[1/8 finals - Day 2] Finland - Serbia

[Shawshank2]

Well it would've been a better game for sure, then it was vs Croatia alone. Beating that team with 11 players who are top 50 players of all time in NBA is special feat.

You can get entire euro team if you like ) we would even load you Sabonis and Marciulionis for that game,but still that usa 1992 teams would beat entire europe team 20+...Not even close.At those years nba was way ahead of europeans.Comon back to reality not dreaming about impossible

 

[Srle2]

Different types of players but Stojakovic was better than Bodiroga in my opinion. And Kukoc at his best was better as well.

Of course he was the better player , Pedja was 3 time NBA All Star.

 

[vuxsa2]

Of course he was the better player , Pedja was 3 time NBA All Star.

Bodiroga clutch-ness is something Pedja never had. I really like them both, but when it's the time to do or die, I wouldn't have the sightless doubt whom to give the ball.

 

[CoachZ2]

Bodiroga clutch-ness is something Pedja never had. I really like them both, but when it's the time to do or die, I wouldn't have the sightless doubt whom to give the ball.

Also career consistency. bBodiroga was year after year a monster on the field and amazing all around player. Peja had a few WOW years and then became a rotation spot shooter. Also he was always defensively a deficient player.

 

[usagre2]

Also career consistency. bBodiroga was year after year a monster on the field and amazing all around player. Peja had a few WOW years and then became a rotation spot shooter. Also he was always defensively a deficient player.

Somewhere in this argument you must factor in that Stojakovic did it against the best players in the world and Bodiroga never did.

 

[Srle2]

One season Pedja was #3 in the voting for the mvp of the entire league as well.

 

[CoachZ2]

They played together in NT, against the same teams and Peja was always the beta, never alpha. Bodiroga was always the better player on the floor.

Regarding not playing in NBA, who cares. Peja was a player who at his peak was a monster but it was all too short, the rest of his career he was a shadow of that. That is not the mark of a great player. Think Grant Hill or Penny Hardaway (my favorite childhood player in NBA). Just not long enough at top level and prime to be in discussion for all time best.

Not saying it was Peja's fault, injuries etc. But that is case with Hill, Hardaway and dozens of players. Peja is one of the what ifs of our basketball history.

 

[slice me nice2]

Sex, Droga, Bodiroga

 

[usagre2]

They played together in NT, against the same teams and Peja was always the beta, never alpha. Bodiroga was always the better player on the floor.

Regarding not playing in NBA, who cares. Peja was a player who at his peak was a monster but it was all too short, the rest of his career he was a shadow of that. That is not the mark of a great player. Think Grant Hill or Penny Hardaway (my favorite childhood player in NBA). Just not long enough at top level and prime to be in discussion for all time best.

Not saying it was Peja's fault, injuries etc. But that is case with Hill, Hardaway and dozens of players. Peja is one of the what ifs of our basketball history.

Bodiroga was also the best, key player on the 2000 and 2004 national teams that severely underachieved. I also hold that against him as a player.

 

[Srle2]

Stojakovic was rock solid in Indiana and NO as well , even though at that time he was nursing bad injuries , also when both Stojakovic and Bodiroga played in Europe , mid 90's , Stojakovic was considered as the best euro player.

 

[MZT Skopje2]

Good jobb Serbia, well done.

 

[vuxsa2]

Stojakovic was rock solid in Indiana and NO as well , even though at that time he was nursing bad injuries , also when both Stojakovic and Bodiroga played in Europe , mid 90's , Stojakovic was considered as the best euro player.

Hm, you must have mixed something up, this was never the case. Pedja's Euro story was way too short for any more significant impact.

 

[Srle2]

Stojakovic was unstoppable in Europe while he was playing for PAOK, of course he didn't stay for a long in Europe, because he was too great for european leagues

 

[Pera Peric2]

Pedja vs Bodiroga oh fuck, not again. I was just talking today with my friend about Serbia best 12 players in last 20 years. Ok, lets start with starting five. Ok, playmaker. Djordjevic or Teodosic? Oh, fuck this, lets change topic.

 

[CoachZ2]

It seems that Raduljica, Erceg and Kalinic got "kidnapped" by a Tunisian cab driver in Lille and ended up at his house for coffee and cookies with his family.

https://instagram.com/p/7lXdUwtFRT/

 

[prasinos2]

Pedja was mostly a very good shooter and thats why he had a good nba career. Dejan was an all around player a natural winner and leader. Everytime they played together Dejan was the number one...

Sex-Droga-Dejan Bodiroga

 

[usagre2]

Pedja was mostly a very good shooter and thats why he had a good nba career. Dejan was an all around player a natural winner and leader. Everytime they played together Dejan was the number one...

Sex-Droga-Dejan Bodiroga

On the 2002 world championship team, Stojakovic outscored, out rebounded , and had more assists than Bodiroga. Facts are the facts, nice try anyway.

 

[CoachZ2]

On the 2002 world championship team, Stojakovic outscored, out rebounded , and had more assists than Bodiroga. Facts are the facts, nice try anyway.

LOL. He kept putting up numbers vs Puerto Rico, Brazil, Canada etc. Despite scoring the most on the team he was nowhere to be found when the clutch was needed. We almost lost the finals to his crappy D and shooting 20+ times (doesn't matter how many points he had in the end). Bodiroga took care of business when needed. Similar thing happened with Team USA, he scored 20 but anyone who watches that game all they can remember will be Gurovic threes, Divac taking care of business.

Pedja was a wonderful player who always disappeared in tough games. Ask Sacramento...

 

[usagre2]

LOL. He kept putting up numbers vs Puerto Rico, Brazil, Canada etc. Despite scoring the most on the team he was nowhere to be found when the clutch was needed. We almost lost the finals to his crappy D and shooting 20+ times (doesn't matter how many points he had in the end). Bodiroga took care of business when needed. Similar thing happened with Team USA, he scored 20 but anyone who watches that game all they can remember will be Gurovic threes, Divac taking care of

Pedja was a wonderful player who always disappeared in tough games. Ask Sacramento...

I think Bodiroga was an excellent player against the level of player he competed against. You might think not playing in the nba doesn't matter but I how can you accurately measure yourself if you don't do it against the best? There will always be that doubt and wonder if he could have starred in the nba.

 

[CoachZ2]

I think Bodiroga was an excellent player against the level of player he competed against. You might think not playing in the nba doesn't matter but I how can you accurately measure yourself if you don't do it against the best? There will always be that doubt and wonder if he could have starred in the nba.

Pedja's peak was higher than Bodiroga's. But his peak was very very short and the rest of the years he was 50-60% of those 2 years in Sacramento. And clutch was ALWAYS an issue. He never had that. Doesn't make him a bad player, just lacks the X factor. Bodiroga maintained peak level of performance for a very long time, and was always the X factor when it mattered.. He never decided to go to NBA, it was his choice. We don't know how he would've played, we can only assume. The only way we can compare them is along each other, when they played together. In those instances Bodiroga was clearly better and more valuable to his team.

Again, when this stupid debate started few days ago I wrote Bodiroga is for ME, second best player after Drazen from Ex-Yu because of the reasons I stated.. No one really has to agree with that, it won't change my mind.