SF: Australia vs Serbia

[Oly_fan2]

I think the problem is Mills is an offensive player somehow Milos would defend either Delly and Patty so really Jovic and Markovic to play their finest game and Jokic to mature fast against Sheamus and the gang..

Teodosic should be defending Ingles or Broekhoff.

Serbia had the simplest path to semis ever: they just beat the two worst teams in the competition (China and Venezuela) to reach QF, then had one of the easiest match-ups from group B in Croatia. Australia has proved to be much better up to this point. But you never know.

Croatia topped group B. If that doesn't matter, then I guess Serbia finishing 4th doesn't matter either.

 

[Victorious2]

I think the four best teams are in the semi's. Well, perhaps France might be better than Serbia, but not much better. It would seem that Australia is going to write history and make the finals, which would mean that for the first time in history there is no European team in the final. Unless, Spain does its trick against the Americans.

 

[Darrell Armstrong2]

Croatia topped group B. If that doesn't matter, then I guess Serbia finishing 4th doesn't matter either.

Any team from group B would have finished 4th in group A as long as China and Venezuela were in there too. Croatia wasn't the best team from group B and it's quite clear now, don't you think? I don't know if Argentina or Lithuania would have fared better against Serbia, but the top team from group B was Spain, and most probably, they would have crushed Serbia as they did with France.

 

[Darrell Armstrong2]

And people will say serbia had the simpliest path to finals ever by beating Australia and again simpliest path to Olympic Gold by beating an incomplete and disorganized us team

Not me. If Serbia beats Australia I'll give them all the credit they deserve. But, come on, China and Venezuela were overwhelmed by every other squad in their group. And Croacia lost against Nigeria and Argentina. They got extremely lucky scoring an unexpected win against Spain the opening day. Had they lost that game they may not even have made it out of group stage.

 

[CoachZ2]

Any team from group B would have finished 4th in group A as long as China and Venezuela were in there too. Croatia wasn't the best team from group B and it's quite clear now, don't you think? I don't know if Argentina or Lithuania would have fared better against Serbia, but the top team from group B was Spain, and most probably, they would have crushed Serbia as they did with France.

The same Serbia you lost to by a margin last year? It would've been a tight game, that could go either way. We are always a tough matchup for Spain.

 

[Darrell Armstrong2]

The same Serbia you lost to by a margin last year? It would've been a tight game, that could go either way. We are always a tough matchup for Spain.

You mean past Eurobasket where Spain came up with gold and Serbia with nothing? Yeah, great win. You must be proud.

 

[Straight forward2]

Australia. And it might be sweep. I hope Serbians will give a heck of a fight, but Australia into some serious mode now.

 

[Raze Lupin2]

The final score of that game is completely unrealistic compared to the strength of the teams. The game was close and very tight and it went from a 1 or 2 possession game to +15 in last two minutes where we collapsed. The gap in quality is very, very small. It will be up to who plays better and has a better game plan.

In your opinion What do you think the gap between USA and Serbia is?

 

[CoachZ2]

You mean past Eurobasket where Spain came up with gold and Serbia with nothing? Yeah, great win. You must be proud.

Yep I am. Basketball is a game of matchups. Beaten by Lithuania, killed Spain. When talking about other teams, always take into account how you play against them before making claims that you would sweep them and destroy them. Serbia and Spain games are always tough and tight and this generation with Teodosic has always given Spain fits. That is all I said.

 

[SashKX2]

This game will depend completely on which Serbian team shows up. Australia has been very consistent this entire tournament and we all know what to expect. On the other hand, our team had games that ranged from challenging USA harder than anyone has for a long time, down to games where we played like our women's team, good hustling work followed by missed layups, as was what happened against Croatia. I doubt the latter will happen, considering our games with our dear western brethren are always special, but team could easily be mentally exhausted after that one. If we approach the game like we did against the USA (except for those dreadful first 5 minutes), it's gonna be a win in double digits easily, but I doubt it will go that way either, Aussies have so far played much better defense than USA.
So, it might seem to someone that Australia is the favorite here, based on their consistent performance and deceptively large point difference in that group win, but they're really not, there's no favorite in this game.

