Team Canada Basketball Thread V2.0

[rattler280]

I don't know why anyone expected any different. It's been a long standing tradition ever since "kid Canada" wanted to "leave it to the kids this time," over and over and over again.

[Oakville_Raptor]

Won’t surprise me at all if Canada doesn’t qualify for the Olympics.

[mojo13]

Some interesting tidbits bubbling up on Twitter. Supposedly a number of guys on the 29 man "invite list" where never able to play in the first place and had told Canada Basketball that (Leo Rautins saying that was the case with Andy). Not just Wiggins.

Yeah, it seemed odd to issue an "invitation" list and to say that the final list would be posted before camp. Seems like the initial list was a wish list at best. But its one thing to include guys who haven't explicitly said no, another to include guys who have (like Rautins, if what Leo says is correct).

Wiggins actually looks good here because he made sure he was seen as giving plenty of notice where Canada Basketball has set it up where the others look like they bailed last second, which was likely never the case with many of them.

Yes. Maybe Powell bailed late, but I suspect Stauskas, Lyles, Brooks, SGA, and Murray had never said yes.

I think we really missed out on a allot of Tier 2 guys what could have really matter here- Andrew Nicholson would have been huge. Nik Stauskas, Dylan Ennis, Naz Long, Andy, Doornekamp.

Exactly. We wouldn't need these guys if we had all the tier 1 guys, but given their absences, we really could use the guys you listed. I would add Bennett and even Hanlan and Pierre (I know you are not big fans of either, but I think they would at least have a shot at beating out Keane or Notice, for example).

This team is not nearly as good as it could be, even if you assume no SGA, Murray, Brooks, Powell, Wiggins or Powell.

Grange has some nuggets of insight here. Good read:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/time-now-canadas-best-write-history/

[UcanUwill]

Won’t surprise me at all if Canada doesn’t qualify for the Olympics.

New window system out of all countries, probably hurts Canada the most. Just lucky to be in world cup to begin with, but here you go, you got to main event, this is the time to show up with all the talent, and most guys arent playing, i feel for you guys.

[mojo13]

I don't know why anyone expected any different. It's been a long standing tradition ever since "kid Canada" wanted to "leave it to the kids this time," over and over and over again.

Maybe because we had a better NBA turnout last summer for a Qualifier (I'd take that team over this)? Maybe landing a high profile coach like Nurse? Maybe pretty much every NBA guy in the last year except Wiggins and Lyles saying publicly they wanted to play in the WC?

[bozothepope]

And here I was all ready to sign up for DAZN to watch these games... Bummer.

Fire whomever thought releasing that initial list was a good idea.

[mojo13]

Won’t surprise me at all if Canada doesn’t qualify for the Olympics.

New window system out of all countries, probably hurts Canada the most. Just lucky to be in world cup to begin with, but here you go, you got to main event, this is the time to show up with all the talent, and most guys arent playing, i feel for you guys.

Nothing to feel sorry about. I still consider us one of the best bball nations in the world right now. Maybe the best after the U.S.

Can't argue with opening night NBA rosters of 19-22 players - growing every year. So what? - no one in North America gives a crap about FIBA besides the couple dozen suckers that post here. Not much we can do about that.

Maybe we just need to get up to 30-40 NBA players before we can field a championship caliber team? At this pace it won't take too long.

[rattler280]

I don't know why anyone expected any different. It's been a long standing tradition ever since "kid Canada" wanted to "leave it to the kids this time," over and over and over again.

Maybe because we had a better NBA turnout last summer for a Qualifier (I'd take that team over this)? Maybe landing a high profile coach like Nurse? Maybe pretty much every NBA guy in the last year except Wiggins and Lyles saying publicly they wanted to play in the WC?

And yet here we are, once again, in the exact same place as we always are. It is what it is. Canada's best don't give a **** about playing for Canada.

[Brinbe]

so freaking disappointed that so many guys flopped. this was a big chance to make a statement and it's all wasted. doubt they even qualify for the olympics now.

and i understand the timing is pretty awful when considering the start of training camp/ nba preseason is right after... but this is a chance to represent your country and to grow the game here and almost all of them passed on it.

just really done supporting some of these guys just because they happen to be canadian, if you can even call them that. might as well just be american, real talk.

but lots of respect to the guys like olynyk and cory that did show up.

[arbsn]

Gotta think that the event happening in China, where there is an unstable political relationship right now, affects player attendance.

[And1Skip]

There really is no reason for guys like SGA and Powell not to go to the WC when in the US you have equivalent or a bit better young talent like Smart and Jaylen Brown going. If you’re not injured then what’s the excuse? Why were they playing in the OvO fest last week then?

