FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014

[CelticBalla32]

For anyone interested, check out my recap of today's USA vs. Ukraine preliminary round finale.

GAME RECAP --- USA vs. UKRAINE

[Lucky17]

The fact that San Antonio is waffling on what to do with Baynes is enough of a benchmark for me as to whether or not he's worth a real pursuit by Boston. They've really only got Jeff Ayers backing up the frontcourt, and that dude is the definition of consistent but unremarkable.

I'd heard that long-awaited Erazem Lorbek will be coming stateside this year to play for the Spurs. So, there's also that.

[sahara]

What an exciting game that FIN-NZ was! We shoulda won!!

[Adelaide Celt]

No doubt that was an unabashed tank job against Angola. The writing was on the wall when Ingles and Baynes were rested. Hard to watch.

Unfortunately this approach is part of professional level sport. The ends justify the means is the obvious explanation.

Still it's a horrible, cynical thing to do and goes against everything you've ever felt for the sport. I learned that from being a Celtics fan last season.

Sad situation but all we can do is move on and try to achieve our ultimate objective of a medal. Just very disappointing that this is likely what we will be remembered for at this tournament.

[ederson]

The group stage pretty much verified what everyone knows... USA and Spain are in a league of their own.

What came as a surprise ,to me at least, is that the best of the rest is Greece.  The team reminds me of the 2006 team. Less talented of course but the style of play is very similar. Katsikaris has done a great job assembling a truly 12man deep team. Greece doesn`t look to step back when bench players get play time. I didn`t have much hope  but i enjoy watching this team unlike the teams of the previous 2-3 tournaments (euro/world)

[Eja117]

For people that know better....are there teams in this that are worse than American high school teams?

There are, right?

Like Oak Hill Academy could beat Korea or Iran or possibly Finland, right?

[Csfan1984]

For people that know better....are there teams in this that are worse than American high school teams?

There are, right?

Like Oak Hill Academy could beat Korea or Iran or possibly Finland, right?

No. Some teams just look bad because they don't play a lot together and or they look bad because the level of talent against team is too big a gap. A team of just NBA lower level bench players can beat the best high school teams easily. The lower teams in this tournament are equal to a that. So think of the biggest gap is (U.S.A.) NBA team 10* deep of all-stars vs decent top 20 college team.

[Eja117]

For people that know better....are there teams in this that are worse than American high school teams?

There are, right?

Like Oak Hill Academy could beat Korea or Iran or possibly Finland, right?

No. Some teams just look bad because they don't play a lot together and or they look bad because the level of talent against team is too big a gap. A team of just NBA lower level bench players can beat the best high school teams easily. The lower teams in this tournament are equal to a that. So think of the biggest gap is (U.S.A.) NBA team 10* deep of all-stars vs decent top 20 college team.

Interesting. That makes sense. I sorta went with Oak Hill because Karl Towns is practically a high schooler on the Dominican Team I think, and I thought the Dominican team isn't the worst team at all. Granted he doesn't get lots of minutes and he'd crush most guys at Oak Hill.

[manl_lui]

For people that know better....are there teams in this that are worse than American high school teams?

There are, right?

Like Oak Hill Academy could beat Korea or Iran or possibly Finland, right?

I would think so , but then again, I'm bias and thinks the USA has the best basketball team ever and in the world. This year's squad is like putting a JV team out there and still win

[Celtics4ever]

No. Some teams just look bad because they don't play a lot together and or they look bad because the level of talent against team is too big a gap. A team of just NBA lower level bench players can beat the best high school teams easily. The lower teams in this tournament are equal to a that. So think of the biggest gap is (U.S.A.) NBA team 10* deep of all-stars vs decent top 20 college team.

I bet Oak Hill could beat some of these teams.  I do not think all these guys could do well in the NCAAs let alone NBA.   That being said, there are some that would do well and have done well in the NBA.   It's been a sham without the USA being involved all those years, we may have lost one or two years but we would have easily won the rest.   I think a lot of good NCAA teams could smear some of these teams, not Spain though. My reasoning is this, that our wash ups who don't make in the NBA get to play easily in Europe or Turkey.

Also, behold this:

http://www.nationofblue.com/2014/08/official-boxscore-kentucky-vs-puerto-rico/

http://www.kentucky.com/2014/08/12/3376381/live-uk-basketball-vs-puerto-rico.html

A FIBA team, killed bu UK.  58 points in the paint given up.  Out rebounded by 22 and held the opposing team to less than .36 from the field.   These are boys playing men.   This is not soccer, this is our sport.

In fact, if we wanted to play hardball and made are best players play and disallowed foreigners in the NBA,  I doubt we would ever lose.  But the league has chosen the world market  and I think it is the right call.  It certainly brought in some top talent overseas like Dirk and the Gasol Brothers.

No. Some teams just look bad because they don't play a lot together and or they look bad because the level of talent against team is too big a ga

 I would bet our guys have played together less.  Not like they are all team mates.

[D.o.s.]