As I said it before, we need to win this one or we ain't getting a medal, right now the most important game of the tournament so they better show up.

 

[CoachZ2]

In your opinion What do you think the gap between USA and Serbia is?

20 points more or less. If both teams play at the peak of their powers. USA blows out Euro teams, since most of them get discouraged and give up so sometimes the gap looks bigger than that. But on a day where both sides give their 100% it's a bout 20 points gap of USA vs Serbia/Spain/France. Again it doesn't mean it will be like that. It could be tight and it could be a blowout. We don't know how teams will show up. Both Serbia and Team USA didn't have the best tournament so far.

 

[Darrell Armstrong2]

Yep I am. Basketball is a game of matchups. Beaten by Lithuania, killed Spain. When talking about other teams, always take into account how you play against them before making claims that you would sweep them and destroy them. Serbia and Spain games are always tough and tight and this generation with Teodosic has always given Spain fits. That is all I said.

Sure. 2009 was a great start by this current generation being beaten by 22 points by Spain in the final game. In 2010 it really was a tight game which fell on Serbia's side. It was also a great display of winning character by Teodosic and friends, failing to win a game in the medal round. Then in 2011 another 20+ points drumming on the second round, and Serbia failed to advance to the semis. In 2012 there was no Serbia in the Olympics. In 2013, a not-so-strong Spanish squad just demolished Serbia by 30 points in the quarter-finals. In 2014 Serbia fared much better, losing only by 16 points in a non-elimination game. France's lucky day prevented a Spain vs. Serbia match in the semis. And, of course, in 2015 Serbia scored another meaningless win. I must say it's quite a lucky charm to lose to Serbia the first day of a competition, as Spain has ended up winning it all each time.

So, the "always tough games" you're talking about are, in reality, 3 close games (and 4 blowouts) since 2009. I'm pretty sure other countries have a much better record.

 

[Boomer2]

This game will depend completely on which Serbian team shows up. Australia has been very consistent this entire tournament and we all know what to expect. On the other hand, our team had games that ranged from challenging USA harder than anyone has for a long time, down to games where we played like our women's team, good hustling work followed by missed layups, as was what happened against Croatia. I doubt the latter will happen, considering our games with our dear western brethren are always special, but team could easily be mentally exhausted after that one. If we approach the game like we did against the USA (except for those dreadful first 5 minutes), it's gonna be a win in double digits easily, but I doubt it will go that way either, Aussies have so far played much better defense than USA.
So, it might seem to someone that Australia is the favorite here, based on their consistent performance and deceptively large point difference in that group win, but they're really not, there's no favorite in this game.

As I said it before, we need to win this one or we ain't getting a medal, right now the most important game of the tournament so they better show up.

Mate Australia pushed America way harder then the Serbs lol that's a fact, we were leading the game for most of it. Did Serbia even take the lead against America ? They took the foot off the pedal and just did what they had too. I still feel the Europeans on here are struggling to come to terms with the fact that this Australian team is shit hot. Better then the Europeans, Spain vs Australia would be a tight game. It's time to real and accept the changing of the guard. Can Serbia beat Australia ? Yes I think they could if this Australian team has an off night. if both teams play to the maximum level, Australia wins, and wins with some space to spare.

 

[SashKX2]

Mate Australia pushed America way harder then the Serbs lol that's a fact, we were leading the game for most of it. Did Serbia even take the lead against America ? They took the foot off the pedal and just did what they had too. I still feel the Europeans on here are struggling to come to terms with the fact that this Australian team is shit hot. Better then the Europeans, Spain vs Australia would be a tight game. It's time to real and accept the changing of the guard. Can Serbia beat Australia ? Yes I think they could if this Australian team has an off night. if both teams play to the maximum level, Australia wins, and wins with some space to spare.

Serbia had a wide open 3 for an over time with USA, after completely outplaying them for 3 quarters, Australia didn't, so I'm not sure where does this fact about Australia pushing them harder comes from.
Also no one is denying Australia that they're shit hot, but that doesn't mean they're better, not after having a good start on one tournament.

