Semifinals: Russia vs. Spain

[rikhardur]

Argentina deserve a medal. On the other side, it could be the last time that we watch playing to Ginobilli, Scola, delfino ...

Maybe for Ginóbili. It looks like Scola and Delfino will continue.

[JGX]

Well Spain wasn't going to shoot 0 for the tournament. You have to give Scariolo a lot of credit, takes massive huevos to bench Navarro in a big game.

[CHBB]

Am I the only one who thinks Monia deserves another shot at the league after the way he's played in the Olympics? Also, I can't wait to see what Mozgov does with the Nuggets. He was a flat out beast in these Olympics.

[Hepcat]

FTS in first half:

Spain: 9
Russia: 0

Score: 20-31 for Russia

FTS in second half:

Spain: 13
Russia: 12

score: 47-28

Spain just played no defence in first half.

Actually, those figures show that Spain's defence was about the same in the two halves. What those figures show is that it was Russia that stopped playing defence in the second half.

[sylar]

Actually, those figures show that Spain's defence was about the same in the two halves. What those figures show is that it was Russia that stopped playing defence in the second half.

Well, just because Russia scored nearly same points in first and second half mean does not mean Spain played great defence in both times. Fouls are a good stat to measure the intensity of a team, for example, Spain did not made any foul to stop easy baskets from Russia, while Russia tried to stop Spanish big men with constant 2vs1 and fouls in every attempt of layup, giving FTS instead easy 2 points. Fouls in first half, 5-11, second 14-11. About Russia stopped playing defence in second half, absolutly true, didnt say anything about it.

Anyway my post was more to the people who talk about the diference of FTS between both teams as the key of the game(getting robbed...).

[Kwijibo]

Well Spain wasn't going to shoot 0 for the tournament. You have to give Scariolo a lot of credit, takes massive huevos to bench Navarro in a big game.

Aito did too

[Kwijibo]

Troll can you STFU like now? All this forum needs is one like you...

See u in the final hater!

[Straight forward]

I'm kinda happy Russia lost because our federation won't have an excuse "Look what kind of animal destroyed Lithuania in 4finals". Russia didn't play that well this summer as people talked. Most of their games was very close and they looked average in knock out stage. Lithuania could deal with Russia in 4finals, just Kemzura's team managed to play even more horrible basketball. Spain probably played the worst first 2 quorters since 2004, but they managed comfortably to destroy Russia as soon as they started to play. To be honest Spain still didn't impressed, they used to role in other level and for 38 minutes. This Russia is overrated even if they were very well coached and played some great basketball this summer. In other words, even if it's best Russia in years, they are nowhere close of being such NT as say Argentina was in 2002-2004, Lithuania was in 2003-2004 and Spain was since 2006.

[Straight forward]

oh well, looks like pressure got to even usually very collected and calm AK and russian team in the second half...dissapointing really, as this spanish team stands no chance in the final against either USA or Argentina.

This is nonsence. Spain would destroy Argentina 8 time from 10 games. As for USA...well Spain has to play perfect game to compete with them.

[Terrorizer]

I'm kinda happy Russia lost because our federation won't have an excuse "Look what kind of animal destroyed Lithuania in 4finals". Russia didn't play that well this summer as people talked. Most of their games was very close and they looked average in knock out stage. Lithuania could deal with Russia in 4finals, just Kemzura's team managed to play even more horrible basketball. Spain probably played the worst first 2 quorters since 2004, but they managed comfortably to destroy Russia as soon as they started to play. To be honest Spain still didn't impressed, they used to role in other level and for 38 minutes. This Russia is overrated even if they were very well coached and played some great basketball this summer. In other words, even if it's best Russia in years, they are nowhere close of being such NT as say Argentina was in 2002-2004, Lithuania was in 2003-2004 and Spain was since 2006.

