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

[Wagonband]

People on RealGM are really funny...

The takes are either;
a) Players are too soft! They don't care about the game, they show no emotion anymore. They just play for the money

b) Guys whine every possession! Just accept the fact that you are going to lose, who cares if you took the entire summer off away from your family to play for 0 money to represent your country! How dare you complain to the refs and show emotion!

Yes sometimes the guys can go overboard with complaining. But it's only natural when you invest so much time into something to really care about it.

[AddiFB]

Franz vs. Paolo

Interesting.

[greekman]

about time Canada gets this far. for the last 10 years they've had the 2nd most nba players out of all the countries but up until today JUST ONE nba player would show up and that was corey joseph despite having over 20 while australia, france, others always get them all to show up.
2019 september canada fiba roster
ejim, scrubb, joseph, pangos, nembhard, heslip, birch, wiltcher. meanwhile wiggins, sga, murray, barrett, brooks, were all in the nba.

for the record canada is arguably the 2nd best team in fiba and that is without murray, wiggins, sharpe, malthurin, b.clarke, and probably more players still not playing.

[GeorgeSears]

Slovenia isn't good on defense. Canada is getting open looks. We haven't had this much open looks all tournament.

But it's so funny to read how SGA is better than Luka based on this game or any other.

I mean, he's not that far off. Ask yourself, who has taken bigger strides to improve the last couple of years?

Luka started at a higher level, but Shai is right there on his heels. I think it's a combination of Luka's unwillingness to dedicate himself to a proper strength and conditioning program and work on flaws in his game (shooting). Luka's the one in danger of having players catch up to him.

[Meeksology]

40 PIR (FIBA one where they dont count foul draws). Goddamn.

Added poll, can vote now.

loving the "world champions" all in caps in the poll

[Bob8]

Get lost, flopper!

You mean, rather get drunk and dance on the streets?

I've been criticising Jokic for months because of that.

You should at least appreciate how he's always available for his 2 mio nation.

[Nuntius]

My guess is that it's a USA vs Canada Finals and I'm betting on Canada. SGA looks to be in terrific form.

[Nuntius]

Read on Twitter

He's definitely been the most productive player on the tournament so far.

[nikster]

People on RealGM are really funny...

The takes are either;
a) Players are too soft! They don't care about the game, they show no emotion anymore. They just play for the money

b) Guys whine every possession! Just accept the fact that you are going to lose, who cares if you took the entire summer off away from your family to play for 0 money to represent your country! How dare you complain to the refs and show emotion!

Yes sometimes the guys can go overboard with complaining. But it's only natural when you invest so much time into something to really care about it.

Luka obviously takes the complaining to another level. I don't see those takes as contradictory. Tons of stars have shown emotion without complaining every time down the court.

[God Squad]

People on RealGM are really funny...

The takes are either;
a) Players are too soft! They don't care about the game, they show no emotion anymore. They just play for the money

b) Guys whine every possession! Just accept the fact that you are going to lose, who cares if you took the entire summer off away from your family to play for 0 money to represent your country! How dare you complain to the refs and show emotion!

Yes sometimes the guys can go overboard with complaining. But it's only natural when you invest so much time into something to really care about it.

Luka legit whines on almost every possession. If he casually misses a shot, he always thinks he was fouled and will spend the next 15 seconds giving the ref hell.

[r0drig0lac]

Slovenia is just a 3point bot. We've seen this story play out before: worse team advances because they hit 3s over better team, and then get blown out by 30 points when they play team USA because they come back to reality and can't hit 3s like they could.

I hope Canada wins. It'll be a more competitive matchup in the finals against Team USA.

06 Greece

[Ray Donovan]

Even when he has a "good" game, it's always coupled with a bunch of trash low IQ plays.

Even some of the plays that end well for him feel lucky. Luck when he drove into 3 defenders on a fast break and got bailed out with a reach, or when he threw a wild pass that somehow made it to SGa for the assist

You should have seen how Luka looks after those games? He's fouled in every possession multiple times, brooks was holding him nonstop even before he got the ball.

Look at FT difference 33/19. Don't tell me that Canadians are playing clean D.

