Official FIBA World Championship Thread (and long preview)

[daschysta]

You want a zone buster? Then Eric Gordon should be on the team.

Granger can stroke the 3 just as well and is all around much better.

[Sedale Threatt]

I don't know how much about Wade -- he's going to be playing a ton of playoff games in the immediate future -- but I'd actually expect Kobe to play again if they want him. Personally, as a Laker fan I'd like to see him skip it, but he's all about the competition. One gold medal might not be enough for him. Good point about Howard, too. I'd like to see him man up and still play as he's young and we need what he brings, but FIBA is definitely not a big man's game.

[9abovetherim]

You want a zone buster? Then Eric Gordon should be on the team.

Stephen Curry says hi!

[Theo Papaloukas]

Croatia (the first team that US plays) just beat Italy 89-72.

Bogdanovic and Zoric had 15 each for the Croats and Roko Ukic added 9.

Bargnani had 25 and Bellinelli had 23, but no one else scored more than 4 points. LOL.

[Ron Harper]

I don't want Billups on the team either. Last thing the team needs is him coming down in a close game and firing up one of his heat-chucks from 5 feet behind the line.

Heat "chuck" made me lol.

[Chuck Diesel]

Apparently Maric is back in the fold for Australia, after what seemed like months of Rajon Rondo like indecision. Great news for the Boomers. Maric was one of the best big men in Europe last year.

http://www.interbasket.net/news/

[Chuck Diesel]

Regarding Croatia- People have said they have problems with their basketball federation and are building for their future or whatever, but I think they made a really big mistake in ditching all of their veteran front-court guys. They were a smart, feisty bunch and really seemed to be clocking. In my opinion the same group they brought to Poland last year really could have made some noise in Turkey. Tomic will need to step up like he did for Real Madrid.

[Run_Forest]

I seriously don't understand why you guys don't think that Iguodala should make the USA team.He is by far one of the most underrated olayers(along Josh Smith if you ask me).The guys is a freaking superstar and he can do everything on the court.Rebound assist score and he is clutch too...He should make the team if you ask me...

[Sedale Threatt]

There's only about five or six legit superstars in the game, and he doesn't even come close to being one of them. I'd be a lot more interested in him if he could shoot. But he can't, and that severely limits his value for the international game. Frankly, when I saw his name in the pool I thought he was the exact type of player we don't need -- a no-shoot slasher who puts up good stats on a bad team. Somebody like Steph Curry is 10 times more valuable for FIBA.

[Run_Forest]

OK my bad on calling him a superstar but statistically hs is like a little Lebron or something.That's why i think he is so underrated...


From all the names in the pool i can find stranger choices mostly when it comes to the frontcourt...Kevin Love,Tyson Chandler,Robin Lopez(until recently)...


Plus in my head Iguodala>>>Gay...So he could be the backup SF behind Durant

[daschysta]

Granger is the backup small forward, not only is he a better player than iggy period, his skillset is much more attuned to the international playstyle.

[peja_the_legend]

So after tonights scrimmage,the players won't practise until 9 of August?That doesn't seem like the best way to build a new team,does it?

[svnty6rs3]

is the scrimmage at 1030 eastern on nbatv tonight?

[Chuck Diesel]

Assuming Chris Sheridan’s roster projection shakes out (and I have no reason to believe it won’t), I really don’t understand the makeup of this roster. It looks like we’re heading to Turkey with six guards under 6-3 and only three guys used to playing in the front court. One of the main defenses seems to be “well, FIBA is different”. Well I probably watch more FIBA ball than most Americans, and I can assure you that we will still be facing there are still gigantic and skilled opposing big men who know how to use their size to exploit smaller opponents. Colangelo and the coaching staff can talk all they want about playing a “different style” of offense by taking advantage of all the speed and quickness on the roster. Sure we can pick up the tempo, but we’re also going to have to keep the other team from scoring in the paint. Are we really that confident in our zone defense?

Guys like Rudy Gay and Danny Granger are comfortable scoring and knocking down shots. It makes no sense to me to take them out of the comfort zones by asking them to go down low and bang with the likes of Marc Gasol and Ioannis Bourousis. Why not bring some players to camp who’s job it is to play defense in the post, rebound and block shots? I keep hearing “Lebron and Carmelo played the four for us in the past”. Well, as good as Granger and Rudy Gay are, they are no Lebron and Carmelo. Those two guys could probably be full time power forwards in the NBA if their coaches wanted them to, Gay and Granger could not. Plus, those teams also had the defensive presence of Dwight Howard to rely on and some overpowering perimeter firepower that won’t be around in Turkey.

I envision this team playing the passing lanes to perfection and running everybody out of the gym until the elimination games roll around. That’s when things slow down and start to get more physical. Offensively anyone can play anywhere and positions might not matter, but you can’t tell me that on defensive size and strength don’t matter.
I know Amare and Lee going down were is out of everybody’s control, but I am it too late to still make a few calls? I’m going to keep highlighting the absence of Josh Smith. Still really think a guy like Jason Maxiell, Nick Collision and David West would provide a huge lift. If not, here’s hoping Lamar Odom, Kevin Love and Tyson Chandler can put my front-court worries to rest.

[Chosen01]

I just realized, how come Beasley didn't get invited? or did he turn down the invitation or something?

His style of play is good for international play.

[96 Til Infiniti]

Forgot that the intra-squad scrimmage is tonight.

10 ET/7 PT on ESPN2 and ESPN3.

[Theo Papaloukas]

I don't see how anyone is comfortable with Odom at center. People are saying these teams are undersized but that's pretty far from the truth. Every decent team has NBA size.

Serbian guards are 6'5"-6'8". Both of their 3's are 6'10".
Brazil has 3 very good NBA big men 6'10"
Sofo is huge (not tall), Bourousis is 6'11", Fotsis is 6'10" and he plays the 4
Marc and Fran Vazquez are close to 7 feet, Reyes is built like a tank
Turkey's got multiple guys 6'10" and up and that includes their wing players like Turkoglu and Ilysasova (more of a 4)

Tons more...

[Chuck Diesel]

That's what I'm saying. I know we have to play our game to the best of our ability and all that, but lets not pretend some of these huge guys like Sofo and Savas don't exist. I wonder what Tony Ronzone thinks about all this.

[Calvin Klein]

This guy announcing the USA scrimmage just said Udrich quit his team because he was not starting??

The Dragon starting I guess??

[crazybranman360]

Here's My Roster

G: Derrick Rose (**Star**)
G: Chauncey Billups
F: Kevin Durant (**Star**)
F: Rudy Gay
C: Brook Lopez

Main Bench Guys
6th: Lamar Odom
7th: Rajon Rondo
8th: Kevin Love

Solid Role Players
9th: Stephen Curry- Shooter
10th: Russell Westbrook- Defensive Guard
11th: Danny Granger: Shooter/Defender
12th: Andre Iguadola- Defender