draw with Canada.

Goodbye Olympic dreams.

Hoping we can at least beat New Zealand, be competitive against France.

Von Bismarck · Post #15 » by **Von Bismarck** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 2:58 pm

durden_tyler wrote:We're one of the hosts but we draw with Canada.

Goodbye Olympic dreams.

Hoping we can at least beat New Zealand, be competitive against France.

I take it you are Filipino, yeah?

Yes, there's no way you guys will go to Olympics, but that ain't cause of Canada, it because of France. They're much stronger and compact than Canada is. Just note that France has Batum, Gobert, Fournier, Diaw, Parker, De Colo, Ajinca and many more solid NBA and above average Euroleague players. Besides that, French team has chemistry and clear hierarchy unlike Canada.

durden_tyler · Post #16 » by **durden_tyler** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 4:53 pm

Von Bismarck wrote:
durden_tyler wrote:We're one of the hosts but we draw with Canada.

Goodbye Olympic dreams.

Hoping we can at least beat New Zealand, be competitive against France.

I take it you are Filipino, yeah?

Yes, there's no way you guys will go to Olympics, but that ain't cause of Canada, it because of France. They're much stronger and compact than Canada is. Just note that France has Batum, Gobert, Fournier, Diaw, Parker, De Colo, Ajinca and many more solid NBA and above average Euroleague players. Besides that, French team has chemistry and clear hierarchy unlike Canada.

We actually played France in a warm-up game and we were ok. i remember most French players were pissed off because it was a physical contest so there's one weakness i see in that team: just piss them off.

i think we do match-up well with them. Our chance hinge on the availability (and of course, performance) of Andre Blatch (reportedly already signed up) and Jordan Clarkson (still waiting for clearance from Lakers and FIBA).

i said Canada too because we are more likely losing to France in the group stage and should just win against New Zealand (doable) so we'll end up #2 in the crossover KO semis and will face the Canadians, who will most likely pulverize us.

Von Bismarck · Post #17 » by **Von Bismarck** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 5:33 pm

durden_tyler wrote:
Von Bismarck wrote:
durden_tyler wrote:We're one of the hosts but we draw with Canada.

Goodbye Olympic dreams.

Hoping we can at least beat New Zealand, be competitive against France.

I take it you are Filipino, yeah?

Yes, there's no way you guys will go to Olympics, but that ain't cause of Canada, it because of France. They're much stronger and compact than Canada is. Just note that France has Batum, Gobert, Fournier, Diaw, Parker, De Colo, Ajinca and many more solid NBA and above average Euroleague players. Besides that, French team has chemistry and clear hierarchy unlike Canada.

We actually played France in a warm-up game and we were ok. i remember most French players were pissed off because it was a physical contest so there's one weakness i see in that team: just piss them off.

i think we do match-up well with them. Our chance hinge on the availability (and of course, performance) of Andre Blatch (reportedly already signed up) and Jordan Clarkson (still waiting for clearance from Lakers and FIBA).

i said Canada too because we are more likely losing to France in the group stage and should just win against New Zealand (doable) so we'll end up #2 in the crossover KO semis and will face the Canadians, who will most likely pulverize us.

France never plays warm up games with full force. Yeah, Blatche and Clarkson are ok, but who's going to guard Parker or De Colo or Fournier? Who, from your second line up could defend Batum or Diaw or Ajinca for that matter? They're just too deep and too good. After the US, they're the strongest team in the world when they're complete and have all their main guys at disposal.

durden_tyler · Post #18 » by **durden_tyler** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:10 am

Von Bismarck wrote:
durden_tyler wrote:
Von Bismarck wrote:
I take it you are Filipino, yeah?

Yes, there's no way you guys will go to Olympics, but that ain't cause of Canada, it because of France. They're much stronger and compact than Canada is. Just note that France has Batum, Gobert, Fournier, Diaw, Parker, De Colo, Ajinca and many more solid NBA and above average Euroleague players. Besides that, French team has chemistry and clear hierarchy unlike Canada.

We actually played France in a warm-up game and we were ok. i remember most French players were pissed off because it was a physical contest so there's one weakness i see in that team: just piss them off.

i think we do match-up well with them. Our chance hinge on the availability (and of course, performance) of Andre Blatch (reportedly already signed up) and Jordan Clarkson (still waiting for clearance from Lakers and FIBA).

i said Canada too because we are more likely losing to France in the group stage and should just win against New Zealand (doable) so we'll end up #2 in the crossover KO semis and will face the Canadians, who will most likely pulverize us.

France never plays warm up games with full force. Yeah, Blatche and Clarkson are ok, but who's going to guard Parker or De Colo or Fournier? Who, from your second line up could defend Batum or Diaw or Ajinca for that matter? They're just too deep and too good. After the US, they're the strongest team in the world when they're complete and have all their main guys at disposal.

i have no doubts we'll get demolished by France and Canada. But we are going to make sure we leave a mark so we'll see

lambchop · Post #19 » by **lambchop** » Mon Feb 1, 2016 2:57 pm

Imo a lot depends on whether the teams come with their full rosters.
If france has everybody on board I expect them to beat a full canadian roster and qualify.

I think latvia will play against serbia. If serbia has all their guys, they should win that game.

Italy with all their guys playing should be able to defeat mexico. No disrespect to greece, but I feel like this next generation of players apart from the greek freak isn't as talented as spanoulis, diamantidis, bourousis, fotsis, papaloukas were years ago

mojo13 · Post #20 » by **mojo13** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 11:43 pm

You can pretty much count out any NBA free agent and that list includes:
Dwight Powell
Anthony Bennett
Rob Sacre
Andrew Nicholson
Nic Batum
Ian Mahinmi
Kevin Seraphin
Jordan Clarkson

I only looked at CAN, FRA and PHI.

Tony Parker is 50/50 with a baby due the week of the tournament.
Joakim Noah is done with France (they don't need him).

With all that - France is still the team to beat - too much talent and depth.