Olympic Basketball

[wizenheimer]

I don't know if it's been posted or not. Sorry if it has:



ok...it's of Batum's block to get to the gold medal game

 

[blazerkor]

Lillard is a role player on this team. Seems like most of you are missing that fact.
Some things also being missed are that 12 players played in that game. It's the Olympics and all the players want to play.
Pop is coaching to win and at this point the player that has the advantage is Durant at his position with the most experience in FIBA play.
One thing Lillard is doing is drawing attention and has to be covered. He will never be as good on defense as Jrue.
Lillard will start the next game as expected. Pop will make adjustments depending on who is playing well.
Expect Durant to get the call again to carry the team. That is after all what Pop is doing and asking the team to do.

Dame wasn't supposed to be a role player on this team but Dame has been cold and we know when he's cold for us, he still brings the ball up and initiates the offense and gets assists but he will drastically decrease his volume of shots. Some have criticized him for not shooting his way out of slumps and instead giving shots to CJ. He hasn't been initiating the offense for Team USA when he's been cold and that's understandable. It's also understandable that if he's going to so easily pass the torch to CJ when he's struggling to shoot with us, that he would do that even more with the guys he's playing with on Team USA.

He had a good game against Iran in which he led the team with 21 points on 7 for 15 shooting, all of his makes were threes, he had no free throws and he had 5 assists and only one turnover. If you take that game out of his stats he's been 12 for 34 from the field and 7 for 26 from three and only 4 for 5 in five games on free throws... he's been ice cold and hasn't been getting to the line. I'm sure he thinks he's being a good teammate by being a non-factor and he could be right. When Durant has struggled, he's shot through it but this is Durant's third Olympics and Dame's first and Dame for as great as he is, isn't Kevin fucking Durant. His defense was never going to be as good as most of the guys on the team and it hasn't been but he has played during the crucial third quarter rallies in the last two games and has played good defense then.

I guess we'll see if he's feeling it tomorrow. The game is live on NBC on Friday at 7:30pm, if you were just using free Peacock to watch the games live like I was because they weren't live on NBC but you don't have access to NBC you'll either have to find a streaming site on the internet or pony up $4.99 for Peacock Premium for one month. I think most of us have some way of watching it on NBC. So let's hope Dame picks it up a little in this last game and obviously above all him and the team come home with gold.

 

[e_blazer]

And it's not close.

Maybe a little bit close?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

 

[DUB]

This is silly: FIBA would almost certainly have preferred Luka in the Gold Medal game - he's the best player in the Olympics by far. But maybe being a poor loser is what drives Doncic.

I can see why he may feel this way. As a smaller European nation, he’s probably been on the end of quite a few dodgy calls whilst playing against bigger European nations over the years.

But don’t worry Luka, you’re up against Australia next, a non European team, the close calls will all go your way. We all know where FIBA headquarters is.

 

[BBert]

Maybe a little bit close?

You got me. I must have had strategic amnesia since I'd much rather never think about this guy.

 

[BBert]

I can see why he may feel this way. As a smaller European nation, he’s probably been on the end of quite a few dodgy calls whilst playing against bigger European nations over the years.

But don’t worry Luka, you’re up against Australia next, a non European team, the close calls will all go your way. We all know where FIBA headquarters is.

I'll be rooting for you DUB!

 

[e_blazer]

I can see why he may feel this way. As a smaller European nation, he’s probably been on the end of quite a few dodgy calls whilst playing against bigger European nations over the years.

But don’t worry Luka, you’re up against Australia next, a non European team, the close calls will all go your way. We all know where FIBA headquarters is.

I hope your Boomers crush them.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I can see why he may feel this way. As a smaller European nation, he’s probably been on the end of quite a few dodgy calls whilst playing against bigger European nations over the years.

But don’t worry Luka, you’re up against Australia next, a non European team, the close calls will all go your way. We all know where FIBA headquarters is.

Hey, this is Slovenia's only chance at a medal. Australia already has about one medal per Australian in these games.

 

[blazerkor]

Hey, this is Slovenia's only chance at a medal. Australia already has about one medal per Australian in these games.

That being said this is the 15th time the Australian men's national basketball team has played in the Olympics in no sport has a team ever made it that many times and not medaled. So that game will have a good story no matter which team wins.

 

[DUB]

Hey, this is Slovenia's only chance at a medal. Australia already has about one medal per Australian in these games.

I would happily trade one of our swimming golds for a men's basketball bronze.

One more gold, and it will be our most successful Olympics ever. Hopefully the beach volley ball women can get it done.

 

[DUB]

That being said this is the 15th time the Australian men's national basketball team has played in the Olympics in no sport has a team ever made it that many times and not medaled. So that game will have a good story no matter which team wins.

We've been so close, so many times, and it's probably the last games for quite a few of these blokes. It just doesn't sit right with me for Patty not to have an Olympic medal.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

THIS COULD'VE HAPPENED A LOT SOON IF WE'D'VE DRAFTED HIM

 

[tykendo]

THIS COULD'VE HAPPENED A LOT SOON IF WE'D'VE DRAFTED HIM

True, but the draft is a crapshoot. Collins was playing at a high level, as a freshman. In the highest level of games at Gonzaga. Nobody new he was going to be Greg Oden with injuries.

 

[crandc]

US women headed to gold medal game.

 

[tlongII]

Great match between Sweden and Canada this morning! Great to see Christine Sinclair win a gold medal with Canada.

 

[DDolla]

Let’s Go Dame, go get your Gold then ask for a trade. Screw Neil

 

[twobullz]

How was there a shot clock violation 17 seconds into the game?

 

[calvin natt]

I just want to say I Fucking LOVE watching the US team barf up three after three and miss. Cool offense guys. NBA game is brutal to watch offensively vs foreign teams. The threes will eventually fall and everyone will think the offense was just terrific. Analytics sucks.

 

[blazerkor]

Dame not doing anything on O but he is bringing the defense tonight.

 

[DDolla]

Dame playing off the ball is just bad

 

[DUB]

USA might want to double the low post, and rely on their athleticism to rotate, because I’m not sure undersized single coverage is going to cut it.

 

[B-Roy]

Dame is holding his hands out expecting to get the ball back when he passes.

You ain't playing for the Blazers, Dame!

 

[DUB]

Fall should‘ve just dunked that.

 

[blazerkor]

Dame is holding his hands out expecting to get the ball back when he passes.

You ain't playing for the Blazers, Dame!

I know he's playing well but if Tatum touches the ball, Dame might as well run back for defense. Tatum will take that shot every time even when doubled.

 

[AldoTrapani]

Dame fucking up

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

Anyone with a stream link? I’m in central Mexico and have a smart Tv with wifi but no cable tv

gracias

 

[blazerkor]

These refs are giving France a ton of whistles when there's no foul.

 

[SlyPokerCat]

Watching Durant makes me want to cry. He could have been ours

 

[twobullz]

Anyone with a stream link? I’m in central Mexico and have a smart Tv with wifi but no cable tv

gracias

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