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

[Muizha]

Man oh man, what a first half by team Latvia. Unfortunately Zagars ran out of gas in the 2nd half and both Smits and Davis Bertans couldn't find their shots (both were 1/7 from 3pt). What a game by Rodi Kurucs (again). He had a double double in addition to two nice steals on SGA isos. But yeah SGA is on a different level... good luck to Canada, this may be your year.

[Muizha]

Shout out Latvia. The game was WAY more competitive than the score suggests. Great, unselfish team - this is what FIBA should be all about. Looked like the Spurs circa early 2010s. Was thinking to myself, "would they have been even better with Porz or would he have killed the unselfishness of this squad?"

Regardless, hope you guys beat Brazil (please) and Spain to get through the to the quarters with us.

Porzingis would fit perfectly if his previous games with Latvia is any indication (including last year's very convincing win over Turkey). He shoots a lot of his shots in the flow of the offense and it would have been great today to have a guy like him for whom to just give the ball, when anything else seemed to not work against the Canadian defense.

[The Number 9]

Yeah, scrubs vs scrubs are fun to watch sometimes.

It's not about that. Of course the NBA have the best players. And it's a far superior product.
But, there is a problem with rhythm in the NBA. There a too many stops, the time outs are too long, ...

I watch a lot of basketball, NBA or Euroleague and even the French league.
I would not say I prefer any over the NBA, but sometimes, and I fear it's becoming more and more frequent (mostly during the NBA RS), I find them more enjoyable. And it has a lot to do with pace.

[durden_tyler]

Yep, he's exaggerating for effect but yeah american football has stoppage after every play with a 40 second play clock to setup the next play after the ref spots the ball.

And yet still more exciting than soccer. LOL

Soccer is closer to religion than it is to sport, there's no comparison

i don’t disagree. i still can’t survive watching an entire game though, it’s that boring. i just settle watching the highlights

[durden_tyler]

Yeah, scrubs vs scrubs are fun to watch sometimes.

It's not about that. Of course the NBA have the best players. And it's a far superior product.
But, there is a problem with rhythm in the NBA. There a too many stops, the time outs are too long, ...

I watch a lot of basketball, NBA or Euroleague and even the French league.
I would not say I prefer any over the NBA, but sometimes, and I fear it's becoming more and more frequent (mostly during the NBA RS), I find them more enjoyable. And it has a lot to do with pace.

Yeah FIBA pace is something. Moreover these 2-3 week tournaments just add to the general all games are must-wins so both on game pace and tournament pace (which is like March Madness, again which trumps both) FIBA indeed has the advantage.

I always have liked to compare this with poker and its variants;

NBA is like the World Series of Poker where the blinds are 1 hour (this is the regular season) then you get to the In The Money round (this is the playoffs) and the Final Table (duh, the NBA Finals)

FIBA tournaments/March Madness is like your regular online turbo poker (say 15 min blinds) and you have a champion after 8 hours.

That’a just describing the tourney pace of course. The NBA game pace indeed needs improvement, but will cost them money. So unless it hurts their bottomline, they don’t/won’t change it.

[UcanUwill]

And yet still more exciting than soccer. LOL

Soccer is closer to religion than it is to sport, there's no comparison

i don’t disagree. i still can’t survive watching an entire game though, it’s that boring. i just settle watching the highlights

This is where we complete opposite then, I don't get the point of soccer highlights. Point of soccer is a slop pace thrill and anticipation, it's like watching Russian roulette, yes, nothing really happening but any given time sh++ can hit a fan and something amazing or heartbreaking can happen.

But you need to understand the sport, some just see guys kicking a ball, what is even a highlight, no one is jumping or dunking or closelining. I will say kick that ends up being a goal is not even a highlight, it's the set piece, the vision, the teamwork that allows player to score. Just guys who see everything on pitch and read what will happen seconds before it happens. I think that is no mistake that so many euros and Steve Nash were such a good passers like they knew what will happen moments before, it is all soccer skill.

Basketball is like action movie. It is fun and has explosions. But Soccer however like I said is a Hickock film. It can be too slow, too boring and too black and white, but it always be a masterpiece objectively speaking.

