FIBA WORLD CUP 2019 | SPAIN are new WORLD CHAMPIONS

[stoo]

Spoiler:

My thinking: Argentina and Spain are two best national teams at the moment. And they will stay that for the next 4 years, with one of them being the best after today finals. FIBA World Cup is the only official world national team's competition, and countries are sending their official team to be represented there. Fact that WC is held every 4 years and is played in one elimination game after 8F, is just that, the fact. And that fact applies to everybody participating.
So when NBA team wins a championship, as has Toronto last season, we say Toronto was the best team that year. And we pretty much don't question that. Next year that will probably be some other team. If PO in NBA were played in 9 games series, or winner is decided after regular season standings, Toronto might have lost last season, but it is not 9 games and there is a PO, and we don't question if Toronto was the best team. The reason why we don't question that is that they actually won by the only rules to win presented.
So logic says that that should apply to other competitions as well.
Toronto was the best team because they won in the finals. Not because they had Kawhi or anybody else, but because they actually won. Imagine Kawhi was hurt and he couldn't have played. Toronto loses. Toronto is not the best team that season And we don't come and say: Well, Kawhi was hurt, we would have won if he played. We are the best team.
Your team is who plays.
Now USA:
So when we are speaking strictly national teams, not national talent, USA as of now and for the next 4 years, is 7th best NT in the world. Everybody had their fair chances. Saying we don't care about FIBA doesn't change the fact that that is official world basketball competition, where u've sent your official team, who finished 7th. That is the team your country managed to assemble. Team is it's players, not any citizen of that country. Saying we have AD who didn't play, is very similar to Phoenix hypothetically saying: We didn't have AD, we would have won more. They didn't have him, for reasons, same as USA didn't have him, for some other reasons. Reasons for not playing don't matter. If u played, u r part of the team, if u didn't played, u r part of that team just as much as me.
Which leads to actual USA NT which was 7th. Sorry guys. Hope u get better team next time. I also hope Memphis is going to have better team in the future, but it will depend on who wants to play there

Isn't there an official points system that determines national team rankings, though? Team USA was first with most points, Spain second, etc. Argentina should move up. I don't know how the points system is weighted or counted.

That is a good argument and I forgot about it. It sure represents national teams strengths more realistically. USA, then Spain, France, Serbia, Argentina, Lithuania etc.but order might change after this Cup

[ensiferum]

YEeeeeeees!! Champioooooons!!!

[Slipkorn84]

Yay another world cup!!

[Johnny Firpo]

Will Ricky win MVP? Scola probably lost it with today's dud performance. Bogdan was probably the best player in the WC, but will they select someone for MVP from the 5th place team? Probably not.

[TheNG]

I'm happy for all the Spanish players except for Rudy Fernandez which I hate

[Martensitic]

Yessssss!!!



To win another World Championship without Pau and Navarro...

[G R E Y]

Great atmosphere. Congrats to Spain who played a smart game plan and whose experience showed.

Argentina looked like they hit that one wall a team hits now and again. Credit to their opponents for taking them out of their comfort zone, but they were a step behind, couldn't get the rebounds or make the shots. All heart, though, and it was a wonderful effort to get to the final and compete. I can see where the Manu juice and creativity has come from.

[valrond1]

Yeah, world champs again!!!. This generation is so great. Marc Gasol and Rudy were already in Japan 2006.

[guille_4]

Proud of my NT!

I'm going to miss this generation in years to come. Ricky, Marc, Llull, Rudy, you legends.

[Bum Adebayo]

Good to see Rubio proving haters wrong.

[guille_4]

Why isn't ESPN2 showing the celebration? WTF?

[jinxed]

VIVA ESPANA!!!

[ensiferum]

I thought we would never win again a WC without Pau and Navarro.

[minami]

I'm happy for all the Spanish players except for Rudy Fernandez which I hate

Rudy is a little bastard but he is our bastard.

World Champions again!

[TheNG]

From a winning perspective, I would say the best player in the world is currently Marc Gasol.

[UcanUwill]

Golden roster

FIBA world rank #2

PGs

Ricky Rubio -- (Suns NBA)
Sergio Llull -- (Real Madrid )
Quino Colom -- (Valencia )

SGs

Pau Ribas -- (Barcelona )
Xavi Rabaseda -- (Gran Canaria )

SFs

Rudy Fernández -- (Real Madrid )
Javier Beirán -- (Gran Canaria )

PFs

Juan Hernangómez -- (Nuggets NBA)
Víctor Claver -- (Barcelona )
Pierre Oriola -- (Barcelona )

Cs

Marc Gasol -- (Raptors NBA)
Willy Hernangómez -- (hornets NBA)

[jinxed]

Will Ricky win MVP? Scola probably lost it with today's dud performance. Bogdan was probably the best player in the WC, but will they select someone for MVP from the 5th place team? Probably not.

Agreed, Bogdan was the best..at least offensively.

I guess it will go to either Ricky or Marc.

[TheDiesel36]

One hell of a season for Marc Gasol!

[jinxed]

Kobe ruins Ricky's early career ..

Now gives him an MVP award.

[TheUroborosWorm]

Will Ricky win MVP? Scola probably lost it with today's dud performance. Bogdan was probably the best player in the WC, but will they select someone for MVP from the 5th place team? Probably not.

Agreed, Bogdan was the best..at least offensively.

I guess it will go to either Ricky or Marc.

MVP: Ricky (Well deserved, the most consistent player on the tourney on both sides of the court)

1st TEAM: Ricky, Mills, Bogdanovic, Scola, Marc (although only for the last 2 games where he was inmense)