2024 Olympic BASKETBALL Thread (pt.5: Men's Semifinals Thursday August 8)

[Rainwater]

KD is the best player on the team and in the Olympics.

No egos should be on this roster and Lebron shouldn't feel entitled to start every game. Neither should Steph.

Its been Lebron, its not close. This is so strange.

No.
The best player in the Olympics is Jokic.
The best player for USA is KD.

I personally think Giannis has been the best player in the Olympics as a whole. Dude was a monster.

And unless you think basketball is only about scoring, I don’t know how you think Durant has been the best player. Although, I must say, each guy on the US has their role and it seems like Durant’s role is too score while Lebron job is to be the PG and run the show.

[UcanUwill]

Putting NBA and Euroleague players on the same floor and making comparisons has been very eye-opening
Dudes like Micic, Calathes, Papagiannis, Voigtmann etc all made a name for themselves in the Euroleague but they looked like old men compared to NBA athletes. And those could move well like Petrusev couldn't really do anything else.

Euroleague needs to boost their budget and bring better players urgently. But to find the money they need more tickets, to get more tickets they need better players, and to get better players they need more money. It's a vicious circle.

NBA wins. **** rules, **** refs, but the talent level is just monumental.

It's just hard to compare given that the NBA effectively strip mines Europe and the rest of the world for talent. Taking leagues out of it, and looking at pure ability, the fact that the NBA has gone from virtually zero foreign participation to now approaching a full third (I think that's what Silver said recently) in 30-plus years, with some of the very top players, is a massive achievement.

But as you note, there will never be any way to dent the enormous advantage the NBA has in terms of finance and prestige. NBA salaries are already insane, and they're about to get even crazier with the new TV deals. (We're going to see perfectly average role players making $10-20 million per year.) And that's ultimately what league wealth in any sport comes down to.

I remember a few of the usual suspects crowing about some Greek shipping magnates who were about to start poaching players when Josh Childress headed over. But that was always a pipe dream. Nothing's ever, ever going to beat TV money. And that's before you get into pure competition, where 9 out of 10 players are always going to want to test themselves against the best.

Euroleague has no shot competing with NBA on talent department. As you said, NBA money is insane, now Alex Len makes more cash than Tavares, why? He just does, thats basically minimum contract in the NBA. Euroleague is not even profitable that much, we have teams who qualify for Euroleague, but decline participation, because they would lose money if they did... If you only follow Euro Football, that sounds insane. Its not Football, where making just Champions league qualifying brings cash with no end, have you ever heard of a team that made CL but decline, because participation is too expensive? No, you havent. Non NBA Basketball just does not generate profit like that.

It is what it is, despite lack of talent, I still prefer Euroleague product by far, the fact they are barely a business is what makes it still good, we do not to make timeouts 4 minutes long so we would cramp the commercials, the product is amazing, you tune in and just watch basketball, where watching NBA, like 66% if the time, game is not even being played... I don't care how many good players NBA has, product is unwatchable to me.

But thats me, I grew up with minor basketball tournaments, so the lack of talent never bothered me, but thats just my preference. I rather watch bad players play, instead of constant stoppage and garbage like that. In the last 20 years, Euroleague did got far more talented overall, but what is best, the product itself was not tainted like NBA product did. I rather they keep it and not be profitable, than turn in NBA. I can watch almost any Basketball now over NBA, I am not even joking.

20 years ago, 5 best Euroleague players were better than 5 best Euroleague players right now, because we still had guys like Bodiroga, Šiškauskas, Scola, just not in the NBA. Now, almost everyone who really SHOULD be in the NBA, is in a league. But average Euroleague player is much better now. 20 years ago, Frank Kaminski would have been still great, now he barely keeps up even in Euroleague, game is faster and more skilled.

[Sedale Threatt]

Putting NBA and Euroleague players on the same floor and making comparisons has been very eye-opening
Dudes like Micic, Calathes, Papagiannis, Voigtmann etc all made a name for themselves in the Euroleague but they looked like old men compared to NBA athletes. And those could move well like Petrusev couldn't really do anything else.