 

[CoachZ2]

Sure. 2009 was a great start by this current generation being beaten by 22 points by Spain in the final game. In 2010 it really was a tight game which fell on Serbia's side. It was also a great display of winning character by Teodosic and friends, failing to win a game in the medal round. Then in 2011 another 20+ points drumming on the second round, and Serbia failed to advance to the semis. In 2012 there was no Serbia in the Olympics. In 2013, a not-so-strong Spanish squad just demolished Serbia by 30 points in the quarter-finals. In 2014 Serbia fared much better, losing only by 16 points in a non-elimination game. France's lucky day prevented a Spain vs. Serbia match in the semis. And, of course, in 2015 Serbia scored another meaningless win. I must say it's quite a lucky charm to lose to Serbia the first day of a competition, as Spain has ended up winning it all each time.

So, the "always tough games" you're talking about are, in reality, 3 close games (and 4 blowouts) since 2009. I'm pretty sure other countries have a much better record.

This current generation? Teodosic, Markovic, Bjelica, Raduljica was there. Everybody else has nothing to do with those teams. If you want to be selective, I can play that game too, and start pulling up generations that I want. Like I said, you have it all in you hands. Beat USA and if we do our job, you will have another crack at us. If any one of us fails, it is not meant to be. Also there are very few meaningless games, since losses in "meaningless games" have sent you in the path of USA now, when you could've been playing Serbia in the 1/4.

Each country has it's period of dominance and those come in cycles. So be happy that you witnessed yours, since others are rising.

 

[Boomer2]

Serbia had a wide open 3 for an over time with USA, after completely outplaying them for 3 quarters, Australia didn't, so I'm not sure where does this fact about Australia pushing them harder comes from.
Also no one is denying Australia that they're shit hot, but that doesn't mean they're better, not after having a good start on one tournament.

I'd be interested to see what the American fans think about it, who they think is a bigger threat to America and who pushed them harder in the group games.

 

[Darrell Armstrong2]

This current generation? Teodosic, Markovic, Bjelica, Raduljica was there. Everybody else has nothing to do with those teams. If you want to be selective, I can play that game too, and start pulling up generations that I want. Like I said, you have it all in you hands. Beat USA and if we do our job, you will have another crack at us. If any one of us fails, it is not meant to be. Also there are very few meaningless games, since losses in "meaningless games" have sent you in the path of USA now, when you could've been playing Serbia in the 1/4.

Each country has it's period of dominance and those come in cycles. So be happy that you witnessed yours, since others are rising.

What? Are you trying to fool others or just yourself? Where are those "tough games" you were talking about?

Anyway, the demise of the Spanish Golden Generation has been announced so many times, it's not even funny. I remember posters on this board claiming Spain would never rise again after 2014's defeat to France. And you saw what happened. Meeting Team USA in the medal round was the goal this time, and has been achieved. We'll probably lose again, but at least we have one last chance.

 

[usagre2]

I'd be interested to see what the American fans think about it, who they think is a bigger threat to America and who pushed them harder in the group games.

I would consider the two games about the same. The negative with the Serbia game is the horrendous start that put them in a hole that is just about insurmountable against the USA. But they did battle after that, made it a one possession game and had a chance to tie at the buzzer. The Australian game was toe to toe the whole way but in the final couple of minutes it never got to a one possession game. So take your pick I guess but pretty equal and both were better than the France game. As for who I think has a better chance against the USA ? Honestly I don't give either much of a shot. Spain probably has the best shot and that's a huge long shot as well in my opinion. But if I had to pick I would favor Serbia slightly as a better possible upset opponent. The Serbian players are still an unknown for the most part to the USA players. And that unfamiliarity is a huge pro like Greece in '06. The USA knows the 5 Australian starters very well and I just can't see them losing a gold medal match to them.

 

[aussieasker2]

I think Australia will lose this game. They are due for an off game and Serbia is a very good team.

 

[DarkoMVP2]

Why do I suspect this "Boomer" is really a Kiwi trying to make Australians look bad?