2014 FIBA WORLD CUP

[[Q]]

I bet Coach K wishes he didn't cut his best PG right about now. But he'll probably wind up playing Steph at the point

[_Steve_]

I'd kept John Wall too.

[koberulz]

What's Goran saying? That Australia intentionally lost the game by running their offense through Outback Shaq? That... kind of makes sense actually.

I'm not sure which I prefer to think: that the Boomers phoned in the game, cheaply gaming the system for a potentially easier path in the elimination rounds, or that they lost to Angola fair and square.

Dellavedova, Andersen, Ingles and Baynes played a combined 7:14 in the fifth game in six days where the result was meaningless.

Regardless, it's not like any other team in our position wouldn't have done the same thing, and we've been victims of it previously. It would've been utterly stupid to win that game.

[NovU]

How is that aussie kiddo Exum looking?

I didn't really think he was going to be an impact player so soon at neither international or NBA level but there's great deal of hypes on that kid. Are we looking at a star or superstar in couple years?

[koberulz]

He's been pretty useless in his limited minutes thus far. Presumably he's in the team to get some experience for 2016, rather than to produce right away.

[Kenny]

He's definitely a project pick. I cringed every time he got fouled hard because he looks like he could get broken in half.

Skill wise, he's got pretty good court vision from what I've seen. The jumpshot... Needs work.

[koberulz]

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/ ... down-line/

Dragic is right, Australia tanked.

Welcome to FIBA, where it is common and, by system, almost encouraged.

http://www.si.com/nba/2014/09/04/austra ... witterfeed

Despite resting two key players (Aron Baynes and Joe Ingles) and barely playing two others (Matthew Dellavedova and David Andersen), Australia's second-stringers easily held a 60-45 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter. That's when the craziness began, as the Aussies barely flinched while conceding a 20-5 run that allowed Angola to tie the game. The contest remained close until the three-minute mark of the fourth quarter, when Australia literally watched Angola go on an 8-0 run to put away the game.

Of course, Dragic probably doesn't want FIBA investigating too hard...

Slovenia already knew they would finish in second place in Group F and Finland were out of contention for a spot in the quarter-finals

Finland went on a 5-0 run in the final 28 seconds of the second quarter to tie the scores at 42 and kicked off the third with a 20-3 burst, within just over six minutes

Despite their size disadvantage, Finland also out-rebounded Slovenia 32 to 30.

[Andrew]

"Tanking: It's Only Bad When You Do It".

[Kenny]

I found it funny how Phil Smythe was worried about Lithuania tanking after Australia's loss.

[koberulz]

Yeah, given that the only incentive they had to tank was if Australia won. But then, this is the guy who said Goran Drackovic played well for Slovenia and Kenneth Faried is the next LeBron/MJ, so...

[The X]

Whilst we should've finished 2nd in group & had fun game against Boomers, great to see Tall Blacks advance to last 16. Naturally I want them to advance, I am satisfied they made the knockout stages. Been happy to see a couple of new young guys coming thru ranks. Hopefully Adams will join them in future. Shame Baynes didn't want to play for his country of birth as we really lank quality bigs.

If Spain can avoid upset on hard side of draw & advance to final, I think they will win gold.

Great to see Gasols and Rubio back in FIBA mode.

[_Steve_]

If Rubio would just be able to finish at an average rate... His (still) has no mid/long range game and doesn't attack the rim efficiently on a regular basis.

[koberulz]

Well, fuck.

[shadowgrin]

So much for Australia's plan. Badger must be celebrating.

Brazil trashing their rivals Argentina.

Even if it's going to be a blowout Spain-France is the game to watch in the quarterfinals, just to see Spain at their best in pwning teams.

[Andrew]

Tip-off was delayed by more than 10 minutes due to structural issues with the ring, which was compounded by further delays due to a faulty shot clock midway through the first quarter.

See, Dragic? That's how you fix a game!

Seriously though, ouch. Tough, tough way to lose an elimination game.

[Kenny]

Thought a couple of weak fouls called on David Andersen really hurt Australia there. In saying that though, that last play was pretty weak. I thought they could have put Goulding in. You'd think a situation like that was a key reason he's in the team. He's not there for his lockdown defense.

[Stress Fracture]

And after topping Group B with a 5-0 record, Greece got trashed by Serbia.

[koberulz]

http://www.fiba.com/news/pr-n53--fiba-o ... basketball

The on-court behaviour displayed by Australia in that game generated huge disappointment by basketball fans and experts. It is widely suspected that Australia lost that game in order to avoid having to face the reigning world champions USA until the Semi-Finals.

Basketball Australia has an opportunity to state its case before FIBA decides whether and to what extent disciplinary sanctions shall be imposed.

Also rumours that failure to finish top eight will result in loss of government funding.

[Andrew]

It didn't do them much good, in the long run. Furthermore, since they aren't the first (and probably won't be the last) to tank a tournament game for what appears to be a more favourable seeding, has anyone else been investigated and disciplined?

[Stress Fracture]

If proven to be true (which I think is likely), will FIBA suspend Australia?

[koberulz]

It likely is true, but I'm not sure how you could prove it to be true. It was a dead rubber and they rested players, which should be entirely fine in and of itself, and then proceeded to play horrendously in the second half, which could well be a coincidence. There are all sorts of plausible explanations BA could come up with. Seriously, if FIBA's evidence is Bubbles throwing up terrible threes and playing matador defense, they'd need only send a tape of literally any of his NBL games (available on NBL TV for only $7.42 a month!). Jawai would've been gassed from a fairly early stage and worn down over the course of the game. Exum has barely played in a year and never against grown men. And so on.

[shadowgrin]

It's more on the shitty scheduling of matches by FIBA than anything else tbh but I doubt Australia will use that to their defense, it's like giving the judge the finger in your own trial.

[koberulz]

What difference would the scheduling make? If Lithuania played first, they'd have tanked and Australia would've simply run their bench instead of running their bench and playing terribly. End result: one tank and a battle for first is replaced by one tank and one meaningless game. Alternatively, if they played at the same time Lithuania would tank and Australia would tank just in case Lithuania didn't. End result: one tank and a battle for first is replaced by two tanks.

It ended up the best it possibly could have.

[Piggy_Destroyer]

Serbia destroyed Brazil.THE TROJKA!!!
And Spain losing to France 35-28

[shadowgrin]

Even if it's going to be a blowout Spain-France is the game to watch in the quarterfinals, just to see Spain at their best in pwning teams.

Thanks a lot Spain for losing to the cheese-eating surrender monkeys.