Jrag Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 Screw you guys, we are going to talk about this thing! First ever basketball World Cup!!!!! This happened today: And this: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 Jeeze, the first part of that gif looked like the NBA with Rose not dribbling on that drive. The second half, I'm not sure if I'm that impressed with Rose's drive, or that appaled by Finland's lack of playing any Defense whatsoever. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 Well, Finland is the worst team in the tournament by a wide margin. We held them without a FG in the 2nd. Their fans were pretty cool though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 Harden, Faried and Davis saved us from a loss to Turkey yesterday. The gap between us and the rest of the world is getting smaller. Continuity is a real problem now. The other good teams have been playing together for years and years. We might lose guys! Someone besides me should be caring about this! Pay attention! Edit: Thanks for cleaning up my thread title, admin bro. It was going to bug me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I was away for a few days and missed the start of the tournament. But I am ALL IN on FIBA. The Philippines/Argentina game was a friggin' blast to watch. I really wish Manu wasn't hurt so we could get one last run with the terrific Argentine squad. They set the template for what basketball has become the past few years in terms of ball movement, shot creation, etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Some b.s. got in the way but Ukraine over Turkey is a pretty big upset, especially since Turkey had the US on the ropes for a lot of that game. I haven't seen Ukraine but if their best player is Pooh Jeter, that's really telling. Turkey has the very good Mehmet and a lot of guys who look like they'd be 9-10 players on a NBA bench but make more money and have more playing time and stability in high-end Euro leagues.Bring on the Kiwis! I always liked Kirk Penny. Rob Loe also was a major pain-in-the-ass in the A-10 at St. Louis, the ultimate pain-in-the-ass team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Kenneth Fareid is the new Melo. Melo was the best international player of his era but was never the best player in the NBA. Faried's been the best US player (with apologies to Anthony Davis) and is barely an All-Star level player.I mean that as no slight. The Manimal is one of my favorite players in the league.The US, though, is ripe to lose to Spain. Their half court offense suuuuuucks. Their defense is terrific and so is their rebounding. But a team like Spain is going to neutralize those advantages and has two friggin' defensive beasts in Marc Gasol and Serge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiller Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I've been surprised by Irving's play. He's been really great all-around. He can get to the rim at will, has been shooting as well as the Splash Bros. from outside, and his defense has been really solid. After having a somewhat down season, he's been impressive. Also, I hate Fran Fraschilla. A lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 The guards have to show up for us to beat Spain. Harden and Kyrie have been steady, but if Rose doesn't work the rust off and Curry stays in this shooting slump we might be in trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I love Fran. He knows the international game like no other.I just watched Lithuania/Australia. That was a total thriller of a game. The Aussies got out to a 20 point halftime lead. Lithuania came back really quickly with some of the nastiest team perimeter defense in memory but could never quite catch the BasketRoos. Fantastic, fun game between two quality teams. The announcers for Lithuania/Australia sounded like two high school freshman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 NZ did the haka before the game against the USA. http://youtu.be/77JplAz5aTE Nothing makes me happier than Derrick Rose's "What in the ACTUAL FUCK is this" face. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRGoldman Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I think it's pretty telling that this roster was constructed specifically to not lose to Spain, and everyone who knows anything about basketball is saying "Shit, we might still lose to Spain". I am happy with Irving's play, but watching him for the past three seasons this ties pretty closely to his M.O., which is that he plays much better when he feels as though he can trust his teammates. It's why he always surprises in International ball and dominates all star games, but looks overrated when he has to pass to Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson. I think he will have a really big year, to the point where he looks clearly better than Dame Lilliard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Slovenia is starting to pull away from South Korea, who are definitely worth watching. They fly up-and-down the court and really pass the ball well. They don't have the talent other teams have -- particularly down low and on rebounding -- but they're definitely fun.Slovenia's a blast to watch, too. Goran's the man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 It feels like 75% of Helsinki is at the Finland/DR game. It's like if people actually went to something like the MAAC Tournament finals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaedmc Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I love that shot of Faried watching the Haka, and at first he's like "wut?" but then his eye brow arches a little because he just realize he should be doing this before every fucking game from now on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiller Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I love Fran. He knows the international game like no other. I'm fine with him when he's telling us who all of these players are. But I just get irritated when he's doing color commentary and blows calls in the game and misinterprets the action. I also feel like he wants USA to lose a lot of the time. I don't know. I just wish someone else was doing color and Fran was the sideline reporter just cutting in here and there with interesting facts and stories about players from other countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 Solid game today. I'm really hoping that nasty fall Kyrie took at the end is just a bruise, but he was struggling pretty bad on his way back to the locker room. Faried, Davis and Harden continue to be the glue that holds this team together. The ball needs to be in Harden's hands at crunch time. He's earned it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Australia has a slight lead on Turkey nearing the end of the first half. Really nice ball movement from the Boomahz. However, there have been a bunch of delays with the game - the last one stemming from a faulty shot clock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Oh man. Aussies had the lead for, I believe, the entire 2nd half and led by 2 points with seconds left on the clock. Preldžić (thanks google!) chucked up a three with five seconds left to put the Turks ahead and made the shot, Aussies flub their last second attempt and blow it. Tough to take for the Boomers but Turkey did enough to stay around and then pounced at the end. Didn't help the Aussies couldn't hit a free throw for their lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiller Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Well, um. I guess we don't have to worry about losing to Spain anymore. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 This tournament had no juice at all. Not Team USA's fault, we've been pretty damn solid but man, this is buried under football and controversy in football.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiller Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Yeah, it does seem like nobody is talking about it. But I guess it's not that big of a surprise when the best of the best in the NBA aren't even playing in it. I mean, without LeBron or Durant, it was never going to get that much traction in the news. Well, unless USA loses. Then they'll talk about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuetsar Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Its the definition of superfluous anyway. Between this, the world championships and the olympics, how many international tourney's do we really need? Kind of surprised the NBA owners went along with it actually. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 We only play in two tournaments and winning one serves as the automatic qualifier for the other. This tournament is replacing the world championships. But yeah, no Spain = no intrigue. For non-Bulls fans that is. I'm still hyped!!! Rose played his best game yesterday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Its the definition of superfluous anyway. Between this, the world championships and the olympics, how many international tourney's do we really need? Kind of surprised the NBA owners went along with it actually. . . I know at least one won't be cool with it any more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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