2023 WC - 2nd Round Games

[usagre]

I heard a guy named Kaan Kural say exactly that on a program before the tournament, and I said, "what??". He might have a point.

Lol. Couple of guys were saying it here on your forum Mr. Administrator.

[usagre]

I have always thought that lack of FIBA experience was always severely overstated. Excellent evidence of that was in full display in the Canada-Spain game.
Spain with all its great experience and coaching was +7 (71-78) with 4 minutes to go against the complete opposite profile no experience Canada. And what happened ? 11-2 run later with great offense by a great player creating for himself and others coupled with great team defense and the game is flipped with an 82-80 lead with 20 seconds remaining and now it’s the foul game. And SGA wasn’t gonna miss.

[Levenspiel]

Lol. Couple of guys were saying it here on your forum Mr. Administrator.

So I just read.

As impressive as SGA has been, my bet is on Doncic in their upcoming personal battle.

[usagre]

So I just read.

As impressive as SGA has been, my bet is on Doncic in their upcoming personal battle.

Dillon Brooks and Lu Dort have 10 fouls between them to annoy and harass Luka. And those two are elite defenders. SGA isn’t gonna face anything remotely close on the other end.

[usagre]

With all the Olympic tickets to be awarded either in the quarterfinals or semis, the classifications games for the four quarterfinal losers will be a complete waste of time. Brutal games to participate in coming off extreme disappointment and with absolutely no stakes.

[R1ou]

Australia winning against Finland, Japan and Georgia was enough to have them qualified for the Olympics.

South Sudan had to beat Angola, China and the Philippines while Japan beat Finland, Venezuela and Cape Verde.

compare that with the competition Euro teams have to face both inside the tournament and the oqts and you see why the Olympics either will have to feature more teams (like 16) or completely erase the sport from the games like making it u-23 as it has been the case with football and focus on making the World Cup the most prestigious tournament.

[Hepcat]

Dillon Brooks and Lu Dort have 10 fouls between them to annoy and harass Luka. And those two are elite defenders. SGA isn’t gonna face anything remotely close on the other end.

Incidentally, how is it that you as an American (of Greek descent I believe) are such a big Team Canada fan?

[usagre]

Incidentally, how is it that you as an American (of Greek descent I believe) are such a big Team Canada fan?

I have family in the Quebec area and have visited many times. Montreal is one of my favorite places in the world. But despite that I am a big NBA guy so I know all their players inside out and root for them.

[Hepcat]

Montreal is probably the single best part city in North America. Unlike say New Orleans there's none of this "But don't go there after dark!" business.

[usagre]

Montreal is probably the single best part city in North America. Unlike say New Orleans there's none of this "But don't go there after dark!" business.

If you dropped someone in the middle of Montreal in the 1980’s and 1990’s they wouldn’t I guessed in a million years that they were in North America.
First time I went back in those days I thought I was in Europe. And born in raised in NYC I couldn’t believe that Europe was basically a 5 hour drive away.

When it comes to partying yeah to me in my hay day it was the Las Vegas of the East coast.

[Hepcat]

I had such fabulous times in Montreal in the 1980's when I was young, strong and brimming with vitality. The city was just right for me and only a relaxing four hours and twenty minutes by VIA Turbo passenger train away from Toronto.

[usagre]

Sounds like you got me by about a decade age wise. The 90’s were my wild years. I remember one particular drive up there with a bunch of buddies in the pre 9/11 days when there was basically no border control. We normally would drive right through without being stopped at all but our driver was a little erratic so they stopped us and border patrol which was a beautiful woman asked us the purpose of our visit and we collectively replied sex. She laughed at us and let us go on our way.

[Hepcat]

...border patrol which was a beautiful woman asked us the purpose of our visit and we collectively replied sex. She laughed at us and let us go on our way.

I can endorse any and all of the dining establishments you see in the above picture.

[Killer Bob]

I have always thought that lack of FIBA experience was always severely overstated. Excellent evidence of that was in full display in the Canada-Spain game.
Spain with all its great experience and coaching was +7 (71-78) with 4 minutes to go against the complete opposite profile no experience Canada. And what happened ? 11-2 run later with great offense by a great player creating for himself and others coupled with great team defense and the game is flipped with an 82-80 lead with 20 seconds remaining and now it’s the foul game. And SGA wasn’t gonna miss.

Will we really ignore that Brooks has looked as prime Klay in Q4 and he was even creating for himself and others at the beginning of Q4? Normal Brooks and Spain would have qualified easily. Brooks has made 4 3s in entire tournament before that 4q and he was 3/3 in q4.

SGA did what he's capable of, but he was only +1, Brooks was +13 doing things he's not doing normally.

Spain has no Pg and that was evident in the last Q. Last year's Spain with Brown would have win easily against this Canada.

[Joško Poljak Fan]

For some reason Slovenia is playing better with better opponents and when things matter. The same goes for Mavericks, so it's probably something to do with Luka. Canada will be a favourite for sure and I think that's beneficial for Slovenia. It might not be enough in the end, but I doubt very much that we will see that bloodless Slovenia.

All in all, not much has changed because of this defeat. I'm sure Luka and the whole team will be fully motivated and hopefully we can get Blazic back.

Well, you win some, you lose some. The fact that they're handicaped under the rim and without pressure should help them, but than again it is a talent and a level issue. Slovenia hasn't yet had a crazy 3pt day on this tournament though and I know that Bassin is right now flooded with the most atypical defenses out there, but than again Canada is a good team.
As far as I am concerned, Slovenia has done a good job getting to the quarters, anything above that is an extra. It's an elimination phase where surprises happen, but imo that's basicaly it.

It'll be a change of generations soon. Glas, Samar, hopefully Scuka and some others will have to step up within the next 2, 3 years, since Dragic, Blazic and Muric will fade away slowely.
In 5 years time I think we'll be fine with Vide, Kroflic, Macura jr., but it'll likely be a rough transition untill than.