***Official Tokyo Olympic Basketball Thread***

[Dual]

Sometimes I really freak out with some posters overreacting.

The guy is lucky for been in the NBA and is making 7 m/y so maybe his heart has to be more difficult to break.

I have checked some of the spanish forums and most people who are flaming the Wolves are facha casuals that not follow NBA talking like Juancho is the new Jordan. I have read the is our KD stopper are the americans make this because are fearful of the Spanish team.

Post reported. This is a basketball forum. If you hate Spanish people is your problem. I could argue with you but is pointless.
I've been following/watching NBA since Magic/Bird times btw

I am Spanish

I know, you used facha word, and you said you read a Spanish forum, I don't need to be Einstein to know that .

[Battletrigger]

You never know man as you showed such skin deep sensibility.

[Medall21]

Bad move by Wolves, again. Usually spanish national team performs very good in this type of tournaments and if Juancho were an important piece maybe that could increase his market value.

[Calinks]

I have to believe there were valid medical reasons for pulling him. Rosas' statement doesn't give a ton of detail but he must have felt like this had to be done.

[Klomp]

Important to remember we are only 3 months away from the start of the NBA season. While he's not necessarily a major contributor to his national team, playing at less than 100% in Tokyo would increase the chances of re-injury.

[Mattya]

Maybe they can negotiate to allow him to play as long as he is willing to void his contract in case his injury requires surgery after he plays for Spain.

[Klomp]

The Timberwolves, sources said, could not issue their official stance blocking Hernangomez from playing until going through the proper channels with FIBA and the NBA. Hernangomez spent Friday night scrambling to try to find a way to get clearance to play in his first Olympics before a deadline came for Spain to submit its active roster. Sources said he even looked for ways to go around Rosas for a different outcome but was unsuccessful.

Spain could have challenged the decision by going through a process with FIBA, sources said, but they did not and elected to replace Hernangomez with Xabi Lopez-Arostegui.

https://theathletic.com/2726973/2021/07/24/sources-juancho-hernangomez-angered-after-wolves-block-him-from-olympics/

[Klomp]

The Timberwolves, sources said, could not issue their official stance blocking Hernangomez from playing until going through the proper channels with FIBA and the NBA. Hernangomez spent Friday night scrambling to try to find a way to get clearance to play in his first Olympics before a deadline came for Spain to submit its active roster. Sources said he even looked for ways to go around Rosas for a different outcome but was unsuccessful.

Spain could have challenged the decision by going through a process with FIBA, sources said, but they did not and elected to replace Hernangomez with Xabi Lopez-Arostegui.

https://theathletic.com/2726973/2021/07/24/sources-juancho-hernangomez-angered-after-wolves-block-him-from-olympics/

The NBA’s agreement with FIBA also requires NBA teams to allow their players to play for their national teams in major FIBA competitions, including the European Championships, the World Championships and the Olympics, as long as the competition does not conflict with an NBA game and the player is adequately insured. NBA teams can’t take any steps to dissuade their players from participating in such competitions, such as asking their players not to participate or making public statements suggesting they do not want their players to play in these competitions.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q76

I would wager that the bolded is a part of this issue.

[Movics]

Is there a weaker competition in the games than the 3x3 basketball? It looks like a pickup game in the Y with your coworkers. The goat of the sport could barely sniff the second tier 5 on 5 Serbian league.

[Calinks]

Germany got worked by Italy to close out that game. Wow. I'm still mad Canada couldn't qualify.

[Calinks]

Aus vs Nigeria is actually surprisingly a huge matchup on paper. Nigeria has looked really good coming into these games and Australia is always a powerhouse. Big game

[Klomp]

Everyone says international teams have cohesion because they've played together for years. Does Team USA need to create future rosters D2: The Mighty Ducks-style, and take half of its roster from one NBA team and then complement them with other top players around the country?

[Worm Guts]

There’s two obvious issues. They have had less time to prepare than usual because of the late NBA season. The talent level is lacking, more of the elite talent declined than is previous Olympics.

[Klomp]

There’s two obvious issues. They have had less time to prepare than usual because of the late NBA season. The talent level is lacking, more of the elite talent declined than is previous Olympics.

I do agree that it's a bit of a fluky situation with a lot due to the schedule, but still I think cohesion is becoming more important as the talent level around the world improves. Obviously my post was in jest, but there's something to it.

I also never really thought Popovich was the right coach for the job.

Hope the next Olympics has a young core to build around going forward. The Redeem Team had a core that was largely 26 and younger. The guys missing this year are over that. The core right now is older than that. Young blood will be very important for the future.

[shrink]

I always wonder if any NBA team could challenge these NBA teams, but you have problems picking the team. First, several have foreign players in key roles, and even if they don’t the better NBA teams will be tired from the playoffs.

I seem to remember that Pops used sometimes would sub in three guys from the same team, because of their chemistry. Maybe that’s the best we can do.

.. and get American players to share the national pride that I see in the non-American players at the Olympics.

[Dewey]

Clearly there are many excuses, and sadly, very little national pride. A heartless bunch that I hope finds a way to dig for some spirit.

[Klomp]

I think one of the biggest issues is that it's basically a different game. And while the very top talent from other countries play in the NBA, a big majority play with FIBA rules 100% of the time. International bigs grew up knowing you can grab the ball from the rim, etc. Honestly, I think part of why FIBA Rubio is different is because of the 3-point line.

Talent can overcome that, but I don't think the USA talent is at an overwhelming level to where it's been in the past. And I'm not sure it's well-constructed roster either. Just a lot of poor management of the current group that got us where we are.

[Klomp]

Lineup construction also matters. Pop is doing himself no favors by playing Durant at SF. Was it just a matchup thing against the bigger France to play Green and Adebayo together? Durant and LaVine as starting wings plus Lillard at PG, there's no defense there. I would start Holiday and maybe even Middleton. Slide Durant to PF. I would also personally start Booker over LaVine. Maybe it's a rest thing coming off the Finals, but then they should've had a backup plan in place because they knew that was a likely scenario looking at the schedule.

Down 2 with 40 seconds left, USA took three 3-pointers in 15 seconds. Why aren't we attacking the rim?

[Neeva]

Is Kat not allowed to play for team USA?

[moonpie]

Is Kat not allowed to play for team USA?

Don't think so as he suited up for the Dominican team when he was like 16 or 17