United States vs España exhibition game thread featuring LeBron's warning shot

[Venti Quattro]

James warns Spain that U.S. improving daily (http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/23/us-oly-bask-usa-men-adv-idUSBRE86M0UW20120723)

(Reuters) - LeBron James warned rivals Spain on Monday that the U.S. Olympic basketball team was getting better every day on the road to London.

The Olympic champions play Beijing silver medalists Spain on Tuesday at Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi in the last friendly before the Games in what could be a preview of another Olympic gold medal final.

While the U.S. team were made to hold off a scrappy Argentina team for an 86-80 victory on Sunday, NBA Finals MVP James of the Miami Heat said the Americans were on the rise.

"We're better. We got better the last few days," James said about the process of becoming a well-coordinated team.

"Just being together on the floor, just playing the game. You improve each and every day, and we've done that."

James, who had 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists against Argentina, said Spain posed an interesting challenge not just because of their size up front but due to their shared experience on the court.

"They work well together. They've been together for a long time," said James, who will be expected to pitch in with some strong rebounding against the towering Spanish frontline featuring brothers Pau and Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka.

"When a shot goes up you got to try and keep them off the glass because they're so big."

High-scoring Kevin Durant, who poured in 27 points in Sunday's game said Spain had to worry more about the Americans.

"It is about us. We can't focus on what Spain is going to do. We know they are a tough team, we really respect them. They are a championship kind of a team but it is about us and what we are going to do when we come out."

The lone true center on the U.S. team, Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks, said he was not worried about the size issue.

"I feel like we'll be fine," Chandler told Reuters at Monday's practice. "The same way we have to make adjustments to their size they have to make adjustments to our speed and athleticism."

Chandler said the U.S. team was still getting accustomed to the nuances of international play.

"The last game was the first game that caught us off guard," he said, pointing specifically to four traveling calls that went against the Americans.

"Internationally you have to establish your pivot foot before you take off," he explained. "We got to get used to that."

Chandler said the sagging zone defenses and allowances for more physical play underneath made it tougher for players to drive to the hoop, one of the U.S. team's strengths.

"You can get away with a lot more underneath, a lot more grabbing, pulling, leaning on picks. All that kind of stuff," he said. "It's something we have to get used to."

[TE]

Those hairy mfkers have been put on notice.




...


Oh, yeah, fuck Spain.

[TE]

btw

Games is gonna be televised live on ESPN2 at 3:30 CT.

[Venti Quattro]

http://estaticos04.marca.com/albumes/2012/07/23/eeuu_turismobcn/1343075875_extras_albumes_0.jpg

http://estaticos04.marca.com/albumes/2012/07/23/eeuu_turismobcn/1343075907_extras_albumes_0.jpg

[racm]

Pau and Kobe look awfully close... :lol

[jeebus]

http://estaticos04.marca.com/albumes/2012/07/23/eeuu_turismobcn/1343075907_extras_albumes_0.jpg

Interlocking fingers. :cry so fucking classy :cry

until...I see kobe is worshipping himself by wearing that shirt. :nope how unclassy is that :nope

[DMC]

Kobe better be careful, Pau could start crying.

[Jodelo]

Kobe wants the ball every fucking time...

[TE]

If Melo comes out looking like the lazy underperforming faggot we've grown accustom to expect, coach K better play Kevin Love and Anthony Davis more. I don't want to see Melo get consistently dominated by either one of the gasols while providing zero on offense, just doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

[Stabula]

Damn, everyone knows it's bad form to suck your own dick by wearing your own T shirt. You don't see Slash wearing Guns n Roses T shirts, no class.

[ElNono]

Spain's gameplan: Let Melo and Westchuck take jumpers :lol

[Venti Quattro]

until...I see kobe is worshipping himself by wearing that shirt. :nope how unclassy is that :nope
:cry but Nike made him wear that shirt! :cry

[jeebus]

:cry but Nike made him wear that shirt! :cry
Was it for the kids?