[durden_tyler]

Soccer is closer to religion than it is to sport, there's no comparison

i don’t disagree. i still can’t survive watching an entire game though, it’s that boring. i just settle watching the highlights

This is where we complete opposite then, I don't get the point of soccer highlights. Point of soccer is a slop pace thrill and anticipation, it's like watching Russian roulette, yes, nothing really happening but any given time sh++ can hit a fan and something amazing or heartbreaking can happen.

But you need to understand the sport, some just see guys kicking a ball, what is even a highlight, no one is jumping or dunking or closelining. I will say kick that ends up being a goal is not even a highlight, it's the set piece, the vision, the teamwork that allows player to score. Just guys who see everything on pitch and read what will happen seconds before it happens. I think that is no mistake that so many euros and Steve Nash were such a good passers like they knew what will happen moments before, it is all soccer skill.

Basketball is like action movie. It is fun and has explosions. But Soccer however like I said is a Hickock film. It can be too slow, too boring and too black and white, but it always be a masterpiece objectively speaking.

Yeah, so just wait for the highlights

[ROballer]

Might as well correct the thread title.

Dominica and the Dominican Republic are two different countries.

[Mirotic12]

Listening to Mismatch with Verno and Kevin, they are talking WC, how great the pacing is. Got to love Americans watch 3 international games to be reminded NBA is garbage product.

Only the regular season is garbage. NBA starts in May AFAIC, that's when teams and refs cut the crap.

The RS is just for revenue. Pay and watch at your own peril, no refunds.

The first round of the NBA playoffs is also trash. And only some of the of the second round series are not trash.

[Mirotic12]

I see both sides to this argument. The NBA is the highest level of competition you will get in the world… and it’s not even close. So from that perspective, you’ve beaten the world’s best.

The world championships are a huge step down in talent, but use the name “world”, but you really haven’t beaten the best. It’s in name only.

When Team USA lost in 2002 and 2006 at the World Cup, yes, those teams that beat them absolutely beat the best team in the world. Those rosters were better than any NBA team. Especially the 2006 US team, which would probably win like 75 games in the NBA.

The 2019 US team that lost at the world cup wasn't as good, but it still had several NBA all stars on it, and would still be considered one of the best teams in the NBA.

2006 Team USA roster at the World Cup:

Joe Johnson
Kirk Hinrich
Lebron James
Antawn Jamison
Shane Battier
Dwyane Wade
Chris Paul
Chris Bosh
Dwight Howard
Brad Miller
Elton Brand
Carmelo Anthony

So you think that someone that beat that team wasn't beating a team that was at NBA level?

It's actually right. Because such a team is very clearly well above the level of any NBA team. There is no NBA team in history that is better than that US team that competed at the World Cup. And the 2002 US team that lost at the World Cup was also a stacked team that was better than any NBA team at that time.

So when Argentina, FR Yugoslavia, and Spain beat USA in 2002, and absolutely especially Greece in particular, when they beat the US in 2006, they absolutely 100% beat the best basketball team on the planet. They absolutely beat a team that was better than any NBA team.

[OkcSinceSGA]

I knew Canada was a huge threat. Not just SGA either. Their defense and wings/guards are just overwhelming. Too bad Jamal and or Wiggins aren’t playing. If they were I honestly think they would beat the US team.

[ForeverTFC]

Soccer is closer to religion than it is to sport, there's no comparison

i don’t disagree. i still can’t survive watching an entire game though, it’s that boring. i just settle watching the highlights

This is where we complete opposite then, I don't get the point of soccer highlights. Point of soccer is a slop pace thrill and anticipation, it's like watching Russian roulette, yes, nothing really happening but any given time sh++ can hit a fan and something amazing or heartbreaking can happen.

But you need to understand the sport, some just see guys kicking a ball, what is even a highlight, no one is jumping or dunking or closelining. I will say kick that ends up being a goal is not even a highlight, it's the set piece, the vision, the teamwork that allows player to score. Just guys who see everything on pitch and read what will happen seconds before it happens. I think that is no mistake that so many euros and Steve Nash were such a good passers like they knew what will happen moments before, it is all soccer skill.

Basketball is like action movie. It is fun and has explosions. But Soccer however like I said is a Hickock film. It can be too slow, too boring and too black and white, but it always be a masterpiece objectively speaking.

