FIBA World Cup 2023 part 2 SEMIS (USA vs GERMANY : SERBIA vs CANADA) poll added

[lambchop]

Towns with 1 reb 3 pf at the half in almost 4 minutes of playtime. : o
sUpErStAr

He helped them win the games they would have lost without him. This game should be a good learning experience for him. If he has any dog in him (which I'm not sure he does), he'll bounce back and be ready for the next games.

[RipHamilton]

I think Germany is the best team in the World Cup. Not the team with the best players, but the best FIBA team. Alongside Spain. The way they move the ball, regardless of who is playing, the lack of selfishness, the talent, the shooting.

US is clearly the team with the best players, and they play well as well, but not like Germany or Spain.

After the US, Canada is the team with the best players.

After these first games my ranking is this one:

1: US: Best players, deep squad. Clearly the favorites. They can be beaten though, but they need to have an average day, and the other team needs to have a great day.

2: Canada - Germany - Spain: Canada has amazing talented players, the most talented squad in the tournament after the US, but they need to be tested more. Germany and Spain play the best basketball of the tournament, and they have a deep squad. They can beat you if you have an average day, no matter how good your players are.

3: Australia - Slovenia: Australia: I was a little disappointed with Australia in the game against Germany. I think they are one step below. They need more team play, they depend a lot on Giddey and Mils, and they don't have really good big players. Slovenia is Luka, the best player in the tournament, but I think its not enough to beat the best teams.

I have to watch more of Lithuania and Serbia to know in which group I put them. I think Lithuania could lack some talent, and Serbia I would probably put them in the group 3, but maybe they are good enough to be in group 2? Need to watch them more.

[lambchop]

Must be painful for Argentina that a team as weak as Mexico made it but they couldn't.

I'm also interested to see how France plays today. Do they come out flat and win by 10 pts or do they play with energy in a lopsided win.

[-Luke-]

Didn't expect three wins in the group phase, especially without Franz for two of the three. That's a strong and deep team. *knock on wood*

Pleasant surprise for sure. Also being able to rest the starters for large parts of the 2nd half and still win by 26. Depth is one of the big strengths of this team. Perect position for group stage 2.

What's the mode for stage 2? Germany vs. Slovenia and Georgia/CV. If we win against Georgia/CV and Slovenia wins against Australia, we are in the quarterfinals no matter how we play against Slovenia, correct? And if Ausralia wins against Slovenia and we lose against Slovenia (and both win the other game), is point differential the deciding factor between Australia and Germany or head-to-head (so Germany)?

[Buckets22]

And Angola taking the lead with crazy 3ptr.

Mexico doesnt even look like like a basketball team.

[lambchop]

Btw if Angola wins that puts legit pressure on Italy to have to win against PHI to advance. Does anyone know what would happen in a scenario where Angola, Ita and DR end up with the same record? Is it the overall point differential that counts?

[UcanUwill]

Must be painful for Argentina that a team as weak as Mexico made it but they couldn't.

I'm also interested to see how France plays today. Do they come out flat and win by 10 pts or do they play with energy in a lopsided win.

Supposedly, none of France centers will play. Still expect easy win, Lebanon is probably the worst team in the tournament

[lambchop]

And Angola taking the lead with crazy 3ptr.

Mexico doesnt even look like like a basketball team.

If you look up Mexico's players, you'll see that only one of them is good. The rest are guys that are bench players in the Mexican league. So it's no surprise at all. Like I said, crazy that they're still better than Argentina at this point...

[Buckets22]

Must be painful for Argentina that a team as weak as Mexico made it but they couldn't.

I'm also interested to see how France plays today. Do they come out flat and win by 10 pts or do they play with energy in a lopsided win.

Supposedly, none of France centers will play. Still expect easy win, Lebanon is probably the worst team in the tournament

Oh wow, Spellman might go Shaq on them. He’ll definitely score more than 13.5 points…time to remortgage the house.

[Buckets22]

And Angola taking the lead with crazy 3ptr.

Mexico doesnt even look like like a basketball team.

If you look up Mexico's players, you'll see that only one of them is good. The rest are guys that are bench players in the Mexican league. So it's no surprise at all. Like I said, crazy that they're still better than Argentina at this point...

They can at least look the part, not much to ask…

[Mauro Pedrosa]

We’ve got ourselves a game. Let’s go Angola

[UcanUwill]

Btw if Angola wins that puts legit pressure on Italy to have to win against PHI to advance. Does anyone know what would happen in a scenario where Angola, Ita and DR end up with the same record? Is it the overall point differential that counts?

Does anyone here know the answer, cause I wonder this as well. FIBA change system every year, no one keeps up.

[-Luke-]

Btw if Angola wins that puts legit pressure on Italy to have to win against PHI to advance. Does anyone know what would happen in a scenario where Angola, Ita and DR end up with the same record? Is it the overall point differential that counts?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_FIBA_Basketball_World_Cup#Classification_of_teams

If I see it correctly, it would be point differential in games among tied teams (so without Philippines games).

So right now Italy is +9, Angola -14 (only Italy game), DomRep +5 (only Italy game). So Angola would need to a high win against DomRep unless I'm missing something.

That would mean Italy is safe if they win against Philippines.

[G R E Y]

Finland beside France is probably most disappointing team. We didn't really expect them to make through, but losing to Japan and not looking competitive at all against group favorites, is surprising.

Makes me wonder how importat Huff and Koponnen were in terms of leadership. Lauri also looked more like 2017 Lauri than last year's dominat version.

Wait Lauri played and they still lost by 26?! Credit to Germany but Finland really **** the bed.

Have they already qualified for Olympics?

[UcanUwill]

Finland beside France is probably most disappointing team. We didn't really expect them to make through, but losing to Japan and not looking competitive at all against group favorites, is surprising.

Makes me wonder how importat Huff and Koponnen were in terms of leadership. Lauri also looked more like 2017 Lauri than last year's dominat version.

Wait Lauri played and they still lost by 26?! Credit to Germany but Finland really **** the bed.

Have they already qualified for Olympics?

Only two highest standing euro teams this tournament qualifies. Teams who make second round, qualify for qualifying I believed so Finland is out from olympics

[Buckets22]

Holy moly De Sousa is on fire. Ties the game with windmill jam

[G R E Y]

Makes me wonder how importat Huff and Koponnen were in terms of leadership. Lauri also looked more like 2017 Lauri than last year's dominat version.

Wait Lauri played and they still lost by 26?! Credit to Germany but Finland really **** the bed.

Have they already qualified for Olympics?

Only two highest standing euro teams this tournament qualifies. Teams who make second round, qualify for qualifying I believed so Finland is out from olympics

!!! Was it carry over shock and disappointment from the previous game? Or too much pressure and they froze and buckled or what? There was so.much riding on this game and the result wasn't even close, and that's WITH Lauri.

Lots of shockers even early this WC.

I did think there were some sort of follow up Olympic qualifiers for teams that got eliminated from WC, no?

[Mauro Pedrosa]

Tough loss but Angola was able to remain competitive even with the awful shooting.

Lack of quality showed but it was a solid, fun group to root for.

[G R E Y]

Egypt thrashing Mexico after 3Qs and Lebanon won the 1Q by 1 vs. France wow

[Mauro Pedrosa]

Holy moly De Sousa is on fire. Ties the game with windmill jam

The only offense Angola had in the second half. A little luck on that go-ahead 3 attempt or some converted and-1s and it might have been a different game