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QF: Australia - Lithuania

  • Thread starter Thread starter Silent Killer2
  • Start date Start date

QF: Australia - Lithuania

  • Total voters
    15
As I claimed before. Lithuania was the easiest opponent in the QF. What has happened in this game is rather natural. Lithuania doesn't have the talent to put up with this level at all times. Last year they had great momentum in order to reach the final, but it can't happen every year.
 
Last 3 games is something similar to 2001 and 2009 championships..

Very very bad defense in this championship. Very limited offense and normal result. Congrats Australia, great Olympics, hope you will be in final!
 
I think the only interesting game today will be Spain - France. The rest 3 is/will be blowouts
 
Whats suprising, no-one from Lith team can hit the three anymore consistently.
 
Silent Killer said:
i think the Croatia-serbia would be a close game..
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I hope it will be easy win for Serbia. This was my 2nd team before Rio after Lithuania. I always liked Croatia because it is a small country as Lithuania is and acomplished probably even more in all sports, but too many haters from that country.
 
of the 12 quarters in the last three games Lithuania won 2.
but even this 2/12 is better then their three point shooting percentage.

edit: they did manage to win another one. 3/12.
 
Victorious said:
As I claimed before. Lithuania was the easiest opponent in the QF. What has happened in this game is rather natural. Lithuania doesn't have the talent to put up with this level at all times. Last year they had great momentum in order to reach the final, but it can't happen every year.
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I agree we lack talent..
 
And Australia seemed to be a team in complete disarray during the pre-Olympic friendlies! Shows you what friendlies mean. Diddly squat.

:rolleyes:
 
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Mr Chacho said:
In Tokyo, if Simmons and Exum still improving his level, Australia could be an upset to the USA.
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Bogut wont be there and he cant be replaced.Andersen too even though he's replaceable..It was the perfect storm for Australia,Bogut-Delavedova-Mills never played together before in a major tournament.Of course Mills is the huge difference maker.There is literally NOONE on this tournament that can stop him.And smart decision by Latvian coach Lemanis to use him as a shooting guard.
 
Mr Chacho said:
In Tokyo, if Simmons and Exum still improving his level, Australia could be an upset to the USA.
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Well, Australia has a good team and they have some bright prospects (although not that numerous) but here in Rio they are really overperforming, so it's not that in terms of talent they suddenly became better than all European powerhouses. Their frontcourt looks especially doubtful for the future - Ben Simmons, whose rapid development is far from certain (Bennett case is very much possible), is not a real PF despite his size, Thon Maker is a huge question mark, Baynes deteriorated into big, tough, strong but immobile heavyweight lumberjack and right now it doesn't look that the likes of Bairstow and Motum will progress a lot in this four-year span.

Australia has a great run in the tournament so far but we don't need to get overexcited about them. We all heard a lot of high-flown talk about 'terrific' Canadian and Australian prospects who will dominate both NBA and international basketball in a couple of years but so far out of them all only Wiggins evolved into a legit NBA star.
 
Hepcat said:
And Australia seemed to be a team in complete disarray during the pre-Olympic friendlies! Shows you what friendlies mean. Diddly squat.

::rolleyes:
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I think they played all of their friendlies without Bogut.
huge difference.
 
Jon_Koncak said:
Bogut wont be there and he cant be replaced.Andersen too even though he's replaceable..It was the perfect storm for Australia,Bogut-Delavedova-Mills never played together before in a major tournament.Of course Mills is the huge difference maker.There is literally NOONE on this tournament that can stop him.And smart decision by Latvian coach Lemanis to use him as a shooting guard.
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the puzzle of 3 role players(who had major roles ) who were part of nba championship teams will be presented to the remaining teams, as for one spain and france raise their level of play when one of they stars produce, as for the boomers case it comes to threes and greatly compensated their lack of supporting cast..

But interesting fact, Canada team boasts Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson, also players of nba champion teams (Thompson from the recent nba champs) and somehow Francde beat them and canada supporting cast in Manila is much better than the Australians..
 
I just hope that everything is fair in the final 4 and no zebras were involved fto setup the us australia rivalry for the future.. The boomers deserve more, and for selfish purposes I dont want that Australian defense to have their leeway on what would be called foul or not especially in the Asian level..
 
Jon_Koncak said:
Bogut wont be there and he cant be replaced.Andersen too even though he's replaceable..It was the perfect storm for Australia,Bogut-Delavedova-Mills never played together before in a major tournament.Of course Mills is the huge difference maker.There is literally NOONE on this tournament that can stop him.And smart decision by Latvian coach Lemanis to use him as a shooting guard.
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Bogut will be 35 in 2020, he can still play in a good level.
 
Picek said:
if he can stay healthy until then.
throughout his career he has had a lot of injury woes.
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That is a HUGE "if".

To me a lot rests on the shoulders of Thon Maker unless the Aussies come up with another legit big man prospect before then, which is very possible.
 
reamily said:
the puzzle of 3 role players(who had major roles ) who were part of nba championship teams will be presented to the remaining teams, as for one spain and france raise their level of play when one of they stars produce, as for the boomers case it comes to threes and greatly compensated their lack of supporting cast..

But interesting fact, Canada team boasts Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson, also players of nba champion teams (Thompson from the recent NBA champs) and somehow Francde beat them and canada supporting cast in Manila is much better than the Australians..
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Not a good comparison at all. Canada's team was a mess in the Qualifier. The supporting cast was very poor (most of our NBA players wern't there), a way worse supporting cast than Australia. The starting SF for Canada played in the Finnish league! Many of the starters were below ok role players forced into roles well over their head. Brady Heslip, one of the best 3pt shooters in the world, I think shot in the single digit percentages. Tristan Thompson, a role player in Cleveland, thought he was a reincarnation of Kobe Bryant jacking up fade-away mid-range jumpers. I am not sure he ever hit a shot outside the key in the NBA. With so many guys missing guys get forced out of their normal roles, it can get ugly. Australia has most of their team intact - their guys know their roles and are comfortable in them. Canada was missing at least 8 of their best players, had no prep time, no cohesion, poor coaching and still almost beat France. It is tough to get all your best playing but missing 8 of your best 12?

The guys dissing Canada and Australia are just behind the times. Australia, Canada, Brazil (Croatia and Turkey too) are producing better and better players and we are starting to see the results with the Aussies. Countries like Spain, Lithuania, Argentina and Greece are fading fast.

Canada in Rio with most of its best players would be a medal contender as well (but they aren't because shit happens sometimes. You should all thank Venezuela for that).
 
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