[Day 1] Group A: Jordan vs. Greece

[Olympiacos]

greece could play with their B team, which were in Australia last week, and they wouldn`t have any problems

Let's not get carried away.

No need to mock Jordan. We were once getting beat by a lot in international competition. No need to be arrogant bullies like the Americans..

The Americans trash talk even after they lose. They consider it "trolling" to even say that they are not invincible. If Greeks were as arrogant as they were, they would mock Jordan, even if Jordan won the game.

[christodoulou76]

here u can see (Korea, Jordan), that Fiba Asia is 10,20,30 years behind european Basketball.
i don`t think, that any asian team will win any big titel in the next 30-40 years

I think it is unfair to make this generalization. As others have mentioned, Asian teams have played well at World Championships before, and even have players in the NBA. This particular Jordan team has a lot of absences but it is not representative of Asian basketball, and it probably isn't representative of Jordan's capabilities in the years to come.

[tmlouk]

Let's not get carried away.

it was no unterstatement...it is the truth, no joke or anything else

[tmlouk]

I think it is unfair to make this generalization. As others have mentioned, Asian teams have played well at World Championships before, and even have players in the NBA. This particular Jordan team has a lot of absences but it is not representative of Asian basketball, and it probably isn't representative of Jordan's capabilities in the years to come.

jordan was ranked low at the last world champs, and without the amercian guy,they wouldn`t have win one game, they maybe wouldn`t have qualified for the world champs/olympic qualifiers ...it is sad, that not only jordan, but also in europe - georgia, mazedonia, azerbaidchan...have to naturalized US guys, that they maybe win some games...

[Olympiacos]

I think it is unfair to make this generalization. As others have mentioned, Asian teams have played well at World Championships before, and even have players in the NBA. This particular Jordan team has a lot of absences but it is not representative of Asian basketball, and it probably isn't representative of Jordan's capabilities in the years to come.

Not really. Have you ever watched a Chinese Basketball Association game? That's the best league in Asia. It reminds of the level of European basketball from the 80s. So it really is about 30 years behind.

it was no unterstatement...it is the truth, no joke or anything else

I think the Greek B team might beat them. To say they would have no problems beating them isn't fair. Did you see some of the players on the "B" team? In actuality, some of the players would be more like a D team level.

[mochoso]

On Wednesday, Puerto Rico will beat Greece. They look strong today, but against a weak Jordan team.

[interxavierxxx]

Not really. Have you ever watched a Chinese Basketball Association game? That's the best league in Asia. It reminds of the level of European basketball from the 80s. So it really is about 30 years behind.

I couldn't agree more. Asian basketball is really lacking the high level competition present in Eurobasketball. This isn't helped by the fact that mismanagement in basketball affairs tend to happen frequently in this region (especially in the Philippines).

[christodoulou76]

Not really. Have you ever watched a Chinese Basketball Association game? That's the best league in Asia. It reminds of the level of European basketball from the 80s. So it really is about 30 years behind.

We are not talking about leagues here. National teams are not the same as leagues. And the fact is that Asian teams have been competitive with European teams in the past 10 years - Iran, Jordan, China have all scored some significant victories internationally. This particular Jordan team seems to not be competitive, but that does not mean that every Asian team is and will be 30 years behind European teams in the near future.

[interxavierxxx]

We are not talking about leagues here. National teams are not the same as leagues. And the fact is that Asian teams have been competitive with European teams in the past 10 years - Iran, Jordan, Tunisia, China have all scored some significant victories internationally. This particular Jordan team seems to not be competitive, but that does not mean that every Asian team is and will be 30 years behind European teams in the near future.

Either way, there is another problem hounding Asian basketball and that is consistency. So far, only China has had success with beating teams in Europe on more than one occasion. The other teams in Asia have only managed to score only one upset or none whatsoever.

[babdelkader]

We are not talking about leagues here. National teams are not the same as leagues. And the fact is that Asian teams have been competitive with European teams in the past 10 years - Iran, Jordan, Tunisia, China have all scored some significant victories internationally. This particular Jordan team seems to not be competitive, but that does not mean that every Asian team is and will be 30 years behind European teams in the near future.

I think you mean Lebanon, Chiina as Iran, Tunisia and Jordan had never made significant victories internationally.

[babdelkader]

Either way, there is another problem hounding Asian basketball and that is consistency. So far, only China has had success with beating teams in Europe on more than one occasion. The other teams in Asia have only managed to score only one upset or none whatsoever.

you forgot Lebanon.

[christodoulou76]

I think you mean Lebanon, Chiina as Iran, Tunisia and Jordan had never made significant victories internationally.

Also Tunisia is in Africa. Sorry about my brief lapse in geographical knowledge...

[Olympiacos]

Also Tunisia is in Africa. Sorry about my brief lapse in geographical knowledge...

True. But they resemble more to teams like Lebanon and Jordan as opposed to teams like Angola and Nigeria.

[babdelkader]

True. But they resemble more to teams like Lebanon and Jordan as opposed to teams like Angola and Nigeria.

yup

congrats

[interxavierxxx]

you forgot Lebanon.

Yes. Another thing to take into account is the lack of talent that Asian teams produce in comparison to European teams. Right now, Jordan has no player who can match up with Papanikolaou or Bourousis. It's not that Asian doesn't produce talented players, they are just not ample enough to match the players in Europe.