FIBA WORLD CUP 2019 | SPAIN are new WORLD CHAMPIONS

[schnakenpopanz]

Feel really sad about the ending. Turkey deserved the win, because they played to their limits.
They will never have a chance again to beat an US team like that.
Even if it is the US Team (C)

[LuDux1]

Actually Illyasova usually suck at FIBA's competitions .

It really depends. Turkey is a very feast or famine team. They can compete with the best but they can also flame out in a spectacular fashion. They finished 2nd in the 2010 WC, only to finish 11th in the 2011 EuroBasket and then 17th in the 2013 EuroBasket. In that 2013 EuroBasket, they finished 1-4 in their group. They lost to Italy, Greece, Finland and Russia and they only managed to beat Sweden. They weren't much better in the 2015 and 2017 EuroBasket tournaments either. They finished 14th in both instances. But in the 2014 WC that preceded these two tournaments? They had a pretty decent showing and finished 8th. Basically, Turkey has sucked in EuroBasket competitions for about a decade but they do quite well in World Cups. It's really weird.

Maybe it's because competition in Eurobasket is stronger

2010 WC was in Turkey

[UcanUwill]

Lmao why people keep spamming this picture of Bruno fouling Giannis? Because exactly what happen in that moment

Just a cool picture. The level of inhuman length and athleticism.

[UcanUwill]

It really depends. Turkey is a very feast or famine team. They can compete with the best but they can also flame out in a spectacular fashion. They finished 2nd in the 2010 WC, only to finish 11th in the 2011 EuroBasket and then 17th in the 2013 EuroBasket. In that 2013 EuroBasket, they finished 1-4 in their group. They lost to Italy, Greece, Finland and Russia and they only managed to beat Sweden. They weren't much better in the 2015 and 2017 EuroBasket tournaments either. They finished 14th in both instances. But in the 2014 WC that preceded these two tournaments? They had a pretty decent showing and finished 8th. Basically, Turkey has sucked in EuroBasket competitions for about a decade but they do quite well in World Cups. It's really weird.

Maybe it's because competition in Eurobasket is stronger

2010 WC was in Turkey

2010 semifinals against Serbia is the worst reffed game I have ever seen. i dont usually complain about refs nor notice reffing that much, but that semi final game was corrupt. Asik faking eye injury so he wouldnt shoot crucial FTs also, screw that game. Cant believe its been already 9 years, I remember that game so well like barely any time passed.

[Sgt Major]

Also some Turkish guy literally ran out of bounds, but the refs stayed quiet. Worst reffed Yugoslavia/Serbia game I've ever seen and I've been watching basketball since 1995.

[Mauro Pedrosa]

This team needs Kenneth Faried

[Sgt Major]

How physical was this game?

Donovan Mitchell: “I got a text from Ricky Rubio. He said ‘Welcome to FIBA.’”

[MrDollarBills]

'Our superstars are not playing' excuses just started. I thought every NBA player was supposed to be at least 5x better than those FIBA scrubs and will be dominating with easy.

Giannis - 13p/4r in 28 mins
Team USA almost lost to an average team

Are there still questions about NBA stats being inflated, FIBA tournaments are tougher ?

I don't think anyone said this. Most people who know anything about international basketball are saying that Serbia has a serious chance of winning this and beating the US. You can't look at these rosters and call these guys scrubs.

FIBA is a different style of basketball but if you bring in Lebron, Durant, Harden, Curry, and Davis into the mix it does not matter, the USA will dominate the field.

[UcanUwill]

Also some Turkish guy literally ran out of bounds, but the refs stayed quiet. Worst reffed Yugoslavia/Serbia game I've ever seen and I've been watching basketball since 1995.

yeah, it was Tunceri. They also fould Serbian on that last inbound shot but they didnt call it. I still feel that game might been fixed, thats how bad those refs were, if you curious, I would recommend checking it out and tell us if we are just blowing out of proportion.

[LuDux1]

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[Dacost]

The thing is that this not even our B team in my opinion this our C team.

Boston guys all suck in my opinion and guys like Plumple Barnes white Lopez Harris ect....should not be on the team.

Guys like Mike Conley ect..should in there instead of this guys.

