1/8: USA vs Australia

[L8DBACK]

USA Team ended the preliminary round with a 103-58 rout of Senegal. Up next for the USA is Bogut, Australia in the elimination round this coming Sunday. 1st place USA Team in Group D against 4th place Australia in Group C. My pick? Do need to comment on whom I'm rooting for.

[bobo81]

Many people SHOULD know that Australia vs USA was always a dramatic game...Back in the old days, US Dream Team 2 battling Andrew Gaze and Shane Heal was a classic...I wont be suprised if temperatures rise in this game. Im not very familiar with this Aussie roster, but that dont matter. I really hope the US plays harcore bball and gives a statement to the rest (possibly Greece after that )

[fariz]

Good Luck USA.What ever happens,u r the best!

[Saskibaloia]

AUSSIE POWER MATE!!!
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF AN AUSSIE & HIS BARBIE!!!

Well realistically we MIGHT loose
You never know what the outcome could be!
Last time we took 'em on back in Athens MATE we were awesome however, the last 7 mins they made a run on us.
I definitely agree tempers will flare.
We Aussies love to show the Yankees a thing or two about being a real man
My prediction of course is for us to win.
Of course you can laugh and I can see where you're coming from but you never know.

SO BRING ON THE YANKEES

[MyKRo]

I don't like this draw. Australia has always played the USA tough. This will be a hard fought game.

I still see the USA winning, but not by a lot.

[Czarkazem13]

I haven't gotten a chance to see Australia play, but correct me if I'm wrong, I heard they had injury problems.....

Either way, I see b-ball in Australia improving, but this time around I see the U.S. taking by 20. Of coures that's just my opinion, I could be wrong....

[Lietuvis]

USA to win by 30+

There is No way and NO chance that Australia can or will win this game. Lets not kid ourselves, they just made the next round and hjave only beaten Brazil and Qatar...

[Saskibaloia]

USA to win by 30+

There is No way and NO chance that Australia can or will win this game. Lets not kid ourselves, they just made the next round and hjave only beaten Brazil and Qatar...

Not supporting the Boomers and you live in the Land Down Under.
Oh well.
Boomers to win on the buzzer.
Mate, even if we loose I'm sure that you guys will be entertained to see us give the Yankees a tough time ... a really tough and bloody time.
Mark my words, they're bigger, stronger but we Aussies don't back down on anyone especially someone who can't spell correctly (colour not color) ... only joking.
Cheers.
BOOMERS FOR THE WIN!!!

[lithonbashooters]

Dont worry I am sure Lietuvis like all other NON US supporters would like to see the MIGHTY BOOMERS WIN (he is just very worried about the Litho team not playing well against Brazil and now they face Italy so very nervous for the next round) ! Good Luck BOOMERS!

P.S Lietuvis Litho will beat Italy by 2pts

[DanMajerle]

Blowout win by USA. Australia fits perfect to US style, just like China, Puerto Rico or Senegal, Germany, also Spain a bit).

[CG]

if USa let them shooting alone 3 points may have problem but its very difficult for AUS

[mpluby]

I say 20-30 point win. Australia does not seem to be playing all that well, I'd say USA faced better competition within our own group.

[PHILIPeurobasket]

THis game will be without any history ... USA will beat Australia about 30 points

[kestas]

Im not very familiar with this Aussie roster

I can help you. their frontline is extremely shallow. but they are pretty good shooters, so that helps. however, only 7 players on their team seem like they can actually score. IF US will manage to play fast, Australian leaders will get tired in the end. shut down Bruton and Bogut and you're cruising. this is not a threat for USA, but everything can happen at this stage (this is a clishe, but very true). I don't want US to lose on sunday - this would be simply stupid. they would go home withouth ever playing against Spain, Argentina or Greece. everyone would talk that this loss means nothing and that US had a black day in all respects (coz I believe that's what should happen if USA were to lose, something like Melo going for 2/29 from the field..). I'm not even mentioning the fact that majority of American fans would put a cross on international competitions and FIBA - this would hurt basketball.

