USA - Croatia

[Hank the Tank]

anyone else watching? it's on espn classic.

embarrassingly close right now.

[velik_m]

Croatia looking good, USA still doesn't know how to play against the zone...

[Kobayagi]

Go Croatia!

[MannyIsGod]

As soon as Durant takes the game over its going to be blown wide open. USA going through the motions right now but they obviously have another gear or two they can go to.

[Kibic]

Croatia is not playing well right now. But i still don't see how they can lose this game and hope for the best. :)

[Texas_Ranger]

USA plays just with individual actions. No team basketball.

[MannyIsGod]

They do it because they can. Everything in basketball is built off of individual plays and the USA simply does it better than anyone else.

[Texas_Ranger]

They do it because they can. Everything in basketball is built off of individual plays and the USA simply does it better than anyone else.

Yea, that's why you weren't World Champs for 16 years.

[Chieflion]

Eric Gordon has been scorching from the international 3 since the Blue VS White scrimmage. The heck, 2 in a row.

[MannyIsGod]

Yea, that's why you weren't World Champs for 16 years.

We weren't World Champs because they didn't care. Really, they still care a lot less about the FIBA WC as you can tell by the team we have in this tournament.

That being said, we're still the best and we'll be winning this. :)

Don't be so butthurt.

[DAF86]

They do it because they can. Everything in basketball is built off of individual plays and the USA simply does it better than anyone else.

What?

[MannyIsGod]

What?

All basketball plays require good individual play. Penetration and kick. The pick and roll. On ball defense. Even good help defense requires you to have a defender capable of good individual defense.

If you have no one on the team good enough to break down a defense good luck in getting any points. For example how good would Argentina have ever been had they not had Manu to break down opposing defenses? You NEED good individual play.

[DAF86]

All basketball plays require good individual play. Penetration and kick. The pick and roll. On ball defense. Even good help defense requires you to have a defender capable of good individual defense.

If you have no one on the team good enough to break down a defense good luck in getting any points. For example how good would Argentina have ever been had they not had Manu to break down opposing defenses? You NEED good individual play.

Well that could be said about every team sport, you always need individuals to play well, but basketball is a team sport, and as in any team sport you will always get better results if you play as a team than individually.

[MannyIsGod]

Yes, thats very true. But if you break down your opponent so easily that you can get to the hole every single time then there's not much of a need to pass it. The US team displayed a lot of great passing today but what makes them great is their ability to break down the defense rather easily.

I don't see how anyone would knock the US for that ever. In the past the players theyve brought have been a bad mix and have done this poorly but the last Olympic team and this team have done it exceptionally well. I guess my point is that yes the US plays with a lot of individual play but that is because they can and it isn't a knock on them.

Durant is going to dominate this tournament rather easily and if players like Gordon keep shooting lights out from the perimeter its not going to be pretty for the rest of the world.

[Slo spurs fan]

Good win for USA. You have really strong (FIBA rules wise) team here.

[DAF86]

I don't know, the US will always have a talented team and will always be the favorite but I think they could have done a much better job making the roster, they should have selected more size, I mean Odom playing as a center isn't very intimidating.

[MannyIsGod]

Eh, Kevin Love and Tyson Chandler are big enough if they really need size. Ill worry about it when they get out rebounded or destroyed inside. Their athleticism is far greater than any other team and that is more important than height, IMO.

The US will never try to play a post up game given FIBA rules anymore. Their offense will come from penetration isolation with 3 point shooting so you don't need a big man for offense.

For defense I'm pretty sure Odom is capable of guarding any other big man in this tournament. His length and athleticism are going to be huge assets in this. I just don't see this being a big problem at all.

[Cane]

USA doesn't give a damn about the Worlds unfortunately. Still fun to see the rising stars take on established international powerhouses though.

[DAF86]

The NBA is the one that doesn't give a fuck about the World championship, remember that guys like Manu, Dirk, Gasol, Tony, etc. can't play either. It's a shame.

[Venti Quattro]

russell westbrook just tore the croatian defense apart in the fourth.

[Girasuck]

Tomic played pretty well.