[stitches]

I think the problem with USA is on defense. They have a bunch of guys who don't take guarding seriously. Kemba, Middleton, Harris, Barnes -- these guys give up open looks.

I would say the bigger problem is a general lack of BBIQ and not understanding how to play a role. I think most guys played pretty hard on defense. It was a defensive game. There's just not a lot of ball movers, and the players need to realize that how they play with their teams is not how they can help this team win the most.

Personnel wise, the lack of good rim running C is what sticks out to me the most. Five out has provided negative spacing by congesting the free throw line area and putting no pressure on the rim.

Yep. this is the thing that stuck in my eye the very first time I watched some of Team USA's scrimmages and exhibition games - their spacing is jacked and it's not because of lack of perimeter shooting... it's because of lack of rim rolling vertical spacing. Imagine how much better this team would look with someone like Derrick Favors or, hell, even Montrezl Harrell. What's the point of that pick and popping but not even popping to the 3p line but rather jacking long 2s?

They put no pressure on the rim at all and defenders can more easily stay home with the shooters... or even worse - they play zones that for some reason Team USA has no idea how to break.

[mixerball]

am i the only one that had the problem with tatum spreading his legs

[sunsbg]

'Our superstars are not playing' excuses just started. I thought every NBA player was supposed to be at least 5x better than those FIBA scrubs and will be dominating with easy.

Giannis - 13p/4r in 28 mins
Team USA almost lost to an average team

Are there still questions about NBA stats being inflated, FIBA tournaments are tougher ?

I don't think anyone said this. Most people who know anything about international basketball are saying that Serbia has a serious chance of winning this and beating the US. You can't look at these rosters and call these guys scrubs.

FIBA is a different style of basketball but if you bring in Lebron, Durant, Harden, Curry, and Davis into the mix it does not matter, the USA will dominate the field.

That's true.

There are definitely many good posters here, but I have also seen enough ignorant posts of type 'this guy is a scrub, send him to Euroleague'. My point is most FIBA players are not successful in NBA, but similarly as you see only the superstars dominate in FIBA play, while the lower tier stars are not anything special.

[SlowPaced]

Are there still questions about NBA stats being inflated, FIBA tournaments are tougher ?

FIBA tournaments are not tougher than the NBA Playoffs, let's not get cute here. Many guys who excel in FIBA would get slapped silly if they were to be put on the floor in an NBA Playoff game.

There are multiple factors that contribute to the stylistic difference, as well as the numbers. Narrower court, lack of defensive three seconds, shorter 3PT distance, 40 minute games instead of 48, slower pace due to inferior athleticism, and so on.

[BoogieTime]

USA has a serious too many cooks in the kitchen problem. Turner, Tatum, and Barnes need to accept that their job isn't to try and score every single time they touch the ball. The issue against the zone is because every player is taking a few seconds to size up the defense looking for their own play instead of moving the ball. You can't beat a zone without moving the ball quickly.

Kemba and Mitchell especially need to make more shots...but they had less cringy ball hog moments than the others in my opinion.

What game were you watching? Mitchell turned it over twice near end of regulation and OT that in any other game would have cost the game. Turkey couldn't capitalize each time, esp missing 4 FTs near end of OT.

I'm watching the game and considering the shots each player takes. Mitchell shot the ball horribly, but he missed on mostly good shots and shots that had to be taken at the end of the clock. I don't have a problem with the shots he took and didn't think he was a ball stopper. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, because I definitely know what game I was watching.

He also had that terrible goaltend and turnover in OT. He also made the game saving rebound and great read to give Tatum the chance to win the game. There's no getting around those terrible moments, but I'm speaking to how USA should play going forward. The thing that kept the game close was 1) Poor shooting, which can only be fixed by making those same shots, and 2) black hole hero ball. Mitchell and Kemba were guilty for #1, would not say the same for #2.

Why do I know someone has to have something to say about Barnes? He knows his role hence his FGAs, and his defense was solid. If he’s “taking on the defense” that’s the play call, as he’s a good ISO player vrs the others. Mitchell was a bigger issue

[KqWIN]

What game were you watching? Mitchell turned it over twice near end of regulation and OT that in any other game would have cost the game. Turkey couldn't capitalize each time, esp missing 4 FTs near end of OT.