[Saskibaloia]

I can help you. their frontline is extremely shallow. but they are pretty good shooters, so that helps. however, only 7 players on their team seem like they can actually score. IF US will manage to play fast, Australian leaders will get tired in the end. shut down Bruton and Bogut and you're cruising. this is not a threat for USA, but everything can happen at this stage (this is a clishe, but very true). I don't want US to lose on sunday - this would be simply stupid. they would go home withouth ever playing against Spain, Argentina or Greece. everyone would talk that this loss means nothing and that US had a black day in all respects (coz I believe that's what should happen if USA were to lose, something like Melo going for 2/29 from the field..). I'm not even mentioning the fact that majority of American fans would put a cross on international competitions and FIBA - this would hurt basketball.

That's great but here's a more in depth analysis without the flaws:
Strengths of Australia:
Psychologically, all if not most Aussie national teams are mentally tough. You just have to see the Australian Soccer Team (aka the Socceroos) on how determined we are to win. Coach Brian Goorjian is known in the Australian sporting scene as a Coach who never relaxes and always pushes his players even if his team is leading by 100 points. For example, when Australia was leading 121 to 25 against India (with 2 minutes remaining) in the Commonwealth Games this year Coach Goorjian was still standing and instructing his players. The Boomers will play you all the way especially if it is the USA. Do not expect Australia to take it easy even if they are loosing by 20 points.
Secondly, unlike the squad in the 2004 Olympic Games this squad is not known for its shooting. However, their strength is their familiarity between the players and between the Coach and his players. This has not been demonstrated as much however, more than half of these players have played for Coach Goorjian (7 out of 12) and 6 of whom last year played in the Sydney Kings. Goorjian knows which buttons to push.
Thirdly, Andrew Bogut is a double edged sword. When the Bogey Man gets going on offense and defense the team responds defensively and allows the offense to revolve around Bogut. Coach Goorjian and Captain Jason Smith both have plenty of faith in the skills and abilities of Bogut. Captain Jason Smith even said why complicate things just give the ball to Bogut and we win. However, of course teams are smart and never play Bogut one on one.

Weakness of Australia:
As I said before this squad is not known for its shooting. This is evident in its pre WBC games and currently in its past few games. Against the Lithuanians, Turks & the Greeks they shot a combined woeful of 31% from beyond the arch and only 36.5% inside.
Secondly, when Andrew Bogut plays well and racks up plenty of points and rebounds the Boomers seem to let the whole game pile onto the 22 year old. For example, against China prior to the WBC Bogut had an awesome game however, everything seemed to begin and end with Bogut. Bogut did not seem to get his team mates invovled.

Opportunities for USA:
The perimeter defense needs to really get into the face of the Australian swingmen and point guard CJ Bruton. CJ is the floor general and knows how to run the offense of the Australian Boomers. However, once Aaron Bruce is playing the point USA has to expose his inability in running the team. The guy did a woeful job against the Tall Blacks and definitely demonstrated that at the moment he is too young and inexperienced to be barking out instructions.
RUN RUN RUN after a turnover. The USA won the game against us back in 2004 because in the last 5 minutes their perimeter defense was awesome and turned them into easy transition offensive baskets.

Threats to USA:
Sam McKinnon and CJ Bruton.
Why not Bogut?
Because these guys (Team USA) are familiar with Bogut and know how to play this guy. Okay, I know that international basketball is different and Andrew will not be playing inside all the time and that he will have more liberty such as being able to play in the high post and shoot that 3 pointer when open. However, I am more than confident that Brad Miller and Dwight Howard are more than capable of guarding Bogut.
Sam McKinnon: This guy has been playing in international tournaments since 1995 and has more than enough experience in playing against USA National Teams such as Dream Team III, Vince Carter led-USA, and the Tim Duncan led-USA.
The guy will at times be filling the role of power forward. Don't laugh even though he is only 6'5" the guy is very big up to weighing in at 235lbs. What is more, the guy is still very athletic.
However, the real reason he will be a threat is his versatility. He has the ability to get others invovled. His 3 main strengths are his passing, rebounding (offensive) and his abilities to cut the lanes.
If Bruton is shut down expect the offense to revolve around McKinnon.
CJ Bruton: as mentioned earlier the guy is a natural point guard with the ability to shoot the three. I would suggest to put someone such as Dwayne Wade or even LeBron James to guard him rather than Chris Paul because defensively you want to totally take this guy out of the game so that Goorjian is forced to have his offense conducted through McKinnon.

this would hurt basketball.

No it won't it would be good for basketball because it shows that basketball is internatioanl not American.
Who cares what the Americans think.