Olympic Basketball Tournament

[koberulz]

Bronze is actually probably harder for the Boomers to win than Silver. To get Bronze, we'd have to beat either Spain or the USA, Silver only requires beating Serbia.

I hope the US gets through. If we're going to get gold, I'd much rather it be against them.

[big-shot-ROB]

Sorry, but I dont think Austràlia stance a chance against Spain, neither against the USA.

USA had some bad games in a row, but if they play just "acceptable" they win Australia comfortably. Spain is playing extremely well, and when they are on fire nobody can stop them. They just blew up and embarassed France yesterday.

[koberulz]

Australia were trailing the US by four points with a couple of minutes to go in a game Australia wasn't even trying to win. I wouldn't be counting them out.

[big-shot-ROB]

Well, I think they'll get silver medal at least. Serbia is good, ofc, but with the rythm the Boomers are playing they have my odds in winning the semifinals.

[iamSamke]

Well, I think they'll get silver medal at least. Serbia is good, ofc, but with the rythm the Boomers are playing they have my odds in winning the semifinals.

Agree.

[big-shot-ROB]

Spain better heat up or USA it is going to go on a run and then we won't have any chance.

[iamSamke]

Tight game. Spain should've made foul in USA last possession.

[big-shot-ROB]

It's not they were/are super-dominant. They just won/win because of the athleticism. I think every national team that has some kind of chemistry (France, Serbia, Australia, Spain, ..) beats this USA team in every category except athleticism and invidual play.

Can't do anything more when you have Juan Carlos Navarro defending Paul George. Pretty proud of the fight we gave. It's a petty Mirotic was in foul trouble. Pau is just god. Good game by Klay. Good luck in the Final.

[iamSamke]

Serbia to the finals!!! Defensive effort in 1st half was incredible!

[Andrew]

Serbia showed up to play; Australia did not. Flashbacks to Boomers games of yesteryear when they kept taking all those threes despite the fact they weren't hitting any of them. Tough to watch...well, if you're cheering for Australia, at any rate. I'll go out on a limb and say that Serbian fans enjoyed it a lot more than I did.

[iamSamke]

Serbia showed up to play; Australia did not. Flashbacks to Boomers games of yesteryear when they kept taking all those threes despite the fact they weren't hitting any of them. Tough to watch...well, if you're cheering for Australia, at any rate. I'll go out on a limb and say that Serbian fans enjoyed it a lot more than I did.

Fireworks, music, people on streets singing. Literally.

PS Australia for 3PT: 4/31. Terrible shooting night for the Boomers.

[Andrew]

It definitely reminds me of older Boomers games. "We're not hitting threes...we better take more threes!"

[koberulz]

If they'd shot their tournament average from three, they'd have been within a point midway through the fourth.

Only so much you can do when the ball just refuses to go in the hole, though. Can't see them beating Spain, so it's yet another fourth-place finish. Difference is this time that has to be considered a failure.

[Andrew]

They did get some good looks, true. Proverbial lid was on the basket.

I too am not feeling very optimistic, and I agree: after the run they've had in the tournament, it's definitely a letdown, more so than any previous fourth place finish. Fingers crossed, but again, I'm not feeling optimistic about their chances at this juncture.

[koberulz]

The worst of it is, by going down so embarrassingly all the gains they've made with the general public are now gone. Back to obscurity for the NBL!

[Andrew]

Quite likely.

[koberulz]

And it's a shame, because this season is shaping up to be one of the best ever. Five Boomers, the return of the entire 2016 All-NBL First Team, and some incredible-looking imports.

A bump in publicity from a gold medal game would have been tremendous. 1.5 million tuned in for the pool game against the US.

[Andrew]

I think there'll be some interest, and if they can capture bronze, it'll definitely help. Nothing like getting into the gold medal game of course, but it would salvage their tournament somewhat, and hopefully be a bit of a boost for the NBL nevertheless.

[koberulz]

If Spain had won, maybe, but I think all attention is elsewhere now. Unless it gets some mention during the gold medal game, which will probably in reality attract more of an audience.

[big-shot-ROB]

It's crazy how bad and in favour of the US team the basketball officiating is being in the women's final. They walk route 66 every time they catch the ball before putting the ball on the floor. 13 free throws to 1? c'mon man hahaha...

EDIT: McCoughtry's flopping is Oscar's worth.

[koberulz]

Congratulations to the refs for a well-earned bronze medal.

[Andrew]

Soft, soft, bailout call to decide the medal. Pathetic.

[koberulz]

Saved from being the worst call on Olympics history only by the inexplicable USF on Motum earlier in the game.

[Phil89]

What a garbage foul call on Patty Mills at the end. Just awful.

Congratulations to the refs for a well-earned bronze medal.

I hope they get to go up on the podium with the rest of the Spanish team, after they played such a key role in the win.

[Andrew]

It should be noted, of course, that it was still a winnable game for the Boomers. They made their own errors at both ends, and like my old coach used to say, if you want to win games, you can't rely on the officials getting all the calls correct. However, that was a pretty badly officiated game, both ways, with soft calls and weak technicals. Unfortunately for the Boomers, a very bad one went against them in the closing seconds. Gutted.