Tweet
(Originally posted by sime0n, 02-27-2006, 08:05 AM)
Article posted by sime0n
02-27-2006, 08:05 AM
02-27-2006, 08:05 AM
Slovenia not afraid of the U.S.
posted: Sunday, February 26, 2006
filed under: NBA, Olympics, New Jersey Nets
Memo to Jerry Colangelo: Slovenia is not afraid of you.
That's the word from Bostjan Nachbar, who wasn't exactly shaking in his boots -- it was more like shrugging in his sneakers -- as he discussed Slovenia's chances against the United States in this summer's World Championship.
"One thing that we can't forget is that they've been beat before -- a lot of times," Nachbar told me Sunday as he prepared to play his first game for his newest team, the New Jersey Nets. "Obviously they're going to try to assemble a much stronger team this year, but there are ways that you can beat them, and we have the whole summer to prepare for that."
Colangelo is about to become a big face in the news again as he announces the 25 players who will make up the U.S. national team roster. Kobe Bryant, Gilbert Arenas, Chris Bosh, Shawn Marion and Bruce Bowen are among those on board, with Shaquille O'Neal sitting on an open invitation to join the team if he likes. He has until mid-July, when the Americans will descend upon Las Vegas for the start of training camp.
In an apparent concession to critics, including this one, who castigated him for failing to heed one of the lessons learned in Indianapolis in 2002 and Athens in 2004 -- that the U.S. team needs more practice, not less -- Colangelo has moved up the start date of camp to just a couple weeks after the end of the NBA draft. It's a start, but many of the world's top teams will be hard at work long before that preparing for a tournament that is viewed by the rest of the world as much more prestigious than the Olympics.
Slovenia, a small Balkan nation of 1.9 million, is an up-and-comer on the international basketball scene, having qualified for the Worlds for the first time after finishing sixth in the European Championship last summer in Belgrade, winning its preliminary-round group before losing to Germany in the quarterfinals.
Nackbar is one of five Slovenians currently playing in the NBA, along with Primoz Brezec of Charlotte, Rasho Nesterovic and Benu Udrih of San Antonio and Sasha Vujacic of the Lakers. Two other Slovenians, Uros Slokar (Toronto) and Erazem Lorbek (Indiana) were chosen in the second round of last year's draft, and the team captain, Marko Milic, was once a teammate of Steve Nash's in Phoenix -- and he once won a dunk contest by leaping over a sports car that was wheeled onto the court.
"I watched them last year in the European Championship, and they're a pretty good team. They're a young team, and that's what separated them from everybody else, a more up-tempo team. They can finish second," said Peja Stojakovic, who plans to sit out this summer rather than play for his home country of Serbia-Montenegro, the defending champion.
The Serbians won't have to worry about the Americans until the later rounds, but Slovenia has been drawn into the group with the U.S. team, along with China (which will have Yao Ming), Italy (which won silver in Athens and trounced the U.S. in a tune-up game), Puerto Rico (which trounced the U.S. in Athens) and Senegal. Four teams will advance from that group, and only Senegal can be counted on to falter. The other five teams are experienced, worldly and better than most people in the States believe.
And they certainly are not scared. Take it from Nachbar, whose 59 NBA teammates have included some of the scariest hoopsters to have played in this country -- Charles Oakley, Dikembe Mutombo, Chris Andersen, Steve Francis, Eddie Griffin, Clarence Weatherspoon and Adrian Griffin to name just a few.
"We're a young team, but our senior team has been playing together since we were 16 or 17 years old. We took over the men's team from the generation before us, and Peja is right -- we do play hard. We have a lot of talent, guys in the NBA, guys in the strongest European league," Nachbar said. "It's going to be a big thing for us."
posted: Sunday, February 26, 2006
filed under: NBA, Olympics, New Jersey Nets
Memo to Jerry Colangelo: Slovenia is not afraid of you.
That's the word from Bostjan Nachbar, who wasn't exactly shaking in his boots -- it was more like shrugging in his sneakers -- as he discussed Slovenia's chances against the United States in this summer's World Championship.
"One thing that we can't forget is that they've been beat before -- a lot of times," Nachbar told me Sunday as he prepared to play his first game for his newest team, the New Jersey Nets. "Obviously they're going to try to assemble a much stronger team this year, but there are ways that you can beat them, and we have the whole summer to prepare for that."
Colangelo is about to become a big face in the news again as he announces the 25 players who will make up the U.S. national team roster. Kobe Bryant, Gilbert Arenas, Chris Bosh, Shawn Marion and Bruce Bowen are among those on board, with Shaquille O'Neal sitting on an open invitation to join the team if he likes. He has until mid-July, when the Americans will descend upon Las Vegas for the start of training camp.
In an apparent concession to critics, including this one, who castigated him for failing to heed one of the lessons learned in Indianapolis in 2002 and Athens in 2004 -- that the U.S. team needs more practice, not less -- Colangelo has moved up the start date of camp to just a couple weeks after the end of the NBA draft. It's a start, but many of the world's top teams will be hard at work long before that preparing for a tournament that is viewed by the rest of the world as much more prestigious than the Olympics.
Slovenia, a small Balkan nation of 1.9 million, is an up-and-comer on the international basketball scene, having qualified for the Worlds for the first time after finishing sixth in the European Championship last summer in Belgrade, winning its preliminary-round group before losing to Germany in the quarterfinals.