It looks like you have an obsession with proving how mediocre is Russia. Yes, current Russian NT didn't play godly this summer and waste a great share of their potential playing close games when they could be the comfortable wins. In basketball Russians are ultimate chokers, psychologically unstable and can blow off any lead, it's true.
But the upper limit for this team is very high and game-wise it currently shares second place in the world with Spain right after Team USA. Our backcourt was in a huge trouble this summer with Bykov's injury, Ponkrashov (and Voronov who can be a beast in defense when he is in tune) out of shape having sat all the season warming the bench in CSKA and Shved playing worst basketball of his life in NT jerseys. If we add Blatt's questionable coaching and traditional mental weakness of our team, then it couldn't be a mediocre team earning bronze and playing two tense games with Spain winning one of it. Your comparison with Lithuania of 2003-2004 is laughable really. The only non-US teams of 2000s who can match this Russia if we talk about their potential are Argentinians of mid 2000s, Spaniards of mid- and -late 2000s and maybe Serbs of early 2000s. Even Italians of Athens are strictly weaker while not by a mile. And, f.e., Greeks of mid-2000s and Lithuanians of 2003, while they were definitely elite teams in international basketball, were a level or two below play-wise.
Russia looked average in knock-out stages? It played four games in it: two in Caracaz - winning comfortably against Angola and winning against Nigeria (who shocked Lithuania and Greece before) with +9 difference but the game was over in the end of the second QT and Russia didn't play to its maximum in the second half. And two in London - winning with ease against not so sloppy Lithuanian team and then shamefully blowing its massive lead against Spain who has definite refs help. So I don't think that it qualifies as average performance.
About the game itself: it's a shame we've lost, this Spain finally was for taking and definitely weaker than in 2007. The worst thing of it is that these slimey stinkers achieved what they want - to avoid USA before finals. We were obliged to prove that it was a huge mistake to be so confident that you can win Russia with ease in semifinals but we failed. Shame on us! And Kirilenko was awful in the most important game of his career, no big surprise for me. The roots of this painful loss lie in psychology which is an our traditional weakness. We were finally better than Spain in this tournament and still we couldn't come up with the win against them when it mattered the most. Russia can't win really important games against comparable opponents in knock-out stages, it's our problem. To win a team in play-offs we must be head-and-shoulders above it level-wise. Madrid-2007 final game was a sole pleasant exception from this rule.
Most important statistical category in my eyes - assists in this tournament: USA - 25,0, Russia - 19,8, Argentina - 19,6 (Argies are very clever team, no doubt about that, they just lack good bench players and fresh legs), Spain - 19,3, Lithuania - 18,2. You can't say that Russia is average when they amassed more assists than such teams as Spain and Argentina known by their highly proficient passing game for quite a some time.
And our loss is especially painful since considering our style of playing we were the most uncomfirtable opponent for Team USA with combination of the high speed, intellectual passing game and great athleticism in the frontcourt. Spain offered a great resistance in the final game of the tournament but on our lucky day (read, if we could overcome our psychological problems) we would be closer to shocking the world with an upset if we meet this Team USA.

[Shawshank]

