Basketball - Semifinals Aug. 18/19

[wizfactor94]

Ricky Rubio is a good example, one of the best pure point guards in NBA maybe worst guard on Spain.

In FIBA if you don't have a mid range shot and long range you are nothing. In that way, the mid range necessity, it is also very close to old school bball in NBA, where you had to be able to hit an open mid range from 1-4, only center was allowed to not have that skill.

Thats not really any different from him in the nba. Not like hes dominant. His lack of a jumper severely limits him, as it does every guard in the nba that cant shoot.

But it is different. He can't do anything for Spain, he is a horrible player for Spain.

In the NBA he is a pretty good point guard, who can't shoot.

[Dupp]

Ricky Rubio is a good example, one of the best pure point guards in NBA maybe worst guard on Spain.

In FIBA if you don't have a mid range shot and long range you are nothing. In that way, the mid range necessity, it is also very close to old school bball in NBA, where you had to be able to hit an open mid range from 1-4, only center was allowed to not have that skill.

Thats not really any different from him in the nba. Not like hes dominant. His lack of a jumper severely limits him, as it does every guard in the nba that cant shoot.

But it is different. He can't do anything for Spain, he is a horrible player for Spain.

In the NBA he is a pretty good point guard, who can't shoot.

Sad that you wrote all that. Your wrong.

[Sedale Threatt]

Well, you have to know that big teams in Euroleague and domestic competition when they are facing teams that are not at the same level, players rotate a lot, so statistics in Euroleague don't say always the truth. Every player is a different world. For example Ingles, played as a 11th or 12th player in Barcelona during 3 years (my team), and now plays as a starter in the NBA. Other example would be Patrick Beverly who played in Euroleague very bad. Then we have Americans or Europeans that havent played or succed in the NBA but here are stars like Vesely, De Colo, Malcolm Delaney, Tyrese Rice, Ayon, Darius Miller...

Ingles started two games last year and is not a good player.

Otherwise, there are always going to be exceptions. Guys like Jasikevičius and Spanoulis were clearly fantastic players who for whatever reason didn't pan out over here. Maybe they came too late or didn't stick it out. Players like Diamantidis, Papaloukas and Teodosic probably would have been very good, if they'd tried. Some of the very best players we've ever had -- Olajuwon, Nowitzki, Ginobili, the Gasols -- are foreign. (Sabonis would have been top 10-20 had he came earlier and been healthy.)

Hell, I think something like 25 percent of the NBA now hails from outside the country. So there's clearly a lot of talent outside the U.S. A lot.

But when you have idiots making blanket statements about how NBA players don't play defense or lack fundamentals based on a handful games in a competition for which we might have four or five practices...I have a problem with that.

It's not an apples-to-apples comparison. The average U.S. player is going to have far, far more success overseas than the average European player would in the NBA. And there has never been an NBA All-Star who wouldn't be at least very good in Europe. It's just dumb to try to argue otherwise. If you have a different preference, that's fine. There's a lot to like about the so-called "FIBA style." But that's where it should end.

Don't take it further and make stupid/insulting statements that don't stand up to even the tiniest amount of scrutiny.

Sad that you wrote all that. Your wrong.

Thought-provoking response.

[90sgoat]

This Serb team has grown on me, they have some real characters Radulica, Teodosic, Jokic, some other guys, personality and teamwork, really fun team to watch, honestly look much better than Aussies, even though I liked Aussies too, but these Serbs are just better tonight.

[Dupp]

Aussies have very little talent. So even though i got my hopes up no real surprise we ended up going out like this. Our team play has been terrific though. Think we leave still never getting a medal.

[90sgoat]

Aussies have very little talent. So even though i got my hopes up no real surprise we ended up going out like this. Our team play has been terrific though. Think we leave still never getting a medal.

There isn't any true basketball talent like the other teams have, but very strong physical, speed, teamwork, sort of reminds me of British soccer in a way.

[Dupp]

Aussies have very little talent. So even though i got my hopes up no real surprise we ended up going out like this. Our team play has been terrific though. Think we leave still never getting a medal.

There isn't any true basketball talent like the other teams have, but very strong physical, speed, teamwork, sort of reminds me of British soccer in a way.

Mills, Delly and bogut were carrying a lot of load through most of the tournament. Hard to rely on three guys.

[Pitimiquel]

CSKA Moscow just won the Euro title with two Americans playing key roles who I have literally never heard of, Kyle Hines and Cory Higgins. Granted, I barely follow college basketball. But given that they went to Colorado and UNC-Greensboro -- not exactly hoops hotbeds -- they wouldn't seem to be prime prospects. And they can go over the Europe and thrive. Yet somehow players like Paul George, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green would struggle. OK...