[TE]

game about to start

[TE]

Tyson is a foul magnet in international basketball

[Stalin]

lol kobe with a "i scoredx 81" tshirt, guess when you can't beat jordan for greatest ever, you gotta compensate somehow

[TE]

Bad start

[Josepatches_]

We are a good team

Usa will have to show his A game tonight

[Banzai]

Not having an inside presence is showing..Team USA shooting lots of jumpers.

[Lincoln]

Is there a box score anywhere? Can't watch right now

[TE]

Team USA needs to avoid relying on iso ball. That is a death sentence against a team like Spain. We are lucky Melo has hit twice from the outside, other than that, the offense looks like shit.

[TE]

Home cooking

[Josepatches_]

Calderon!

[jeebus]

Ibaka with the usual couple goaltends. That faggot needs to learn how to block.

[Banzai]

Shaquille Ibaka

[TE]

Ibaka 6/6 looking like he's playing against the spurs

[TE]

Really bad start.

[Josepatches_]

Not bad

[TE]

Help side D and interior defense is nonexistent

[ElNono]

Is there a box score anywhere? Can't watch right now

Can't find one... I think they post one after the game

[ElNono]

dwill just getting it done now

[TE]

Spain flops so much it's disgusting

[Josepatches_]

Usa playing better now.

But too many jumpshots imo

[jeebus]

Spain flops so much it's disgusting
Chris Fall needs to put on his acting shoes and fight back.

[TE]

Knock those free throw down shit

[TE]

nice end to offset a bad start

[ElNono]

Spain flops so much it's disgusting

and they never foul...

[pass1st]

USA playing pretty bad, but still in the game

:lol international competition

[TE]

and they never foul...

Are you being sarcastic? :lol

[jeebus]

This is like the Thunder against Spain with all these chuckers.

[TE]

:lol spaniards mad about officiating

[TE]

That's a horrible call

[TE]

Melo is making me eat shit

[Banzai]

Whats the deal with Melo playing better overseas?

[jeebus]

Melo is making me eat shit
BOCjwHzo7y8

[Josepatches_]

Anthony on fire

Marc Gasol out today

[pass1st]

Carmelo playing like a top 10 player when it doesn't matter :lol

[jeebus]

These refs are amazing

[TE]

These refs are amazing

:lol

[TE]

tbh, I think these refs are gonna call that travel everytime KD catches the ball in motion while in transition

[jeebus]

Oh look, ball movement.

[pass1st]

This will probably be the gold medal game

[pass1st]

Kobe going retro for a second

[Banzai]

Iblocka

[ginobili's bald spot]

Kobe goin all 1999 on niggas.

[TE]

damm DOse flops

[jeebus]

Iblocka
third g:lolaltend of the game

[ElNono]

AARPgentina put a better fight, tbh... If they're not hitting those fluke 3s, Spain looks pretty ordinary...

[ElNono]

Will Marc play in the olympics?

[TE]

Horrible call

[ElNono]

Did Rudy always look that ghey?

[TE]

lol refs

[ElNono]

KD with the raining 3s goods, per par

[pass1st]

We are a good team

Usa will have to show his C game tonight

Fify :lol

[JJ Hickson]

:lolJosepatches

[ElNono]

:lolJosepatches

:lol

sup JJ

[Banzai]

KD with the raining 3s goods, per par

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r618/jtf0001/tiger-woods-fist-pump_o_GIFSoupcom.gif

[TE]

:lol josepatches

:lol mad cause his country can't ring gold

[JJ Hickson]

:lol

sup JJ



Nono, get on AIM dawg!

[ElNono]

Nono, get on AIM dawg!

tbh, I'm half lebanese semi-orthodox, and our religion doesn't allow us to use AIM :cry

[ElNono]

Team USA tapping det ass...

[TE]

:lmao wtf kind of foul is that?

[Banzai]

Team USA tapping det ass...

http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/74/ngbbs491f7db53c75b.jpg (http://www.threadbombing.com/details.php?image_id=5634)

[ElNono]

:lmao wtf kind of foul is that?

tbh, if you're a Laker that's a clear foul...