It looks like you have an obsession with proving how mediocre is Russia. Yes, current Russian NT didn't play godly this summer and waste a great share of their potential playing close games when they could be the comfortable wins. In basketball Russians are ultimate chokers, psychologically unstable and can blow off any lead, it's true.
But the upper limit for this team is very high and game-wise it currently shares second place in the world with Spain right after Team USA. Our backcourt was in a huge trouble this summer with Bykov's injury, Ponkrashov (and Voronov who can be a beast in defense when he is in tune) out of shape having sat all the season warming the bench in CSKA and Shved playing worst basketball of his life in NT jerseys. If we add Blatt's questionable coaching and traditional mental weakness of our team, then it couldn't be a mediocre team earning bronze and playing two tense games with Spain winning one of it. Your comparison with Lithuania of 2003-2004 is laughable really. The only non-US teams of 2000s who can match this Russia if we talk about their potential are Argentinians of mid 2000s, Spaniards of mid- and -late 2000s and maybe Serbs of early 2000s. Even Italians of Athens are strictly weaker while not by a mile. And, f.e., Greeks of mid-2000s and Lithuanians of 2003, while they were definitely elite teams in international basketball, were a level or two below play-wise.
Russia looked average in knock-out stages? It played four games in it: two in Caracaz - winning comfortably against Angola and winning against Nigeria (who shocked Lithuania and Greece before) with +9 difference but the game was over in the end of the second QT and Russia didn't play to its maximum in the second half. And two in London - winning with ease against not so sloppy Lithuanian team and then shamefully blowing its massive lead against Spain who has definite refs help. So I don't think that it qualifies as average performance.
About the game itself: it's a shame we've lost, this Spain finally was for taking and definitely weaker than in 2007. The worst thing of it is that these slimey stinkers achieved what they want - to avoid USA before finals. We were obliged to prove that it was a huge mistake to be so confident that you can win Russia with ease in semifinals but we failed. Shame on us! And Kirilenko was awful in the most important game of his career, no big surprise for me. The roots of this painful loss lie in psychology which is an our traditional weakness. We were finally better than Spain in this tournament and still we couldn't come up with the win against them when it mattered the most. Russia can't win really important games against comparable opponents in knock-out stages, it's our problem. To win a team in play-offs we must be head-and-shoulders above it level-wise. Madrid-2007 final game was a sole pleasant exception from this rule.
Most important statistical category in my eyes - assists in this tournament: USA - 25,0, Russia - 19,8, Argentina - 19,6 (Argies are very clever team, no doubt about that, they just lack good bench players and fresh legs), Spain - 19,3, Lithuania - 18,2. You can't say that Russia is average when they amassed more assists than such teams as Spain and Argentina known by their highly proficient passing game for quite a some time.
And our loss is especially painful since considering our style of playing we were the most uncomfirtable opponent for Team USA with combination of the high speed, intellectual passing game and great athleticism in the frontcourt. Spain offered a great resistance in the final game of the tournament but on our lucky day (read, if we could overcome our psychological problems) we would be closer to shocking the world with an upset if we meet this Team USA.

you are very funny guy terorizer This russian team at best are solid and well coached.They tallent arent even close to spain,argentina,lithuanian at their best years...dont be funny in this russian team are playing only 7 players : Kirilenko,chriapa,shwed,monia,kaun,mozgov,fridzon and the bench is weak.

Ho can you compare such solid team agains spain from 2006,argentina 2004,lithuania 2003 when there were 9-10 very high quality players in their prime? dont be funny get out of the this russian team kirilenko and blat,all its leaves just solid average team like 2009 and 2010...nothing more.And he sees some kind theory that this team could be hardest opponent for Usa cha cha

I would say russia played very well and atleast 85% that this team can do and were really very well coahced by blatt.Dont be funny this russia 2012 dont have a chance against argentina 2004,lithuania 2003,spain 2006 even france team had more tallenbted teams than this russia 2012.You will see next year if kirilenko will take summer of,that this russian team isnt anything special...

The most important bone fo this russian team is Kirilenko.He is huge in both ends of the floor,wthout him they dont have a chance to win a medal...They dont even have normal pointgurad,their best

imagine comparision between young jasikevicius and bykov... its like try to compare mozkvic with ferari... Young macijauskas would just outplayed fridson...The strongets part of this russian team are forwards Kirilenko,Chriapa,Voronzevich,Monia but we always had decent Forwards Siskauskas,Stombergas,Songaila ( his old but still in 2012 he done alot of things against this russia team,what would happen if we put 25years old songaila?) not 36 jasikevicius,but 28 years old? we put 25 years old siskauskas and 30 years old stombergas? sorry mate +15 Lietuva2003 winning this one.
And those Spain and argentinas teams was even better that ltihuanias 2003-2004..