[Mattd97]

Gotta think that the event happening in China, where there is an unstable political relationship right now, affects player attendance.

These guys have no clue about the Canadian Chinese political atmosphere. The only elements that matter with concern to China is that it's far away, but a massive marketing opportunity. Huawei, imprisoned canadians, dairy imports, etc could not matter less

[mojo13]

Lets see what we got and help flush out starters and a rotation.

Guards:
CoJo/Pangos (P. Scrubb)

Cory Joseph - lock as a starter and primary guard defender and either primary or secondary ball handler. I think he shares primary initiation duties with Pangos.
Kevin Pangos - I recall he seemed to handle the ball a little more last summer when on the floor with CoJo. Giving CoJo's defensive responsibility it seems he may play a similar role. Highly probable as the second starter.
Phil Scrubb - seems like the third guard of our new "Big three". A better secondary ball handler than lead and I assume is more of a SG when on the floor with Pangos or CoJo. I hope we ride these guys hard with heavy minutes.
Heslip - hopefully only for heat checks and doesn't get much run.
Best - as said above, he is probably more useful than Heslip due to his defense, but I hope he is more situational.


Forwards:
This can go any number of ways
T. Scrubb / Ejim / Olynyk
Ejim / KO / Birch
T Scrubb (Ejim) / Olynyk / Boucher


Tommy Scrubb - Tommy is seemingly a more natural SF (than Ejim), has played plenty of SF for Canada and our front court is now a little thin (physically), so I am wondering if Ejim is more a PF in this group? Tommy had a great season in Italy and was great for Canadian the Qualifiers, but he is a big step down from the AUS/LTU wings. I hope he can just play good defense on these guys and knock down the odd open shot.
Melvin Ejim - Is he a starting PF because of what is behind him? I am not sure what we do here. Olynyk and Boucher maybe better starting PFs here? People love to call him a SF but I don't think he is - he has hardly ever played minutes for Canada at SF, but he may need to here.
Kelly Olynyk - Obviously a lock to start and lead the offense, he seems to pair up with Birch perfectly fine, but we are quite thin with size behind them. I am not sue how we could ever have both these guys off the floor vs AUS or LTU and not get crushed inside (probably happens anyways).
Khem Birch - So perhaps Khem is the back up C behind Olynyk? (they can be on the floor together no problem and I can see them starting together, but we have no C depth here so it may be better to bring Birch in as the first big off the bench, when Ejim rotates out and leave him in when KO rotates out. We need to see heavy minutes with Birch but I am just not too sure the rotation and how he is most needed defensively.
Boucher - For you guys who watch the Raptors is Boucher just a C? Or can he play as a PF? Or does that even matter? He can't guard the AUS and LTU bigs on his own - I think we know that. So what is his role here? Does Olynyk or Birch have to be on the floor next to him at all times?
Wiltjer - His defense is atrocious and really needs to be a gunner off the bench - a taller version of Heslip.


So the forwards are more a question here...and I am really unsure how Boucher folds in here.

[mojo13]

There really is no reason for guys like SGA and Powell not to go to the WC when in the US you have equivalent or a bit better young talent like Smart and Jaylen Brown going. If you’re not injured then what’s the excuse? Why were they playing in the OvO fest last week then?

Seems the schedule is the huge deterrent to most of these guys. Length and timing.

[And1Skip]

There really is no reason for guys like SGA and Powell not to go to the WC when in the US you have equivalent or a bit better young talent like Smart and Jaylen Brown going. If you’re not injured then what’s the excuse? Why were they playing in the OvO fest last week then?

Seems the schedule is the huge deterrent to most of these guys. Length and timing.

To some but not others ? Just makes those that use that excuse as babies. Like Boston has a real chance to do something in the East this season and their team let’s all 3 of their young core guys play for the national team. What does SGA have to play for in OKC? They should be tanking. As much as Powell needs to fight for the starting C spot for Dallas, it’s not like he’s gonna play 30 mins per game this season and their team isnt likely gonna make the playoffs. Houston has a lot on the line this season yet PJ Tucker is still suiting up for his country. Yeah he’s a role player but so is Powell for his team.

[And1Skip]

Gotta think that the event happening in China, where there is an unstable political relationship right now, affects player attendance.