For people that know better....are there teams in this that are worse than American high school teams?

There are, right?

Like Oak Hill Academy could beat Korea or Iran or possibly Finland, right?

No. Some teams just look bad because they don't play a lot together and or they look bad because the level of talent against team is too big a gap. A team of just NBA lower level bench players can beat the best high school teams easily. The lower teams in this tournament are equal to a that. So think of the biggest gap is (U.S.A.) NBA team 10* deep of all-stars vs decent top 20 college team.

Correct. It's the same reason why people were wrong in saying that there were NCAA teams that could beat the Jaguars last year, although that's an imperfect analogy.

[CFAN38]

No. Some teams just look bad because they don't play a lot together and or they look bad because the level of talent against team is too big a gap. A team of just NBA lower level bench players can beat the best high school teams easily. The lower teams in this tournament are equal to a that. So think of the biggest gap is (U.S.A.) NBA team 10* deep of all-stars vs decent top 20 college team.

I bet Oak Hill could beat some of these teams.  I do not think all these guys could do well in the NCAAs let alone NBA.   That being said, there are some that would do well and have done well in the NBA.   It's been a sham without the USA being involved all those years, we may have lost one or two years but we would have easily won the rest.   I think a lot of good NCAA teams could smear some of these teams, not Spain though. My reasoning is this, that our wash ups who don't make in the NBA get to play easily in Europe or Turkey.

Also, behold this:

http://www.nationofblue.com/2014/08/official-boxscore-kentucky-vs-puerto-rico/

http://www.kentucky.com/2014/08/12/3376381/live-uk-basketball-vs-puerto-rico.html

A FIBA team, killed bu UK.  58 points in the paint given up.  Out rebounded by 22 and held the opposing team to less than .36 from the field.   These are boys playing men.   This is not soccer, this is our sport.

In fact, if we wanted to play hardball and made are best players play and disallowed foreigners in the NBA,  I doubt we would ever lose.  But the league has chosen the world market  and I think it is the right call.  It certainly brought in some top talent overseas like Dirk and the Gasol Brothers.

No. Some teams just look bad because they don't play a lot together and or they look bad because the level of talent against team is too big a ga

 I would bet our guys have played together less.  Not like they are all team mates.

Im not looking to enter the debate on how the bottom level teams matchup to elite high school teams. I just want to point out that the Puerto Rican roster that played KU is missing at least 3 players that I know of from their FIBA team. Barea, Santiago and Arroyo.

I personally have never followed international basketball but have loved watching this tournament. These guys are all at different levels of their careers some are teenagers just starting out like exum others are on their figurative last legs as professionals playing for pride in their county (Santiago for PR). It has been fun to watch. The future is looking very bright with Australia and Canada both looking really good in the next few years. Add that the the established Euro powers and the olympics and FIBA will be alot of fun to watch. Greece will also be interesting as Giannis is joined by his brother(s) in the future . Could see the day where 3 brothers Thanasis (22),Giannis (19), Kostas (16) are all playing for greece.

[LooseCannon]

No doubt that was an unabashed tank job against Angola. The writing was on the wall when Ingles and Baynes were rested. Hard to watch.

Unfortunately this approach is part of professional level sport. The ends justify the means is the obvious explanation.

Still it's a horrible, cynical thing to do and goes against everything you've ever felt for the sport. I learned that from being a Celtics fan last season.

Sad situation but all we can do is move on and try to achieve our ultimate objective of a medal. Just very disappointing that this is likely what we will be remembered for at this tournament.

During the Olympics, several badminton teams were disqualified for intentionally losing in an attempt to affect who they had to play in future rounds.

[D.o.s.]

No doubt that was an unabashed tank job against Angola. The writing was on the wall when Ingles and Baynes were rested. Hard to watch.

Unfortunately this approach is part of professional level sport. The ends justify the means is the obvious explanation.

Still it's a horrible, cynical thing to do and goes against everything you've ever felt for the sport. I learned that from being a Celtics fan last season.

Sad situation but all we can do is move on and try to achieve our ultimate objective of a medal. Just very disappointing that this is likely what we will be remembered for at this tournament.

During the Olympics, several badminton teams were disqualified for intentionally losing in an attempt to affect who they had to play in future rounds.

It's worth noting that the IOC didn't disqualify them, the Badminton World Federation did.

[Celtics4ever]

I personally have never followed international basketball but have loved watching this tournament. These guys are all at different levels of their careers some are teenagers just starting out like exum others are on their figurative last legs as professionals playing for pride in their county (Santiago for PR). It has been fun to watch. The future is looking very bright with Australia and Canada both looking really good in the next few years. Add that the the established Euro powers and the olympics and FIBA will be alot of fun to watch. Greece will also be interesting as Giannis is joined by his brother(s) in the future . Could see the day where 3 brothers Thanasis (22),Giannis (19), Kostas (16) are all playing for greece.

You must not like defense.   I think the D is the worst part and what separates us from them.

Still it is basketball and it fills a gap where there is no basketball so I will take it.