France-Croatia game thread

[illmatic99]

http://www.justin.tv/zabava_7

Working link: http://www.fromsport.com/video-73201.html

 

[illmatic99]

HQ link: http://www.justin.tv/rugbytv63

Nic is leading the French team in scoring with 10 points @ the start of the third.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

France behind at half-time but come back to tie it - Nic with a big three.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Croatian players are great mutterers. I wonder what the Croatian for "frick and frack" is.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Batum with the job of bringing the ball up court the past few possessions.

 

[illmatic99]

His 2pt FG% has been shit today, and is getting most of his points from the FT line and three point FGs.

 

[cdub503]

got a box score somewhere? im at work im kinda half watching it between food orders haha

 

[illmatic99]

Sure: http://live.fibaeurope.com/netcasting/default.asp?game_number=6366-E-6&microsite_scope=undefined

 

[illmatic99]

You guys see that Pippen-esque layup by Nic?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Acrobatic layup by Batum!

[Edit: so that's a "yes"]

 

[illmatic99]

Rasta, you think France is the best team in Eurobasket right now?

I haven't seen much of Turkey, although I've read that they're looking good. Greece lost to Russia today, so that sort of brings them down a notch.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Hmm. I think France runs too hot and cold (and Batum agrees:" we're able to beat anyone but we can also lose to anyone : we've lost to Finland, huh.."). I wouldn't read too much into Greece losing, because they'd already done enough to get through to the next round. But right now I'd say France is better than Spain. If I had to choose, I'd probably go with Greece. A Greece-Turkey game would be intense, especially given their history...

What's been interesting really is the parity. France CRUSH Macedonia, while Germany gives Greece a major scare, and then Macedonia beats Germany. Lithuania kills Spain before the tournament, and then can't win a game once it starts. Russia has no talent (their captain is Sergei Monya!) but somehow keep winning. (If some NBA team doesn't offer David Blatt a job soon, it has to be because his eyes are too close together...)

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

Nic with 18 points, 5 boards and 2 blocks

 

[Eastoff]

somebody is a sore loser...

 

[illmatic99]

Hmm. I think France runs too hot and cold (and Batum agrees:" we're able to beat anyone but we can also lose to anyone : we've lost to Finland, huh.."). I wouldn't read too much into Greece losing, because they'd already done enough to get through to the next round. But right now I'd say France is better than Spain. If I had to choose, I'd probably go with Greece. A Greece-Turkey game would be intense, especially given their history...

What's been interesting really is the parity. France CRUSH Macedonia, while Germany gives Greece a major scare, and then Macedonia beats Germany. Lithuania kills Spain before the tournament, and then can't win a game once it starts. Russia has no talent (their captain is Sergei Monya!) but somehow keep winning. (If some NBA team doesn't offer David Blatt a job soon, it has to be because his eyes are too close together...)

Thanks for the insight, man. This Euro stuff is keeping me sane when I'm most desperate for basketball-related news.

This next France-Greece game coming up Tuesday should be exciting as well.

 

[Blazer4ever]

If you watch the France-Greece game, pay attention to Vasilis spanoulis, he's the best player the greeks have, maybe the best player in the tourney so far.
And BTW, I've seen Greece-Russia and Monia was very solid.

 

[axs88]

Thanks for the insight, man. This Euro stuff is keeping me sane when I'm most desperate for basketball-related news.

This next France-Greece game coming up Tuesday should be exciting as well.

Any of you know why Spain switched coaches after finishing 2nd at the Olympics last year and putting a scare into Team USA at one point? Did the former coach turn down the job? They seem off. I think their talent level is considerably higher than the rest, as evidenced by their dominance last year.

I was thinking before the tournament that France could be a dark horse pick, but they had some ups and downs as well.

Very happy about Nic's performance. That team has so many options, yet he is one of the leading scorers every night... great for his confidence. Hopefully he will take a bit of an offensive leap this season. I'm thinking 9 pts / 47 FG% / 39% 3PT in 25 MPG.

 

[Iwatas]

Nic seems pretty clearly the second best player on a team run by Tony Parker. There is a LOT there for Blazer fans to be happy about. If Nic was drafted now, he'd be a top-10 pick.

iWatas