Well, you have to know that big teams in Euroleague and domestic competition when they are facing teams that are not at the same level, players rotate a lot, so statistics in Euroleague don't say always the truth. Every player is a different world. For example Ingles, played as a 11th or 12th player in Barcelona during 3 years (my team), and now plays as a starter in the NBA. Other example would be Patrick Beverly who played in Euroleague very bad. Then we have Americans or Europeans that havent played or succed in the NBA but here are stars like Vesely, De Colo, Malcolm Delaney, Tyrese Rice, Ayon, Darius Miller...

Ingles started two games last year and is not a good player.

Otherwise, there are always going to be exceptions. Guys like Jasikevičius and Spanoulis were clearly fantastic players who for whatever reason didn't pan out over here. Maybe they came too late or didn't stick it out. Players like Diamantidis, Papaloukas and Teodosic probably would have been very good, if they'd tried. Some of the very best players we've ever had -- Olajuwon, Nowitzki, Ginobili, the Gasols -- are foreign. (Sabonis would have been top 10-20 had he came earlier and been healthy.)

Hell, I think something like 25 percent of the NBA now hails from outside the country. So there's clearly a lot of talent outside the U.S. A lot.

But when you have idiots making blanket statements about how NBA players don't play defense or lack fundamentals based on a handful games in a competition for which we might have four or five practices (and still win anyways)...I have a problem with that.

It's not an apples-to-apples comparison. As was stated, the best players in the world aren't trying to play in Europe, they're trying to play here -- and it's not just the money. The average U.S. player is going to have far, far more success overseas than the average European player would in the NBA. And there has never been an NBA All-Star who wouldn't be at least very good in Europe. It's just dumb to try to argue otherwise. If you have a different preference, that's fine. There's a lot to like about the so-called "FIBA style." But that's where it should end.

Don't take it further and make stupid/insulting statements that don't stand up to even the tiniest amount of scrutiny.

I haven't said any bad comment against NBA or any American player. I only said that statistics in Euroleague don't say the truth and that there are players due to his play style can adapt better in NBA or Europe. It's pretty obvious that NBA is the best league and the best players play there, I did not want to discuss about that. In conclusion, Hines and Higgins are not stars, De Colo it is.

[yoyoboy]

Damn, Australia got wrecked. What happened?

[Pitimiquel]

Well, you have to know that big teams in Euroleague and domestic competition when they are facing teams that are not at the same level, players rotate a lot, so statistics in Euroleague don't say always the truth. Every player is a different world. For example Ingles, played as a 11th or 12th player in Barcelona during 3 years (my team), and now plays as a starter in the NBA. Other example would be Patrick Beverly who played in Euroleague very bad. Then we have Americans or Europeans that havent played or succed in the NBA but here are stars like Vesely, De Colo, Malcolm Delaney, Tyrese Rice, Ayon, Darius Miller...

Ingles started two games last year and is not a good player.

Otherwise, there are always going to be exceptions. Guys like Jasikevičius and Spanoulis were clearly fantastic players who for whatever reason didn't pan out over here. Maybe they came too late or didn't stick it out. Players like Diamantidis, Papaloukas and Teodosic probably would have been very good, if they'd tried. Some of the very best players we've ever had -- Olajuwon, Nowitzki, Ginobili, the Gasols -- are foreign. (Sabonis would have been top 10-20 had he came earlier and been healthy.)

Hell, I think something like 25 percent of the NBA now hails from outside the country. So there's clearly a lot of talent outside the U.S. A lot.

But when you have idiots making blanket statements about how NBA players don't play defense or lack fundamentals based on a handful games in a competition for which we might have four or five practices (and still win anyways)...I have a problem with that.

It's not an apples-to-apples comparison. As was stated, the best players in the world aren't trying to play in Europe, they're trying to play here -- and it's not just the money. The average U.S. player is going to have far, far more success overseas than the average European player would in the NBA. And there has never been an NBA All-Star who wouldn't be at least very good in Europe. It's just dumb to try to argue otherwise. If you have a different preference, that's fine. There's a lot to like about the so-called "FIBA style." But that's where it should end.

Don't take it further and make stupid/insulting statements that don't stand up to even the tiniest amount of scrutiny.

I haven't said any bad comment against NBA or any American player. I only said that statistics in Euroleague don't say the truth and that there are players due to his playing style can adapt better in NBA or Europe. It's pretty obvious that NBA is the best league and the best players play there, I did not want to discuss about that. In conclusion, Hines and Higgins are not stars, De Colo it is.