These guys have no clue about the Canadian Chinese political atmosphere. The only elements that matter with concern to China is that it's far away, but a massive marketing opportunity. Huawei, imprisoned canadians, dairy imports, etc could not matter less

Lol yeah Canadians are visiting China all the time. I last visited lately (I don’t speak the language) and people there just laugh off of what we think is unstable relationship. Their media is controlled by the govt so the people there don’t read or hear what is being said outside of China the same way. (They even block Toronto Star website in addition to the googles, etc). In the winter time the people in China tell me they are obsessed with getting Canada Goose products and don’t care about whatever Canadians think there’s a bad relationship.

[And1Skip]

Read on Twitter

?s=21

[frumble]

Lets see what we got and help flush out starters and a rotation.

Guards:
CoJo/Pangos (P. Scrubb)

Cory Joseph - lock as a starter and primary guard defender and either primary or secondary ball handler. I think he shares primary initiation duties with Pangos.
Kevin Pangos - I recall he seemed to handle the ball a little more last summer when on the floor with CoJo. Giving CoJo's defensive responsibility it seems he may play a similar role. Highly probable as the second starter.
Phil Scrubb - seems like the third guard of our new "Big three". A better secondary ball handler than lead and I assume is more of a SG when on the floor with Pangos or CoJo. I hope we ride these guys hard with heavy minutes.
Heslip - hopefully only for heat checks and doesn't get much run.
Best - as said above, he is probably more useful than Heslip due to his defense, but I hope he is more situational.


Forwards:
This can go any number of ways
T. Scrubb / Ejim / Olynyk
Ejim / KO / Birch
T Scrubb (Ejim) / Olynyk / Boucher


Tommy Scrubb - Tommy is seemingly a more natural SF (than Ejim), has played plenty of SF for Canada and our front court is now a little thin (physically), so I am wondering if Ejim is more a PF in this group? Tommy had a great season in Italy and was great for Canadian the Qualifiers, but he is a big step down from the AUS/LTU wings. I hope he can just play good defense on these guys and knock down the odd open shot.
Melvin Ejim - Is he a starting PF because of what is behind him? I am not sure what we do here. Olynyk and Boucher maybe better starting PFs here? People love to call him a SF but I don't think he is - he has hardly ever played minutes for Canada at SF, but he may need to here.
Kelly Olynyk - Obviously a lock to start and lead the offense, he seems to pair up with Birch perfectly fine, but we are quite thin with size behind them. I am not sue how we could ever have both these guys off the floor vs AUS or LTU and not get crushed inside (probably happens anyways).
Khem Birch - So perhaps Khem is the back up C behind Olynyk? (they can be on the floor together no problem and I can see them starting together, but we have no C depth here so it may be better to bring Birch in as the first big off the bench, when Ejim rotates out and leave him in when KO rotates out. We need to see heavy minutes with Birch but I am just not too sure the rotation and how he is most needed defensively.
Boucher - For you guys who watch the Raptors is Boucher just a C? Or can he play as a PF? Or does that even matter? He can't guard the AUS and LTU bigs on his own - I think we know that. So what is his role here? Does Olynyk or Birch have to be on the floor next to him at all times?
Wiltjer - His defense is atrocious and really needs to be a gunner off the bench - a taller version of Heslip.


So the forwards are more a question here...and I am really unsure how Boucher folds in here.

Good summary.

Given the lack of depth, and the off days b/w each of the first round games, I would lean heavily on a core of 7:
Joseph
Pangos
Scrubb
Scrubb
Olynyk
Birch
Ejim

Maybe Best or Keane as the 8th man.
The rest I don't anticipate seeing much action other than in specialized situations.

I agree that Ejim probably won't see time as SF. He is probably even less likely to see time there this tournament given how much he will be needed at PF. I expect Olynyk, Birch, and Ejim to share the vast majority of the 80 minutes at 4/5.

[frumble]

Anyone know what the TV options will be in the US? I see that ESPN has the rights, but I am not sure how many games they will be showing.

And I see that CBC.ca will be streaming the exhibition games. Does anyone know if the stream is available in the US?

Thanks.

[mojo13]

Anyone know what the TV options will be in the US? I see that ESPN has the rights, but I am not sure how many games they will be showing.

And I see that CBC.ca will be streaming the exhibition games. Does anyone know if the stream is available in the US?

Thanks.

ESPN3 usually shows everything streaming live on-demand via the ESPN App. Everything. You want China vs Tunisia? Its there. Or was for the Qualifiers.

CBC content is usually not accessible from the US, but you can always tunnel your way into Canada through a VPN. I typically use TunnelBear.
It is an added step, but usually works. I used to watch all the LiveBasketball.tv broadcasts chasing Canada's games that were blocked out in the US and Canada by Tunneling into Germany or Singapore or something.



Frumble - so you think Boucher is a non-factor here? He is a unique player that could give teams fits.