Euroleague needs to boost their budget and bring better players urgently. But to find the money they need more tickets, to get more tickets they need better players, and to get better players they need more money. It's a vicious circle.

NBA wins. **** rules, **** refs, but the talent level is just monumental.

It's just hard to compare given that the NBA effectively strip mines Europe and the rest of the world for talent. Taking leagues out of it, and looking at pure ability, the fact that the NBA has gone from virtually zero foreign participation to now approaching a full third (I think that's what Silver said recently) in 30-plus years, with some of the very top players, is a massive achievement.

But as you note, there will never be any way to dent the enormous advantage the NBA has in terms of finance and prestige. NBA salaries are already insane, and they're about to get even crazier with the new TV deals. (We're going to see perfectly average role players making $10-20 million per year.) And that's ultimately what league wealth in any sport comes down to.

I remember a few of the usual suspects crowing about some Greek shipping magnates who were about to start poaching players when Josh Childress headed over. But that was always a pipe dream. Nothing's ever, ever going to beat TV money. And that's before you get into pure competition, where 9 out of 10 players are always going to want to test themselves against the best.

Euroleague has no shot competing with NBA on talent department. As you said, NBA money is insane, now Alex Len makes more cash than Tavares, why? He just does, thats basically minimum contract in the NBA. Euroleague is not even profitable that much, we have teams who qualify for Euroleague, but decline participation, because they would lose money if they did... If you only follow Euro Football, that sounds insane. Its not Football, where making just Champions league qualifying brings cash with no end, have you ever heard of a team that made CL but decline, because participation is too expensive? No, you havent. Non NBA Basketball just does not generate profit like that.

It is what it is, despite lack of talent, I still prefer Euroleague product by far, the fact they are barely a business is what makes it still good, we do not to make timeouts 4 minutes long so we would cramp the commercials, the product is amazing, you tune in and just watch basketball, where watching NBA, like 66% if the time, game is not even being played... I don't care how many good players NBA has, product is unwatchable to me.

But thats me, I grew up with minor basketball tournaments, so the lack of talent never bothered me, but thats just my preference. I rather watch bad players play, instead of constant stoppage and garbage like that. In the last 20 years, Euroleague did got far more talented overall, but what is best, the product itself was not tainted like NBA product did. I rather they keep it and not be profitable, than turn in NBA. I can watch almost any Basketball now over NBA, I am not even joking.

20 years ago, 5 best Euroleague players were better than 5 best Euroleague players right now, because we still had guys like Bodiroga, Šiškauskas, Scola, just not in the NBA. Now, almost everyone who really SHOULD be in the NBA, is in a league. But average Euroleague player is much better now. 20 years ago, Frank Kaminski would have been still great, now he barely keeps up even in Euroleague, game is faster and more skilled.

Everybody has their preferences. I definitely don't like the over-commercialization of American sports, but that's Western capitalism for you. The NBA does what it does because it brings in an enormous amount of money, similar to how the English Premier League and the various football powerhouses around Europe have blown up since the 90s. (Who pioneered, among other things, ads on uniforms.) And no business on earth is going to eschew that opportunity. If the Euroleague could increase their revenue with longer timeouts, they'd do it in a heartbeat. But the interest obviously isn't there so it's a moot point.

As for talent, again to each their own. But I stopped watching college basketball about 20 years ago because I lost interest in watching vastly inferior players in a game dominated by coaches. I'd much rather see the best of the best of the best doing incredible sht. Between college and high school, there are tons of opportunities to watch lower-level sports in the U.S. if that's your bag. But given the way the European soccer pyramids developed over the past century-plus, it just feels like grassroots sports are a bigger part of the culture. (Major college sports are massive in the U.S., but given the money that's filtered in there as well it's hard to put it on the level of, say, a second-division European football team that draws 5,000 per match.)