I'm watching the game and considering the shots each player takes. Mitchell shot the ball horribly, but he missed on mostly good shots and shots that had to be taken at the end of the clock. I don't have a problem with the shots he took and didn't think he was a ball stopper. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, because I definitely know what game I was watching.

He also had that terrible goaltend and turnover in OT. He also made the game saving rebound and great read to give Tatum the chance to win the game. There's no getting around those terrible moments, but I'm speaking to how USA should play going forward. The thing that kept the game close was 1) Poor shooting, which can only be fixed by making those same shots, and 2) black hole hero ball. Mitchell and Kemba were guilty for #1, would not say the same for #2.

Why do I know someone has to have something to say about Barnes? He knows his role hence his FGAs, and his defense was solid. If he’s “taking on the defense” that’s the play call, as he’s a good ISO player vrs the others. Mitchell was a bigger issue

Have to disagree there. Barnes was absolutely forcing ill-advised shots and attempts to score. He also had 5 TOV's from recklessly attacking the defense without a plan. That's not a play call, that's a bad decision being made.

Mitchell was very bad. But his biggest issue was making catch and shoot shots, not forcing the issue.

[KqWIN]

I think the problem with USA is on defense. They have a bunch of guys who don't take guarding seriously. Kemba, Middleton, Harris, Barnes -- these guys give up open looks.

I would say the bigger problem is a general lack of BBIQ and not understanding how to play a role. I think most guys played pretty hard on defense. It was a defensive game. There's just not a lot of ball movers, and the players need to realize that how they play with their teams is not how they can help this team win the most.

Personnel wise, the lack of good rim running C is what sticks out to me the most. Five out has provided negative spacing by congesting the free throw line area and putting no pressure on the rim.

Yep. this is the thing that stuck in my eye the very first time I watched some of Team USA's scrimmages and exhibition games - their spacing is jacked and it's not because of lack of perimeter shooting... it's because of lack of rim rolling vertical spacing. Imagine how much better this team would look with someone like Derrick Favors or, hell, even Montrezl Harrell. What's the point of that pick and popping but not even popping to the 3p line but rather jacking long 2s?

They put no pressure on the rim at all and defenders can more easily stay home with the shooters... or even worse - they play zones that for some reason Team USA has no idea how to break.

I noticed this about Turner when watching the Pacers closely for Bogdanovic. For a "stretch 5", he consistently jacks up the spacing. He doesn't set good screens, and his pops to the midrange just congest the area where the ball handler is operating.

It's crazy that the only rim running big they brought is Plumlee, who is trash. If Favors, Harrell, Collins etc were on this team, they might be the leading player. Athletic bigs have always been a huge advantage for America in international competitions. Just look at what Faried was able to do the last time he played.

[limbo]

I said yesterday the US roster is flawed as hell. Overrated in terms of talent, depth and fit. Turkey should've won today, they threw the game on free throws.

Tatum getting injured might be a blessing in disguise for them because Middleton is the better and smarter player on both ends. Who am i kidding, Joe Harris is more impactful than Tatum on this team. But it still sucks because this means an even greater lack of options on the roster who can play that 4,5 spots.

Honestly, the US would probably be getting better results if they just gave the ball to Kemba and let him do what he did for Charlotte, while others just chip in. Instead, they are trying to play this equal opportunity, ball-movement type basketball but simply don't have the personnel who can execute that at a high enough level. Too many guys who are accustomed of dribbling the ball and playing themselves into rhythm offensively if they want to be useful, but there's basically no other choice but to rely on these guys, because players like Smart, White, Joe Harris, Lopez, Turner, Plumlee can't carry huge loads offensively. It has to be Kemba, Mitchell, Tatum, Brown, Barnes and Middleton who take the shots. How many of these guys are even above average in scoring efficiency in the NBA?

Hopefully Pop can find the right lineups that fit and he keeps a tight rotation going forward, so that the main guys can get more comfortable in knowing how the offense will flow. Also, i'd like to see Middleton play more minutes, possibly Smart too, especially when Tatum and Mitchell are absolutely abysmal like they were today.

[G R E Y]

I keep forgetting that the basketball is live around the rim in international play. Head's up play:

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