[Straight forward]

It looks like you have an obsession with proving how mediocre is Russia. Yes, current Russian NT didn't play godly this summer and waste a great share of their potential playing close games when they could be the comfortable wins. In basketball Russians are ultimate chokers, psychologically unstable and can blow off any lead, it's true.
But the upper limit for this team is very high and game-wise it currently shares second place in the world with Spain right after Team USA. Our backcourt was in a huge trouble this summer with Bykov's injury, Ponkrashov (and Voronov who can be a beast in defense when he is in tune) out of shape having sat all the season warming the bench in CSKA and Shved playing worst basketball of his life in NT jerseys. If we add Blatt's questionable coaching and traditional mental weakness of our team, then it couldn't be a mediocre team earning bronze and playing two tense games with Spain winning one of it. Your comparison with Lithuania of 2003-2004 is laughable really. The only non-US teams of 2000s who can match this Russia if we talk about their potential are Argentinians of mid 2000s, Spaniards of mid- and -late 2000s and maybe Serbs of early 2000s. Even Italians of Athens are strictly weaker while not by a mile. And, f.e., Greeks of mid-2000s and Lithuanians of 2003, while they were definitely elite teams in international basketball, were a level or two below play-wise.
Russia looked average in knock-out stages? It played four games in it: two in Caracaz - winning comfortably against Angola and winning against Nigeria (who shocked Lithuania and Greece before) with +9 difference but the game was over in the end of the second QT and Russia didn't play to its maximum in the second half. And two in London - winning with ease against not so sloppy Lithuanian team and then shamefully blowing its massive lead against Spain who has definite refs help. So I don't think that it qualifies as average performance.
About the game itself: it's a shame we've lost, this Spain finally was for taking and definitely weaker than in 2007. The worst thing of it is that these slimey stinkers achieved what they want - to avoid USA before finals. We were obliged to prove that it was a huge mistake to be so confident that you can win Russia with ease in semifinals but we failed. Shame on us! And Kirilenko was awful in the most important game of his career, no big surprise for me. The roots of this painful loss lie in psychology which is an our traditional weakness. We were finally better than Spain in this tournament and still we couldn't come up with the win against them when it mattered the most. Russia can't win really important games against comparable opponents in knock-out stages, it's our problem. To win a team in play-offs we must be head-and-shoulders above it level-wise. Madrid-2007 final game was a sole pleasant exception from this rule.
Most important statistical category in my eyes - assists in this tournament: USA - 25,0, Russia - 19,8, Argentina - 19,6 (Argies are very clever team, no doubt about that, they just lack good bench players and fresh legs), Spain - 19,3, Lithuania - 18,2. You can't say that Russia is average when they amassed more assists than such teams as Spain and Argentina known by their highly proficient passing game for quite a some time.
And our loss is especially painful since considering our style of playing we were the most uncomfirtable opponent for Team USA with combination of the high speed, intellectual passing game and great athleticism in the frontcourt. Spain offered a great resistance in the final game of the tournament but on our lucky day (read, if we could overcome our psychological problems) we would be closer to shocking the world with an upset if we meet this Team USA.

Terrorizer, I might be underrating this Russia team, but I think you underrating peacking Lithuania, Argentina, Spain and probably Greece of 00's. These teams were great. 2000 Olympics Lithuanian team were very close beating USA in semifinal and that team was IMO one of stronger USA teams in 00's - A. Mourning, KG, Kid, Payton, Vince Carter, Ray Allen and others. Lithuania in 2003 had 4 extreame offensive players that could go for 30 points in a given day - Jasikevičius, Macijauskas, Šiškauskas, Štombergas. Russia might be very well coached and very good defensive team, but they are not standing anywhere close in terms of offensive talent. Did Russia ever showed some "fireworks" games like Lithuania smashing Greece in 2004 or over scoring USA? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThTGOTEOrGk I didn't see such evidence of dominance of this Russia team. Anyway, Russia surely has bright future as you have some very interesting prospects and current roster won't go anywhere till next Olympics (maybe only Kirilenko and Khriapa might not be there).

And you have some point about USA- Russia matchup, but unfortunetly all we saw Spain (while fairly beating Russia) and Lithuania were two teams that gave the best fight for USA.