That's not to say I won't watch a B- or C-level product. The MLS team here in Atlanta had a really good run for about three or four years that was highly entertaining and the tickets were super cheap, so I definitely enjoyed that. But then you'd turn on a Premier League match the following morning and the difference in talent was glaring within the first few minutes.

[hippesthippo]

Sure, but where is Lebron, the best player on the team and in the olympics?

KD is the best player on the team and in the Olympics.

No egos should be on this roster and Lebron shouldn't feel entitled to start every game. Neither should Steph.

Have you been watching? He's easily been their best playmaker and has been basically peak Draymond for USA.

Steph has yet to even find any real rhythm in the official games for goodness sake.

Lebron isn't just their best PG, he's the only guy on the team even playing like a PG. It's ridiculous to think Kerr needs to make massive changes to the starting line-up after winning by 30+.

[UcanUwill]

It's just hard to compare given that the NBA effectively strip mines Europe and the rest of the world for talent. Taking leagues out of it, and looking at pure ability, the fact that the NBA has gone from virtually zero foreign participation to now approaching a full third (I think that's what Silver said recently) in 30-plus years, with some of the very top players, is a massive achievement.

But as you note, there will never be any way to dent the enormous advantage the NBA has in terms of finance and prestige. NBA salaries are already insane, and they're about to get even crazier with the new TV deals. (We're going to see perfectly average role players making $10-20 million per year.) And that's ultimately what league wealth in any sport comes down to.

I remember a few of the usual suspects crowing about some Greek shipping magnates who were about to start poaching players when Josh Childress headed over. But that was always a pipe dream. Nothing's ever, ever going to beat TV money. And that's before you get into pure competition, where 9 out of 10 players are always going to want to test themselves against the best.

Euroleague has no shot competing with NBA on talent department. As you said, NBA money is insane, now Alex Len makes more cash than Tavares, why? He just does, thats basically minimum contract in the NBA. Euroleague is not even profitable that much, we have teams who qualify for Euroleague, but decline participation, because they would lose money if they did... If you only follow Euro Football, that sounds insane. Its not Football, where making just Champions league qualifying brings cash with no end, have you ever heard of a team that made CL but decline, because participation is too expensive? No, you havent. Non NBA Basketball just does not generate profit like that.

It is what it is, despite lack of talent, I still prefer Euroleague product by far, the fact they are barely a business is what makes it still good, we do not to make timeouts 4 minutes long so we would cramp the commercials, the product is amazing, you tune in and just watch basketball, where watching NBA, like 66% if the time, game is not even being played... I don't care how many good players NBA has, product is unwatchable to me.

But thats me, I grew up with minor basketball tournaments, so the lack of talent never bothered me, but thats just my preference. I rather watch bad players play, instead of constant stoppage and garbage like that. In the last 20 years, Euroleague did got far more talented overall, but what is best, the product itself was not tainted like NBA product did. I rather they keep it and not be profitable, than turn in NBA. I can watch almost any Basketball now over NBA, I am not even joking.

20 years ago, 5 best Euroleague players were better than 5 best Euroleague players right now, because we still had guys like Bodiroga, Šiškauskas, Scola, just not in the NBA. Now, almost everyone who really SHOULD be in the NBA, is in a league. But average Euroleague player is much better now. 20 years ago, Frank Kaminski would have been still great, now he barely keeps up even in Euroleague, game is faster and more skilled.

Everybody has their preferences. I definitely don't like the over-commercialization of American sports, but that's Western capitalism for you. The NBA does what it does because it brings in an enormous amount of money, similar to how the English Premier League and the various football powerhouses around Europe have blown up since the 90s. (Who pioneered, among other things, ads on uniforms.) And no business on earth is going to eschew that opportunity. If the Euroleague could increase their revenue with longer timeouts, they'd do it in a heartbeat. But the interest obviously isn't there so it's a moot point.