Soccer and Basketball are both great sports - top 2 in my opinion. I think the issue Soccer has - at least in North America - is that you can't really appreciate the beauty on TV unless you understand the game. Otherwise, just looks like passes and through balls. Live soccer is in a league of its own in my opinion; you really appreciate the tactics when you can see the whole pitch and watch 11 guys in constant strategic motion. Basketball is great in person - though not as good as soccer - but probably the best TV sport there is. Constant stream of buckets, back and forth action, and constant lead changes. Nothing compares to basketball as a TV product.

Live football is pretty boring, objectively. And Baseball and Hockey are just not at the same level as Soccer, Basketball or Football on TV and they are pretty average live experiences.

[God Squad]

I knew Canada was a huge threat. Not just SGA either. Their defense and wings/guards are just overwhelming. Too bad Jamal and or Wiggins aren’t playing. If they were I honestly think they would beat the US team.

It's still USAs to lose, but this is the first time I've felt confident about Canadian basketball. Another name I was wondering about earlier was Brandon Clarke. I'm assuming he's still in recovery from his season ending injury, but for the future he'd be a great get for team Canada.

[Quattro]

Read on Twitter

In a 26 point loss no less

[aminiaturebuddha]

Read on Twitter

In a 26 point loss no less

Also, Shai had 6 free throws, and 2 of those were techs on the Latvian coach for complaining so much. Seems like he's trying to will a reffing issue into existence that wasn't there.

[Mirotic12]

The other teams just better hope that no player gets designated the new Pau in FIBA. Because that's the one guy in FIBA history that you couldn't be physical with, without the refs calling fouls.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Read on Twitter

In a 26 point loss no less

Also, Shai had 6 free throws, and 2 of those were techs on the Latvian coach for complaining so much. Seems like he's trying to will a reffing issue into existence that wasn't there.

Lol. A whopping 4 FT from foul calls. How will Latvia survive?

[God Squad]

I didn't feel SGA was giving special treatment of living at the FT line. If anything I saw some decent defense at the POA by the latvian guards who did all they could give the talent gap.

[links135]

I see both sides to this argument. The NBA is the highest level of competition you will get in the world… and it’s not even close. So from that perspective, you’ve beaten the world’s best.

The world championships are a huge step down in talent, but use the name “world”, but you really haven’t beaten the best. It’s in name only.

When Team USA lost in 2002 and 2006 at the World Cup, yes, those teams that beat them absolutely beat the best team in the world. Those rosters were better than any NBA team. Especially the 2006 US team, which would probably win like 75 games in the NBA.

The 2019 US team that lost at the world cup wasn't as good, but it still had several NBA all stars on it, and would still be considered one of the best teams in the NBA.

2006 Team USA roster at the World Cup:

Joe Johnson
Kirk Hinrich
Lebron James
Antawn Jamison
Shane Battier
Dwyane Wade
Chris Paul
Chris Bosh
Dwight Howard
Brad Miller
Elton Brand
Carmelo Anthony

So you think that someone that beat that team wasn't beating a team that was at NBA level?

It's actually right. Because such a team is very clearly well above the level of any NBA team. There is no NBA team in history that is better than that US team that competed at the World Cup. And the 2002 US team that lost at the World Cup was also a stacked team that was better than any NBA team at that time.

So when Argentina, FR Yugoslavia, and Spain beat USA in 2002, and absolutely especially Greece in particular, when they beat the US in 2006, they absolutely 100% beat the best basketball team on the planet. They absolutely beat a team that was better than any NBA team.

NBA isn't FIBA, so whatever they are in the NBA doesn't matter. Even in the NBA today if you can't shoot, you can quickly become a liability on offence.

Just the US was in the stage of finding out that hey, we kinda need a ball handler who can shoot so that our offence isn't reliant on fast breaks, offensive rebounds and the occasional spot up 3 by one of their bench players.

That 2008 team? Basically the entire non Howard/Boozer/Bosh roster could shoot, and even Wade and Lebron shot 46% from 3 on 5.5 attempts per game, they shot 38% that year where in 2004 they shot 31%.

Who cares how they would perform in the circus.

[Nuntius]

Brother Latvia stealing all the thunder from us, just beat Montenegro by 20

It's good for you to fly under the radar. Teams tend to perform better when the spotlight isn't entirely on them.