Day One Game Thread

[cheezdoodle]

Saturday, August 19 Result/Time TV
Japan vs. Germany 12:00 AM ET
Lebanon vs. Venezuela 12:00 AM ET
Australia vs. Brazil 12:30 AM ET
United States vs. Puerto Rico 1:00 AM ET
Panama vs. Angola 3:00 AM ET
Nigeria vs. Serbia and Montenegro 3:00 AM ET
Qatar vs. Greece 3:30 AM ET
Senegal vs. Slovenia 3:30 AM ET
France vs. Argentina 6:00 AM ET
New Zealand vs. Spain 6:00 AM ET
Italy vs. China 6:30 AM ET
Lithuania vs. Turkey 6:30 AM ET

[cheezdoodle]

Nowitzki is absolutely killing it against the Japanese so far. Just toying with them. Gotta be close to 20 here towards the end of the 1st half.

[elaj]

First I must say I'm very surprised with Japan so far. The don't have any powerful inside player, but their guards are just too fast for old Roller and Hamann. The main difference is in quality of German players and their inside force with wings - Okulaja and Nowitzki. They are both scoring at will. I must say I'm not impressed with the way Germany play in this first half. They will struggle vs. better diffensive teams.

[cheezdoodle]

Puerto Rico up by 5 on the US early on. Americans taking some very bad shots. Some go in, some don't. Paul/Lebron/Anthony/Jamison/Brand is the very odd starting lineup. Lots of fullcourt press.

[cheezdoodle]

New lineup is Hinrich/Wade/Lebron/Battier/Howard

Some crazy athleticism here. US makes a run and is up by 1 and at the FT line.

[DanMajerle]

Japanese look fast and motivated so far and we're having some problems with their speed but they are just not good enough to threaten Germany. Femerling weak so far, altough he made some nice passes.

[cheezdoodle]

Coach K trying to use his typical NCAA Jedi mind tricks on the refs...and picks up a technical foul.

USA is really smothering PR defensively.

[cheezdoodle]

end of the 1st quarter, US down by 1 point. PR is not going down easy.

[DanMajerle]

Wow, we're playing worse and worse... get good shots and play defense at the perimeter!

[cheezdoodle]

Arroyo is in one of those moods today...13 points in the first 13 minutes. PR up 4 with 6:20 to go

[cheezdoodle]

Anthony gave the US a huge spark in the 2nd quarter, he has 13. US up by 8 now and starting to pull away a bit. Puerto Ricans really don't want to miss. They are well over 60% by now for the half. Chris Paul is quietly doing a GREAT job of running the US team. Will finish the game with over 10 assists easy.

[YAROUNI10]

lebanon is leading now by 5 with 3 min to go

[fulcizombie]

USA-Puerto Rico 57-51.End of 1st half.

Team USA is a sight to behold but do they ever have troubes with defense.They seem so unfocused sometimes.Strong and talented,as was to be expected, team though.

[Spike]

I am watching 2 games now:

Brazil-Australia (wow at Australia of keeping pace with Brazil)
USA-Puerto (I think the US will move slowly away from this point)
________
Chrysler Windsor

[cheezdoodle]

Just watched the last few minutes of Lebanon...Fadi El Khatib finished with 33. Lebanon wins. Congrats.