As for talent, again to each their own. But I stopped watching college basketball about 20 years ago because I lost interest in watching vastly inferior players in a game dominated by coaches. I'd much rather see the best of the best of the best doing incredible sht. Between college and high school, there are tons of opportunities to watch lower-level sports in the U.S. if that's your bag. But given the way the European soccer pyramids developed over the past century-plus, it just feels like grassroots sports are a bigger part of the culture. (Major college sports are massive in the U.S., but given the money that's filtered in there as well it's hard to put it on the level of, say, a second-division European football team that draws 5,000 per match.)

That's not to say I won't watch a B- or C-level product. The MLS team here in Atlanta had a really good run for about three or four years that was highly entertaining and the tickets were super cheap, so I definitely enjoyed that. But then you'd turn on a Premier League match the following morning and the difference in talent was glaring within the first few minutes.

Yeah, as I said, our preferences differ. I would like to see the best basketball players, but I can't endure NBA stoppage time, I can only enjoy non live NBA games where I can fast forward. But I watched lower level basketball all my life and I like it. With Soccer/Football, I am used to only watched Premier league or FIFA tournaments, so when I see something like my local league or National team, I can't do it, the level of play is very bad. I can enjoy low level Basketball, but not Football. If Euroleague turns into NBA with timeouts and stuff, I would probably wouldn't watch anymore. I said this before, but I have better time watching girls U16 FIBA, then average NBA game... NBA product to me is just not fun.

[hippesthippo]

NBA players been taken out of rotation many times. Most are not as accomplished as Gobert tho, but if happens all the time. France has Victor and Euroleague first team center on same team, stuff like that can happen, hatters just lining to pile on Gobert for a minor thing. Lessort played better, that is it, the whole story....

France doesn't have the offense to justify putting Gobert in a lineup that already has Wemby. The few times France's guards have been able to get Rudy the ball rolling to the rim he's fumbled it away. He also had several attempts to initiate drives to the rim himself and fumbled it away. It's just not a good fit when the opposing team can camp their big guy underneath the basket all game long.

France has plenty of plus players on defense, but has really struggled to find players who can generate good shots. In this situation, I think it's understandable to bench Rudy.

[sunsbg]

Euroleague has no shot competing with NBA on talent department. As you said, NBA money is insane, now Alex Len makes more cash than Tavares, why? He just does, thats basically minimum contract in the NBA. Euroleague is not even profitable that much, we have teams who qualify for Euroleague, but decline participation, because they would lose money if they did... If you only follow Euro Football, that sounds insane. Its not Football, where making just Champions league qualifying brings cash with no end, have you ever heard of a team that made CL but decline, because participation is too expensive? No, you havent. Non NBA Basketball just does not generate profit like that.

It is what it is, despite lack of talent, I still prefer Euroleague product by far, the fact they are barely a business is what makes it still good, we do not to make timeouts 4 minutes long so we would cramp the commercials, the product is amazing, you tune in and just watch basketball, where watching NBA, like 66% if the time, game is not even being played... I don't care how many good players NBA has, product is unwatchable to me.

But thats me, I grew up with minor basketball tournaments, so the lack of talent never bothered me, but thats just my preference. I rather watch bad players play, instead of constant stoppage and garbage like that. In the last 20 years, Euroleague did got far more talented overall, but what is best, the product itself was not tainted like NBA product did. I rather they keep it and not be profitable, than turn in NBA. I can watch almost any Basketball now over NBA, I am not even joking.

20 years ago, 5 best Euroleague players were better than 5 best Euroleague players right now, because we still had guys like Bodiroga, Šiškauskas, Scola, just not in the NBA. Now, almost everyone who really SHOULD be in the NBA, is in a league. But average Euroleague player is much better now. 20 years ago, Frank Kaminski would have been still great, now he barely keeps up even in Euroleague, game is faster and more skilled.