[Sedale Threatt]

Well, you have to know that big teams in Euroleague and domestic competition when they are facing teams that are not at the same level, players rotate a lot, so statistics in Euroleague don't say always the truth. Every player is a different world. For example Ingles, played as a 11th or 12th player in Barcelona during 3 years (my team), and now plays as a starter in the NBA. Other example would be Patrick Beverly who played in Euroleague very bad. Then we have Americans or Europeans that havent played or succed in the NBA but here are stars like Vesely, De Colo, Malcolm Delaney, Tyrese Rice, Ayon, Darius Miller...

Ingles started two games last year and is not a good player.

Otherwise, there are always going to be exceptions. Guys like Jasikevičius and Spanoulis were clearly fantastic players who for whatever reason didn't pan out over here. Maybe they came too late or didn't stick it out. Players like Diamantidis, Papaloukas and Teodosic probably would have been very good, if they'd tried. Some of the very best players we've ever had -- Olajuwon, Nowitzki, Ginobili, the Gasols -- are foreign. (Sabonis would have been top 10-20 had he came earlier and been healthy.)

Hell, I think something like 25 percent of the NBA now hails from outside the country. So there's clearly a lot of talent outside the U.S. A lot.

But when you have idiots making blanket statements about how NBA players don't play defense or lack fundamentals based on a handful games in a competition for which we might have four or five practices (and still win anyways)...I have a problem with that.

It's not an apples-to-apples comparison. As was stated, the best players in the world aren't trying to play in Europe, they're trying to play here -- and it's not just the money. The average U.S. player is going to have far, far more success overseas than the average European player would in the NBA. And there has never been an NBA All-Star who wouldn't be at least very good in Europe. It's just dumb to try to argue otherwise. If you have a different preference, that's fine. There's a lot to like about the so-called "FIBA style." But that's where it should end.

Don't take it further and make stupid/insulting statements that don't stand up to even the tiniest amount of scrutiny.

I haven't said any bad comment against NBA or any American player. I only said that statistics in Euroleague don't say the truth and that there are players due to his style of game can adapt better in NBA or Europe. It's pretty obvious that NBA is the best league and the best players play there, I did not want to discuss about that. In conclusion, Hines and Higgins are not stars, De Colo it is.

I wasn't referring to you about those comments, I was referring to the other two posters. So that was meant as a royal "you." Apologies for any confusion.

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

Damn, Australia got wrecked. What happened?

Amazing defense in first half by Serbia + they missed all of their open shots (there were not a lot of them) and Teodosić got hot and it was all over by halftime with 35:14

[Phreak50]

The Aussies are so similar to the recent Spurs. Big wins and blowouts, lots of teamwork, most points coming from assists. Then when the pressure is on and the defense intensifies, they have no go to scorer and implode.

Exum, Simmons (if the 76ers ever allow him to play) and Maker will help in 4 years but you still wonder where their next basket is going to come from.

[Apollo64]

I expected a very different game than the group one but really not this. Well, Australia was liable to have a bad game after 6 good ones in a row, it's close to impossible to play great wire-to-wire in a tournament.

[Salieri]

Holy crap, the amount of whining and deflecting is astounding. A list of the excuses I've seen so far:

-Refs were on USA side (laughably wrong, refs called a tight game with better eyesight than the average NBA ref. Techs ruined the game for both teams, not just Spain)
-Steroids and other PED's (very serious accusation with no basis whatsoever, reeks of soreness)
-Large population (unlike China or India, you mean? LOL)
-USA wins solely by physical dominance and depth (well, they are two fundamental traits of a good basketball team, it's not like that is cheating or anything)

I am spanish and I'm not ashamed to say I am super proud of these guys' effort today. Losing by 6 to any USA team is quite the achievement, especially when our best players are past their prime or chronically injured. No shame in admitting USA is a better team. Damn, there were times today when their 3 was taller than our 5, and their 5 was more agile than our 3. Now add the talent they have and I'm amazed we made it a game. Huge props to our coach Scariolo and the players, they played their hearts out today.

What people tend to forget is that there are very few examples, if any, of this kind of dominance in any team related sport. USA in basketball is not comparable to Brazil in football. Put together Brazil, Argentina and Germany and then you're approaching the level of dominance/accolades USA can brag about in basketball. What are you gonna do against such powerhouse? Well, not quitting is all you can ask for, and that's what I saw today. Congrats to USA and best of luck to Serbia in the final.

[Popovich]

NBA players gonna win gold.

or

NBA player gonna win gold.

[Hindenburg]

[Kings2013]

Cousins has been bad these Olympics. A let down to me as a fan of his

[Nowitness]

Whoa, shocked by that Australia-Serbia score, Serbia should still offer a good gold match though.

[Sedale Threatt]

Whoa, shocked by that Australia-Serbia score, Serbia should still offer a good gold match though.

Expecting a very tough game. Other than that early run we hit them with they played us pretty much even in our previous matchup.