Tight rims and overinflated, bouncy balls makes for games where there is a better balance between inside and outside play. 1. Scola is looking all-world again. When you spread the floor and let him operate in the post, the opponent is in trouble. 2. Kirilenko is everything he was built up to be when he was playing on his rookie contract. I so wished we could have signed this guy to play alongside Parsons on the wing. 3. Chris Finch appeared totally ineffective coaching GB. Just the little bit of video I saw of him on the sidelines in the huddle.....seemed like he had nothing for them and it didn't appear they were paying him much attention. 4. Anthony Davis - just watching him in limited action. I still insist he is a 5. There is no way, no way that you take that kind of rim protecting presence outside of the paint. Makes no sense. 5. I want to see Spain vs. Argentina 6. Yi is an NBA player. He just needs the right situation. 7. If Rubio was healthy, the U.S. would have a serious challenge.
I've heard this a lot and I disagree. There's really no team that can compete with the US team, fully healthy or not. Rubio might have helped Spain somewhat, but for the most part he is/has been a non-factor in FIBA play. He was very arguably a net negative just last year at the Eurobasket.
You happen to be arguing with the biggest Rubio fan in history who told us he would be better than Magic, Bird, Oscar, Isiah etc as a rookie, so good luck with convincing him of the error of his ways.
Scola needed the amnesty kick in the ass...he woke up from the day dream he's been in for 2 years now. Sometimes you need something like that to get you fired up again. Plus, he always plays harder with Argentina.
Russian guys signed by the Timberwolves put up some some monster stats today. Andrei Kirilenko: 35 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals Alexey Shved: 16 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block Scola is looking great and Delfino is on fire.
Don't be so confident. Teams don't show everything they have in practice games so don't expect to see the same Argentina and Spain when they play the US again when it truly counts.
Yeah, sorry, I don't buy into that. There was a lot of politics going on his last season in Euroball. Rubio is one of the premier playmakers in the world. He's very, very good. He would make Spain so much better.
The games might be closer, but the result will be the same. The talent gap is just way too big to overcome in my opinion. Pretty much all things would have to come together for a team like Spain, Brazil or Russia to beat the US.
Daydreaming for two years? Are you sure you're thinking of Scola and not Jordan Hill or something? Scola played great for us the year before...and this season's dip was NOT due to lack of fire. I like how nobody accounts for his pre-season surgery but everyone always makes that excuse for Patterson.
I think people are confusing intensity with effort. Scola has always gave good effort I just haven't seen him this intense like he has been the last few weeks.
Sign Asik/Lin. I didn't watch the game, but Scola has always been an absolute beast in FIBA play. That's just what he does. FIBA play however does not quite translate to NBA basketball. I don't think anyone has suggested that Scola now suddenly sucks either. He just didn't fit this roster going forward and there is/was better use for the cap space that was occupied by him.
1) I mostly agree, except Scola still is a bit of a defensive liability. 2) Kirilenko had a good game today. I'm not upset that the Rockets didn't bring him in though. He's not THAT great and we're trying to go young. 3) This may be true, but Britain sorely lacks talent also. Luol Deng is not a go-to guy offensively. 4) Davis a hybrid. He's a little skinny for NBA 5, but might be good at 5 with smaller lineups because of his ability to run the floor. Generally "you are what you can guard" though, and I think he'd have a better time guarding Kevin Love or Blake Griffin than Dwight Howard. 5) Totally agree 6) Yi is a very interesting prospect, with more experience than most people his age. It's often said big guys need a few years to develop. Maybe he's one of those guys. He had a good game today but I still want to see how he does the rest of these olympics. 7) I think Rubio give them a slightly better shot, but I think the US would still be way better than Spain. (Now I'm gonna go knock on wood) A few other comments: Lithuania should kept Donuts. They're getting destroyed right now by Argentina. I think he could've been able to expose Scola's defense a little and maybe protect the paint. I continue to be impressed with the level of play worldwide. I think the state of global basketball is at an all time high.
we couldn't sign lin and asik anywhere. I want to see what going foward is? so far, I see Phoenix going foward.
You can't be serious. Phoenix has fallen into the trap we were in last year. Talk about treadmill....