Everybody has their preferences. I definitely don't like the over-commercialization of American sports, but that's Western capitalism for you. The NBA does what it does because it brings in an enormous amount of money, similar to how the English Premier League and the various football powerhouses around Europe have blown up since the 90s. (Who pioneered, among other things, ads on uniforms.) And no business on earth is going to eschew that opportunity. If the Euroleague could increase their revenue with longer timeouts, they'd do it in a heartbeat. But the interest obviously isn't there so it's a moot point.

As for talent, again to each their own. But I stopped watching college basketball about 20 years ago because I lost interest in watching vastly inferior players in a game dominated by coaches. I'd much rather see the best of the best of the best doing incredible sht. Between college and high school, there are tons of opportunities to watch lower-level sports in the U.S. if that's your bag. But given the way the European soccer pyramids developed over the past century-plus, it just feels like grassroots sports are a bigger part of the culture. (Major college sports are massive in the U.S., but given the money that's filtered in there as well it's hard to put it on the level of, say, a second-division European football team that draws 5,000 per match.)

That's not to say I won't watch a B- or C-level product. The MLS team here in Atlanta had a really good run for about three or four years that was highly entertaining and the tickets were super cheap, so I definitely enjoyed that. But then you'd turn on a Premier League match the following morning and the difference in talent was glaring within the first few minutes.

Yeah, as I said, our preferences differ. I would like to see the best basketball players, but I can't endure NBA stoppage time, I can only enjoy non live NBA games where I can fast forward. But I watched lower level basketball all my life and I like it. With Soccer/Football, I am used to only watched Premier league or FIFA tournaments, so when I see something like my local league or National team, I can't do it, the level of play is very bad. I can enjoy low level Basketball, but not Football. If Euroleague turns into NBA with timeouts and stuff, I would probably wouldn't watch anymore. I said this before, but I have better time watching girls U16 FIBA, then average NBA game... NBA product to me is just not fun.

I watched a few games from EuroBasket U18 Division B tournament that finished a few days ago and I can safely say thay were more enjoyable and organized than average Suns game from last season. With true PG I hope they are watchable next season and the offense doesn't look like one of a highschool team.

[NoStatsGuy]

Putting NBA and Euroleague players on the same floor and making comparisons has been very eye-opening
Dudes like Micic, Calathes, Papagiannis, Voigtmann etc all made a name for themselves in the Euroleague but they looked like old men compared to NBA athletes. And those could move well like Petrusev couldn't really do anything else.

Euroleague needs to boost their budget and bring better players urgently. But to find the money they need more tickets, to get more tickets they need better players, and to get better players they need more money. It's a vicious circle.

NBA wins. **** rules, **** refs, but the talent level is just monumental.

its never gonna happen.

i agree with your observation of course. the level between top euroleague guys and nba players is major. but in europe there is not much money going into basketball. european players get a good solid foundation in europe. and some of the exceptional players move over to the nba to earn the big bucks.

there is still a very big difference between the NBA and the rest of the world. sports is first and foremost still seen as competition and the NBA more and more moves towards entertainment. Soccer is so dominant over here all the big companys and rich people support soccer. people here dont buy jerseys or spend huge ticket prices for basketball, companies dont really prioritize advertising in basketball. the TV coverage is terrible, i bet the leagues dont really get much TV money. Basketball will never be a big thing over here. its soccer and only soccer, and then there is many other sports before basketball like tennis, hockey, regular athletics.

i think overall basketball climbed the rankings the last 20 years for sure. but its still not nearly as popular as many other sports.
even after winning gold at the world cup, it did not do that much for germany. germans here still dont wanna watch the basketball games for the olympics for example let alone regular seasonal team ball.
and then we didnt even talk about how different the NBA is economically. its a completely different set up. no franchising, no salary caps, etc.

it would take like a jokic, luka giannis all going back as big names to europe to get some more eyes. but they are not gonna leave 300-500 million contracts behind to play for peanuts in europe. besides every players' dream is to go to the nba, so all the players that have a chance will do it.

i wish i could be saying something different, but unfortunately i dont see it happening.

