Way to jinx it, asshole. Great fuckin' forecasting.I expect USA to beat Germany comfortably, if not "easily".
For the best, he was the most disappointing player on the roster (and I don't think it's close). I believe he averaged more ppg this past year than anyone else on the team, but he's 9th in the tournament. He was one of the oldest guys on the roster, and he looked like he didn't belong.Once again USA can't rebound or defend. Germany's role players have been solid and Franz is putting on a clinic.
Ingram is out with a respiratory issue.
Yeah this is pathetic. It's one thing to note that most of the very best big men in the game are international and not feel ashamed about getting clowned by Giannis or Jokic (or even KAT or a stiff but legit giant like Gobert), it's another thing to lose to the undersized end of the rotation big men on the German roster (outside of Wagner, who is also the only player on their team who should be able to legit compete with the USA team). If size was the only problem, maybe play Kessler, Banchero and Portis more than a combined 26 minutes.I read this ESPN article:
"The U.S. played a spirited and aggressive game. The team was just too small, and it showed up repeatedly, just as it did against Lithuania last weekend in the previous loss....the German NBA big men feasted. Franz Wagner finished with 22 points and Daniel Theis had 21."
I'm sorry, but a team whose bigs are Franz Wagner and Daniel Theis should never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever be able to dominate a US national team inside. Yes they may be a tick bigger, but my word that's.....terrible. Absolutely terrible.
Wagner is just 6'9" and averaged 4.1 rebounds a game last year (in 33 min/g). Theis...well...we know all about him. Just 6'8", who averages 4.9 rebounds a game over his career. Legit NBA players, yes, absolutely. But good enough to "dominate" inside against the US? Holy crap.
Is Magic trying to become the NBA's Will Buxton?
I do miss post play. when Al Jefferson suddenly couldn't miss a hook shot his second or third year it was extremely fun to watch.First of all this USA team has low end talent. I get Reaves is a Laker, but for him to be on a team of the USA's best is laughable. He is 4th best American on a 7th place team. As I said I think the USA does this on purpose to get KD, Tatum, et al to play in the Olympics. I expect LBJ has already signed a Netflix deal for "Redeem Team 2." As we speak he workshopping the speech he will make with his acting coaches. But, a USA team with a chip on the shoulder is terrifying.
There are tons of coaches in the USA and Canada that don't teach post play at all. If they do they teach the crab walk to the middle jump hook, with a spin the other way. On Canada Powell and Olynyk are both weak scoring around the hoop. If Powell can't dunk it he won't score and Kelly needs to a foul or he isn't scoring. SGA has an array of post moves, turn around, drop, up and under, that were once standard for any starting forward in college but now lost for North American Bigs.
The European kids are much better at using their bodies to finish, and finishing with contact. 30 years ago I would never have believed anybody would surpass the USA at this. Some of this is rather than having elite age group teams the best players play against older guys, in very physical leagues. Kids in these situations learn to use their bodies, have quick footwork, or they will never score against bigger, older guys. Big kids here catch and dunk against guys their own age as the guards have the ball all the time. While in the USA and Canada kids go down a position (a 2 become a 1, a 5 a 4 or 3) as they go up levels, Euro kids often go the other way. Young Gasols play on the wing until the grow into forwards. We have lost our way so much on NBA network the other day they were actually debating if Shaq could play in today's NBA.
Latvia plays with a lot of pride in every sport. Even more so when facing Lithuania, Estonia or RussiaSlovenia edges Italy for 7th place.
Latvia is currently finishing up blowing Lithuania off the court for 5th.
RIP to anyone getting up for the bronze medal match tomorrow at 4:40am. Reggie, we salute thee. I'll catch some of the Final over breakfast though.
He had 21 points in 24 minutes and was +4 in the loss to GER.why did they play reaves at all?
ha! I just watched the highlights, where he gets cooked a few times in the last minutes.He had 21 points in 24 minutes and was +4 in the loss to GER.
No. It's on ESPN+, online only, I think. Which is lame as hell.Just woke up In a bad hotel room, game isn’t on ESPN or ESPN 2?
Agreed. It took me far too long to figure out how to get it on my TV. (Hulu app)No. It's on ESPN+, online only. Which is lame as hell.
That sucks. I guess they think more folks want to watch ‘Bama rerunsNo. It's on ESPN+, online only, I think. Which is lame as hell.
Yeah, it's stupid that's what's on now.That sucks. I guess they think more folks want to watch ‘Bama reruns
I wish the semifinal hadn't been on either, awful basketball that I wish I hadn't watched.Yeah, it's stupid that's what's on now.
Where’s Rick Reilly to say that is the sign of the apocalypse.The Germans are World Champions in basketball.
Nobody outside of Rhineland wants to see thisIs ESPN skipping out on the trophy lift for a fantasy football show?