Preparation Game: USA vs Australia

[L8DBACK]

I really hope & pray this game would be worthy to watch. The USA-Russia game was just simply horrible! I just can't wait for the Olympics games to start

[Young_Blood]

Eh Team USA should have another walk through against Australia. Dought it will be a game by end of the first half.

[Dtown]

I heard somewhere that Bogut was hurt is this true?

[Lawsonishere]

should be a wash

[each way]

I heard somewhere that Bogut was hurt is this true?

Yeah he has a sore ankle, he sat against Argentina. Doubtful he will play tomorrow.

[bobo81]

They looked decent and held up against Argentina but mental toughness plays a big key here. I am in between wishing the U.S. a hard game or an easy game. If it's an easy game they might walk into OC less prepared, but if the game is intense it might smack em up a little. We'll see.

[Mojado]

It's going to be another easy one for the US.
Remember when the US played Russia, the Russians used all of its players and gave them minutes as it was simply a test.
Let's if the Australians take it more seriously but I doubt that since none of the teams want to display their true skills.Maybe the dont want it , or maybe they simply cant play better.
Who knows ? The Olympics will let us know about it soon.

PS: It's kind of interesting to see, that a lot US guys joined the forums to talk about their team.Once the Olympics are over, they switch back to local ball and won't use this forum unless the US are playing in the World Champs again... Same situation at Fiba.com. Sad, cuz they don't know what's up with the rest of the world...while most non-US fans do care about the NBA and the NCAA a lot.

[Mindozas]

Yeah he has a sore ankle, he sat against Argentina. Doubtful he will play tomorrow.

I've read in our media that he's injury is not so slight and he'll be fully recovered only after ~2 weeks, so that would mean that he might miss almost all group games in Olympics... Still somehow I believe that even with some pain he'll play from the first game.

It would be nice if someone would give more information about Bogut's condition, cause I couldn't find anything about it in Aussies' bball sites

[Phantim3dx]

god that game vs russia was just simply awful to watch. i thought i was watching the euroleague

joking aside, it was pretty bad to watch. i hope the us doesnt sputter.

on another note, get d will as the starter he is the prototypical pg u need in intl ball.

[JGX]

It'll probably be another ugly game...in the first few friendlies the teams are fired up but by now everyone is ready for the real games to begin.

[wardjdim]

god that game vs russia was just simply awful to watch. i thought i was watching the euroleague

Isn't it like "the Euroleague is poor but exciting" and "the NBA is rich but boring"?

[kestas]

let's hope refs start whistling some traveling for US..
the game itself should not be anything special, imho, especially when Australia lost Bogut. with him I'd say their front line would be the best US has faced so far (LTU was weakened, but Russia somehow won the boards against the Americans), but without him, - nothing too special. anyways, the bigs will probably look simmilar, but guards again should carry US to an easy win. especially if refs will postpone with the traveling

[Unimane]

let's hope refs start whistling some traveling for US..
the game itself should not be anything special, imho, especially when Australia lost Bogut. with him I'd say their front line would be the best US has faced so far (LTU was weakened, but Russia somehow won the boards against the Americans), but without him, - nothing too special. anyways, the bigs will probably look simmilar, but guards again should carry US to an easy win. especially if refs will postpone with the traveling

What I would like to know is if international refs understand what a "moving pick" means? Lithuania would start their picks just below the half court line and end up near the three point line. Are these normal plays in international ball?

[Federoy]

What I would like to know is if international refs understand what a "moving pick" means? Lithuania would start their picks just below the half court line and end up near the three point line. Are these normal plays in international ball?

Welcome to Interbasket, and you can expect your point to be ignored. The Euros are always harping about the US getting away with traveling violations yet completely ignore the moving picks/screens that European teams always commit. The common belief is that the US doesn't play "proper" basketball so the traveling criticisms are valid, but illegal pick & rolls are some how apart of the "international game" and shouldn't fall under the NCAA/NBA interpretation. Go figure.

[Jon_Koncak]

What I would like to know is if international refs understand what a "moving pick" means? Lithuania would start their picks just below the half court line and end up near the three point line. Are these normal plays in international ball?

pretty much yes,they are considered normal plys and almost never called..but coack K could take advantage of it by calling an american power forward with years of experience at fiba basketball called Mike Batiste..i'm tellin you this guy is the master of illegal picks,he's really taken this particular art to new levels..