Eighth-Finals: New Zealand vs. Russia

[Francek]

Russian win is well deserved, they destroyed New Zealand at what New Zealand did best. Rebounds. Tall Blacks simply couldn't play their game, this was the first game they got outrebounded and it really hurt them and killed them at the end.
And refs surely didn't help them either, three offensive fouls on their best player. I mean who calls that?
Russia - USA. I wonder how will US team react on russian bigs who are playing well.

edit: Actually the second game they got outrebounde. France won the rebounds by 2 (33-31).
btw. 6 eight final games were played with all pre game favorites winning their games.

[goga78]

A well deserved victory for the Russians, playing a nicer basketball and beating NZ on the defensive end. Not destroying on defense but a solid effort. Several dirty plays by NZ players, mainly Vukona, but it didn't help his team much.

Vorontsevich with a really good game. Monya, also.
Fridzon with his weakest defensive effort in years. He is probably still being bothered with his foot injury.
Too bad, Khryapa isn't playing. I don't believe, his condition - if health is actually an issue - was not known to the team doctors before the tournament. At the end, he is simply taking away the spot from another player. With him, this team would be much better on offense (better ball movement) and even better on defense.

[goga78]

Russian win is well deserved, they destroyed New Zealand at what New Zealand did best. Rebounds. Tall Blacks simply couldn't play their game, this was the first game they got outrebounded and it really hurt them and killed them at the end.
And refs surely didn't help them either, three offensive fouls on their best player. I mean who calls that?
Russia - USA. I wonder how will US team react on russian bigs who are playing well.

edit: Actually the second game they got outrebounde. France won the rebounds by 2 (33-31).
btw. 6 eight final games were played with all pre game favorites winning their games.

Russian bigs are totally dependent on good passing from their backcourt teammates. Especially Mozgov. Thus, the key for the US players is defense of the guards and ball pressure on the PG. Since Russia doesn't have shooters aside from a non-athletic Fridzon, they will have a tough time against the US boys. I hope for a Russian win but I hardly believe it.

[uRAgan]

Ridiculously to read about "bad Russia", especially from any greeks and lithuanians.
We don't have snipers, our force is protection.

[goga78]

SportTV commentators dialogue:
-Carlos asked: When was the Indianapolis WC?
-Luís answers: 1996!!!!!!

But nothing goes over Vladimir Gomelsky, the Russian Pay TV commentator. He is known as a big time expert in Russia but he is telling such crazy nonsense and gets personal on players. For example, Bykov makes a dribbling mistake and Gomelsky is saying: "What's that?! I don't like Bykov. He is not a good basketball player". This guy is always walking the thin rope between comedy and insulting. Plus, he is biased as hell. He called just two or three Russian fouls on NZ players as fouls. He is watching a slow motion re-run, where the foul can clearly be seen and at the same moment he is insulting the refs for calling a non-foul. Personally, I've never heard such self-assured and ignorant commentar as his work. Imho, Roman Skvortsov is a much better and more exciting commentator but he is working for a different channel.
Right now, Gomelsky is saying the US team totally can'T play against the zone and that three hours after the US have hit 18/38 from beyond the arc.

[auris1]

For me ,New Zealand was a revelation...Out of bottom 3 teams in group D they not only managed to win 2 games they were 50/50,but got as well a nice little bonus against France.
And Kirk,well,when he was playing in Zalgiris,i did not think much of him...Whatever you say about him,the guy can score...

[BasketballTog]

that's over.. and another game that didn't live up to expectations..
More Russia vs New Zealand photos
Hoepfully tomorrows Argentina vs Brazil is something to write home about...

(too many teams in the competitions as we have games like today's)

[Dreamcatcher]

Ridiculously to read about "bad Russia", especially from any greeks and lithuanians.
We don't have snipers, our force is protection.

Why especially from lithuanians?

And actually Voroncevich and Monya are good snipers from 3-pt. Defence is not bad, yes, but NZ isn't that team, that shows the strenght of it.

[auris1]

But nothing goes over Vladimir Gomelsky, the Russian Pay TV commentator. He is known as a big time expert in Russia but he is telling such crazy nonsense and gets personal on players. For example, Bykov makes a dribbling mistake and Gomelsky is saying: "What's that?! I don't like Bykov. He is not a good basketball player". This guy is always walking the thin rope between comedy and insulting. Plus, he is biased as hell. He called just two or three Russian fouls on NZ players as fouls. He is watching a slow motion re-run, where the foul can clearly be seen and at the same moment he is insulting the refs for calling a non-foul. Personally, I've never heard such self-assured and ignorant commentar as his work. Imho, Roman Skvortsov is a much better and more exciting commentator but he is working for a different channel.
Right now, Gomelsky is saying the US team totally can'T play against the zone and that three hours after the US have hit 18/38 from beyond the arc.

yeah,i was a little surprised by his commentary - i watched probably only two games in russian this time,but boy...Last year,watching euroleague ,i got gob-smacked as well,but it went to all CSKA players.regardless of nationality...It wasn't until i read an article in " sport express" where the players were appalled by his conduct to say at least - I mean even Mazutis ,who arguably was left as a scapegoat in the last year's euro for lithuanian,didn't get half of what Gomelsky dishes on daily basis,well,to every player in Russian team...

[donmar]

Congrats to Russia.. good luck beating USA "B" Team.. now, I want NZ to loss to the eventual world champion...