Basketball is 2nd or 3rd biggest sport depending on what list you see. Either basketball or cricket. Just cause it ain't popular in germany doesn't mean people in China or the philippines aren't fanatics of the sport. It's the biggest sport in those 2 countries.

i dont know what the phillipines and china have to do with the euroleague but okay

[California Gold]

Also, US are 17.5 favorites vs Serbia— no surprise here, similar line to their friendly and first matchup odds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am a little surprised it's even that high. Vegas basically saying Jokic and Serbia will have no pride if US covers that.

[Slim Tubby]

I must applaud Lebron dude has been a great point guard.

Absolute greatness thus far and I'm not a Bron stan in any way.

When James plays with Edwards, he completely unlocks Ant's potential as a SG by freeing him up from instigating the offense.

Ant is played out of position and leads the team in points despite only Hali averaging less minutes per game. He's 22, an elite scorer, gives even more effort defensively yet a few fans view him as a "problem". Weird.

Booker, AD and Bam have really increased their stock in my eyes and KD still has "it".

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[shrink]

I’d like to see Ant play table tennis, but I’d love to see how far he can long jump!

I wonder what other basketball players would excel in different events (besides 3x3)? Wemby in beach volleyball?

[FollowTheSound]

I’d like to see Ant play table tennis, but I’d love to see how far he can long jump!

I wonder what other basketball players would excel in different events (besides 3x3)? Wemby in beach volleyball?

Ant wouldn't be good at long jump, he's a 2 foot jumper...

[Benedict_Boozer]

I must applaud Lebron dude has been a great point guard.

Absolute greatness thus far and I'm not a Bron stan in any way.

When James plays with Edwards, he completely unlocks Ant's potential as a SG by freeing him up from instigating the offense.

Ant is played out of position and leads the team in points despite only Hali averaging less minutes per game. He's 22, an elite scorer, gives even more effort defensively yet a few fans view him as a "problem". Weird.

Booker, AD and Bam have really increased their stock in my eyes and KD still has "it".

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Booker has quietly been great. And really on both ends, I think part of it is he was part of that loaded Kentucky team, so he knows how to play off ball.

[Rainwater]

For those is questioning who has played best Lebron currently leading in the MVP race.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/olympic-odds-basketball-mvp-lebron-kd-anthony-edwards

[ReddoverKobe]

KD is the best player on the team and in the Olympics.

No egos should be on this roster and Lebron shouldn't feel entitled to start every game. Neither should Steph.

Its been Lebron, its not close. This is so strange.

No.
The best player in the Olympics is Jokic.
The best player for USA is KD.

lol, you should try watching a game first before commenting. Like just blindly hating is so strange

[RookieStar]

Sorry to be a bother again but just wanted to be sure.

So im asking the kind souls here again... how many hours as of this post, is the GER-FRA game?

[JasonStern]

what?

KD is the best Olympian in basketball. he deserves a start for the rest of the Olympics.

To be fair to the international game, and I'm super grateful to KD for his role in the previous Olympics, it is perhaps more accurate to say KD is the best US basketball Olympian.

Eh. I have him tied with Carmelo Anthony Olympic career wise currently. When - not if - Team USA wins the gold, then he's the best Olympic basketball player of all time with 4 gold medals and an Olympic MVP award. And the crazy thing is that he might not be completely washed in 2028 and land another gold. That would be incredibly hard to top.

KD is the best player on the team and in the Olympics.

No egos should be on this roster and Lebron shouldn't feel entitled to start every game. Neither should Steph.

LeBron is the team leader. He has also been incredibly consistent. That's why he gets a longer leash than other players.

[KyRo23]

Sorry to be a bother again but just wanted to be sure.

So im asking the kind souls here again... how many hours as of this post, is the GER-FRA game?

According to my calculations, 15 hours roughly

[stillgotgame]

Can you imagine watching a league where Mike James is MVP? I can’t.

[Liam_Gallagher]

How come Raul Neto barely played in the Brazil-USA game? Bro played like 7 seasons in the NBA.