Nackbar is one of five Slovenians currently playing in the NBA, along with Primoz Brezec of Charlotte, Rasho Nesterovic and Benu Udrih of San Antonio and Sasha Vujacic of the Lakers. Two other Slovenians, Uros Slokar (Toronto) and Erazem Lorbek (Indiana) were chosen in the second round of last year's draft, and the team captain, Marko Milic, was once a teammate of Steve Nash's in Phoenix -- and he once won a dunk contest by leaping over a sports car that was wheeled onto the court.
"I watched them last year in the European Championship, and they're a pretty good team. They're a young team, and that's what separated them from everybody else, a more up-tempo team. They can finish second," said Peja Stojakovic, who plans to sit out this summer rather than play for his home country of Serbia-Montenegro, the defending champion.
The Serbians won't have to worry about the Americans until the later rounds, but Slovenia has been drawn into the group with the U.S. team, along with China (which will have Yao Ming), Italy (which won silver in Athens and trounced the U.S. in a tune-up game), Puerto Rico (which trounced the U.S. in Athens) and Senegal. Four teams will advance from that group, and only Senegal can be counted on to falter. The other five teams are experienced, worldly and better than most people in the States believe.
And they certainly are not scared. Take it from Nachbar, whose 59 NBA teammates have included some of the scariest hoopsters to have played in this country -- Charles Oakley, Dikembe Mutombo, Chris Andersen, Steve Francis, Eddie Griffin, Clarence Weatherspoon and Adrian Griffin to name just a few.
"We're a young team, but our senior team has been playing together since we were 16 or 17 years old. We took over the men's team from the generation before us, and Peja is right -- we do play hard. We have a lot of talent, guys in the NBA, guys in the strongest European league," Nachbar said. "It's going to be a big thing for us."
wardjdim
02-27-2006, 08:20 AM
I don't find a reason for a scare. Of course the U.S. is the favorite, but that's all I guess. They are neither much better nor more experienced, so there is no question that Slovenia has a chance...
02-27-2006, 08:20 AM
I don't find a reason for a scare. Of course the U.S. is the favorite, but that's all I guess. They are neither much better nor more experienced, so there is no question that Slovenia has a chance...
Phantim3dx
02-27-2006, 10:33 AM
im not trying commit an act of treason here, but i do like the hustle being stated. the underdogs putting up some bark is definitely a challenge, and i hope it becomes a good game of basketball from both sides.
02-27-2006, 10:33 AM
im not trying commit an act of treason here, but i do like the hustle being stated. the underdogs putting up some bark is definitely a challenge, and i hope it becomes a good game of basketball from both sides.
L8DBACK
02-28-2006, 07:13 AM
im not trying commit an act of treason here, but i do like the hustle being stated. the underdogs putting up some bark is definitely a challenge, and i hope it becomes a good game of basketball from both sides.
It's not an act of treason but an act of reason! May the best team win.
02-28-2006, 07:13 AM
im not trying commit an act of treason here, but i do like the hustle being stated. the underdogs putting up some bark is definitely a challenge, and i hope it becomes a good game of basketball from both sides.
It's not an act of treason but an act of reason! May the best team win.
mvblair
02-28-2006, 07:31 AM
im not trying commit an act of treason here, but i do like the hustle being stated. the underdogs putting up some bark is definitely a challenge, and i hope it becomes a good game of basketball from both sides.
Absolutely right. 100%
Any team, any player, who is going to put "up some bark" is good. Yeah, the US is the favorite, but nobody should be afraid. Obviously Nachbar (who is much better than his playing time suggests) is ready for the fight.
Matt
02-28-2006, 07:31 AM
im not trying commit an act of treason here, but i do like the hustle being stated. the underdogs putting up some bark is definitely a challenge, and i hope it becomes a good game of basketball from both sides.
Absolutely right. 100%
Any team, any player, who is going to put "up some bark" is good. Yeah, the US is the favorite, but nobody should be afraid. Obviously Nachbar (who is much better than his playing time suggests) is ready for the fight.
Matt
kestas
02-28-2006, 10:40 PM
tournament that is viewed by the rest of the world as much more prestigious than the Olympics.
that's so not true! in LTU at least. some of our highest officials once again are calling for this tournament to be treated as a preparation for the upcoming Eurobasket (in terms of assembling a team, that would play next year without changes), that will serve as a quallifying event for the Olympic games.
regarding "not scared".. well, some might say Slovenians are in the best group possible regarding USA. losss to this team in the group stage should not meen much as probably every other team will lose as well. while it would make them fammiliar with this squad. and, of course, they are certain they would not meet US untill deep into play-offs.
on the other hand, why should anyone be scared of them at this moment, that would not make sense.
02-28-2006, 10:40 PM
tournament that is viewed by the rest of the world as much more prestigious than the Olympics.
that's so not true! in LTU at least. some of our highest officials once again are calling for this tournament to be treated as a preparation for the upcoming Eurobasket (in terms of assembling a team, that would play next year without changes), that will serve as a quallifying event for the Olympic games.
regarding "not scared".. well, some might say Slovenians are in the best group possible regarding USA. losss to this team in the group stage should not meen much as probably every other team will lose as well. while it would make them fammiliar with this squad. and, of course, they are certain they would not meet US untill deep into play-offs.
on the other hand, why should anyone be scared of them at this moment, that would not make sense.