Resting players when your playoff spot is assured and there's no impact from losing is a standard practice. The players weren't trying to lose, they were just bad, which is why they didn't play much previously.
If Slovenia was in the same spot as Australia, do you think they wouldn't have done the same thing?? Perhaps NBA should investigate every player that is rested on non crucial games where the team has already locked a playoff spot? Or every FIFA game where this sort of thing happens all the time? Or every sport for that matter? Moral of the story: People like to whine when the dice does not roll there way
It's quite obvious you guys don't know what you're talking about. Slovenia was in the EXACT SAME situation Australia was. They were in the same group and Slovenia could have lost to Angola and Lithuania on purpose and therefore would have avoided playing USA today, but rather played them only in the "medal rounds". What did Slovenia do against Angola? They rested their starters as well, but playing responsibly easily won the game with their reserves. The exact opposite of what Australia did when they STOPPED playing the game of basketball and did such an obvious bad acting tank job of it, that they are now being investigated by FIBA. http://www.talkbasket.net/11091-fiba-open-disciplinary-hearing-against-australia.html I've already posted the link to this SI article, where they did a great play-by-play analysis of the disgraceful tanking performance Aussies put on. Read it before speaking out of term or do I have to repost the entire article with all the gifs demonstrating the travesty witnessed in that game. http://www.si.com/nba/2014/09/04/australia-angola-tanking-goran-dragic-fiba-world-cup
Interesting debate between Aussies and Slavs....All I can add to this is that the US is winning deliberately and decisively because it doesn't matter who they face because it's just too DAMN easy.
If Australia had beaten Angola, Australia still would have finished 3rd unless they won by a bit under 30 points, in which case they would have finished first (they would have had to have won by exactly 26 points to finish 2nd), they did not care because it did not matter. Had their third stringers not been **** and won by 6 points, they still would have been 3rd, because their position wasn't determined by that game, it was determined by Lithuania. If Lithuania lost, Australia finished 2nd, if Lithuania won, they finished 3rd.
If Slovenia isn't scared of playing the US, why are you and Goran so butthurt about Australia tanking?
Right, and if Lithuania wouldve won by 1-8 point Slovenia wouldve been 1st, Lithuania 2nd and Australia 3rd. Yet Australia played first, and if they wouldve won Lithuania wouldve tanked the game to take 3rd place cause and Australia 2nd. Thats why they tanked itself and gambled on Lithuania to win against Slovenia.
That's just completely wrong. Only points won against advancing teams count! If Australia had beaten Angola, than Lithuania, Australia and Slovenia would have the exact same number of points. Because Australia lost to Slovenia, they could have lost by 9 points to Lituania and would still be in the 1st place avoiding USA until the semis. If Slovenia lost to Lithuania (last group game) by more than 13 points they would've been 3rd in the group, again avoiding USA until the medal rounds. You obviously didn't watch the games or the tournament, so I don't know why you're even commenting since you don't know what you're talking about. Easy. If Australia showed a minimal amount of sportsmanship and competitive spirit, Slovenia wouldn't have played USA until semi finals with a chance for a medal even if they lost. Goran is "butthurt" because he's a true competitor that hates tanking. I'm really down on this Australian team, as they were one of the teams I really liked before the tournament. Their shameful performance against Angola changed that for good. And whether you care to admit it or not, any true sports fan shares my sentiments... and so does FIBA.
Sorry that's just wrong. I doubt they would've done something like that. Lithuanian fans are pretty mental when it comes down to hoops and they wouldn't have tolerated something as disgusting as losing a game on purpose.
Exactly right. Talking about resting players. In the last group game Lithuania could have easily rested their starters, tank the game and would've been 3rd, behind Australia (because Lithuania lost against Australia). In fact through most of the game they were behind and Slovenia had a game in hand. Yet they played as hard as possible and with a fanatical defensive effort clawed their way back into the game and won. That's how you play the World Cup. Not the cowardly, disgraceful way the Aussies played. I'm shocked you can find fans willing to defend that kind of behaviour. Even more... calling players b****es for pointing this out. So disappointed at Australians on this board.
As an Aussie, I thought it was disgusting the way we lost (to Angola). As far as FIBA investigating, the only way it can be proven without a doubt is if someone from the team (a coach or player) comes out and admits in- which won't happen. It'll be forgotten in a few months, and then another team will do it in the next tournament, and the cycle will continue. Maybe Team USA should stop sending NBA players and go back to college players I don't have a problem with resting players, especially after playing 5 games in 6 days with the next game basically a dead rubber. They do it in Davis Cup tennis and other round robin sports all the time. As much as I despise Shane Heal, he makes a great point about facing the best in the world. You gotta go through them anyway, and if you're scared to play a team then you shouldn't be in the tournament anyway.
That's because you've chosen to ignore the Australians that have also condemned the behaviour just to continue your little tirade about how it was so unfair that Slovenia had to play the US in the quarter finals. News flash for you buddy, Slovenia isn't one of the best 4 teams in world basketball and probably advanced as far as they deserved to.
Slovenia could have controlled their own destiny if they had managed to score more than two points in the last quarter against Lithuania in the group stage. While Australia's tanking was pretty average, Slovenia only have themselves to blame for where they finished.
There's a difference between resting your players to get ready for the playoffs and intentionally losing to get a preferred seeding. It's hard to have hard proof one way or the other. But everybody knows the difference.
The last round of group play is ALWAYS good for one or two of these types of games in Eurobasket or Olympics basketball. Gambling degenerates know this very well. If Dragic's whining has changed this...
I remember during the World Cup when USA-Germany were going to play it was discussed about making an agreement with them to tie and get better seeding. We didn't and the fans hated the idea. Just go out there and do your best. No reason to be scared to play a game with another team. Very few people ever get the chance to play the best there is so go out and enjoy the experience. Mexico wasn't scared of the U.S. they were just happy to make the top 16.
The difference being, Dragic was the biggest AS snub last year and is the reigning MIP and All NBA 3rd team member. I guess I have something to be a fan about All I can say is, watch out for Dragic this season. He was at about 60% in this WC (his own words) and was still easily the best player out there by a mile in almost every match. He used this WC just to get ready for the season and what a season it's going to be. And just to be clear. I'm primarily a Suns fan, than a Dragic fan and thaaaaaaan.... way back, I guess at this WC... a Slovenian team fan.