Luka is my cat but he has to know Brooks & everybody else was coming & he can't afford to pick up 2 Techs in such an important game. After awhile his teammates Lose faith in him being there @ the end. I see it in the Mavs games...

[Pachinko_]

Ultimately those are the 4 best teams, USA, Canada, Serbia, and "basketball-is-our-15th-most-popular-sport" Germany. I predict a blockbuster all-American final with team USA ultimately winning it all.

Shame about LIT because at some point they were the best team in the tournament, but at this level one bad game is all it takes.

[durden_tyler]

Even some of the plays that end well for him feel lucky. Luck when he drove into 3 defenders on a fast break and got bailed out with a reach, or when he threw a wild pass that somehow made it to SGa for the assist

You should have seen how Luka looks after those games? He's fouled in every possession multiple times, brooks was holding him nonstop even before he got the ball.

Look at FT difference 33/19. Don't tell me that Canadians are playing clean D.

Luka is my cat but he has to know Brooks & everybody else was coming & he can't afford to pick up 2 Techs in such an important game. After awhile his teammates Lose faith in him being there @ the end. I see it in the Mavs games...

The good news is there are trades with the Mavs. His NT? He’s stuck with this quality of players forever. Slovenia should hope this is not their peak because other nations are just getting stronger.

Does Slovenia have anyone coming to help out Luka say in the OQT? Or future competitions?

[whitehops]

i'm super proud of the entire canadian team for getting this far but man SGA is really, really good. he's in the western conference so i only really watch him play against the pistons but he's pretty much unstoppable. his tight handle and smooth body control blow my mind and i can see why he draws so many fouls because defenders are constantly off balance.

also, i love that he just plays the game, doesn't bait fouls and doesn't complain to the refs (the latter being a huge pet peeve of mine). i'm still 100% rocking with cade and DET but SGA and OKC are quickly shaping up to be my second team to follow, bumping the raps to third.

[God Squad]

i'm super proud of the entire canadian team for getting this far but man SGA is really, really good. he's in the western conference so i only really watch him play against the pistons but he's pretty much unstoppable. his tight handle and smooth body control blow my mind and i can see why he draws so many fouls because defenders are constantly off balance.

also, i love that he just plays the game, doesn't bait fouls and doesn't complain to the refs (the latter being a huge pet peeve of mine). i'm still 100% rocking with cade and DET but SGA and OKC are quickly shaping up to be my second team to follow, bumping the raps to third.

I've always wondered why you spend time on the Raps board. Now it makes sense.

Cheers

[durden_tyler]

Whatever happens in the SRB-CAN SF, is this Dillon Brooks very early Redemption Tour?

He was villified by fans, jilted by the Grizzlies, etc and now he performs as one of the key players for this Canadian squad? His performance against Spain saved Canada, with respect to SGA who is the Alpha here, but without those clutch 3 pointers they would have never went to Manila for the KO stages.

I’d like to think even the Raps board/base love him now (not sure where they stood in all the “Houston overpaid for him” talk) ?

Also, what do Raps (Canadian) fans do with this Houston situation; boo FVV and cheer on Brooks when watching the Rockets? LOL

[canada_dry]

SGA>Luka

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

[BliscoSantos]

Honestly,was expecting us to lose against Canada(they have better Players...we have two Players who make around 60000euros a year ...one in the starting lineup, an undersized PF)...they were better,also Got some favorable whistles/soft calls(they were allowed to be a lot more physical on D),but thats's what you get when our team complains a lot(the refs talk and they won't change their mind)...still, thought we'd lose by more,so not that impressed with Canada...I think Serbia will go to the final

As for us.... unfourtunately we have serious lack of big men(PF,C)...the most talented Players that are coming up are mostly 6'5, 6'6 PG or SG...Hopefully Sergej Macura (6'9)developes as a PF and Cancar stays injury free...maybe the older Macura(Jurij 6'11) gets healthy/stays injury free and we have a backup C...we need size badly

[Stromile12]

Slovenia was hitting everything from three in the first half, along with Luka playing well and it was still a tie game after two. It was only a matter of time before we got up by 15+, game never felt out of our control. Not impressed by Slovenia and their constant whining