[TE]

:lol home cookin

:lol world fucked, not even poor piss officiating will be enough to dethrone the USA

[JJ Hickson]

tbh, I'm half lebanese semi-orthodox, and our religion doesn't allow us to use AIM :cry



:crygreat fucking non Indian nationalities. :cry

[pass1st]

L:lolve falling on his ass

[ElNono]

Spain clearly coasting, tbh....

[TE]

:lol

[LakerHater]

Welp, so much for the Spain the being the biddest comp!

[PGDynasty24]

LOL these refs

[jeebus]

Chuckbrick trying to take over.

[Banzai]

Rudy getting his bitching on.

[TE]

:lol Rudy whining to the refs

[JJ Hickson]

Jose better patch dat ass up.

[ElNono]

Would Greece put more of a fight?

[pass1st]

Would Greece put more of a fight?

Easily, tbh. Goatmen know how to wrestle in sweat & oil
http://wiki-images.enotes.com/thumb/4/42/Pankratiasten_in_fight_copy_of_greek_statue_3_cent ury_bC.jpg/300px-Pankratiasten_in_fight_copy_of_greek_statue_3_cent ury_bC.jpg

[jeebus]

Chuckbrick trying to take over.

[ElNono]

Kevin Love needs to go back to American Idol, tbh

[pass1st]

So FIBA lets you tip in the ball like that?

[TE]

:lol

[JJ Hickson]

Love doesn't look so good when he's not padding his stats on a shit team tbh.

[jeebus]

So FIBA lets you tip in the ball like that?
Yeppers

[ElNono]

So FIBA lets you tip in the ball like that?

Yeah... once the ball hit the rim once, it's fair game... defenders can tap it out too...

[ElNono]

Love doesn't look so good when he's not padding his stats on a shit team tbh.

Story of your career, tbh... :lol

[pass1st]

Yeppers

Be getting a lot of extra points then if we had monkeyball Dwight & blake there :lol

[FkLA]

The mother country España will come back. This USA team is too stupid and too selfish to hold large leads tbh.

[pass1st]

The mother country España will come back. This USA team is too stupid and too selfish to hold large leads tbh.

Boris Diaw mix :lol

[ElNono]

Spain might make a run because they're playing at home, and frankly, the home cooking is huge over there...

[TE]

This is some pretty piss poor officiating

[ElNono]

tbh, Lebron is too much for anybody right now...

[JJ Hickson]

Story of your career, tbh... :lol



:lol

[ElNono]

No more Gasol or Ibaka?

[JJ Hickson]

Spain throwing the game. CIA (whatever their coaches name is)

[FkLA]

Kobe doesnt know how to pass :lol

[pass1st]

Spain doing w/e they want :lol

[pass1st]

Sp:lolin

[JJ Hickson]

K-Love with the white magic.

[ElNono]

Well, I was hoping to see a more competitive game, tbh... lol patches

[pass1st]

Unibrow sighting

[JJ Hickson]

Donde esta josepatches?

[Amarelooms]

score please?

:elephant

[pass1st]

We are a good team

Usa will have to show his A game tonight

:lmao

[ElNono]

score please?

:elephant

94-74 with 3 mins to go

[jeebus]

Us 94 - 74

[pass1st]

Nice uniblock

[ElNono]

tbh, Spain doesn't use Gasol well... he should be shooting 3s like Mik:lol Br:lolwn wants him to...

[pass1st]

tbh, Spain doesn't use Gasol well... he should be shooting 3s like Mik:lol Br:lolwn wants him to...

Sad thing is, he's one of our most consistent 3pt shooters

[pass1st]

Unibrow has good coordination, he'll be a force if he works on his finesse game

[ElNono]

det terrerist on the loose in Spain... smh

[pass1st]

Did spainfan, patches, go in hiding?

[jeebus]

We are a good team

Usa will have to show his A game tonight
:lol hiding
:lol "oh i was busy, i didn't watch the whole game" excuse coming
:lol spanish armada
:lol coasting

[pass1st]

:lol hiding
:lol "oh i was busy, i didn't watch the whole game" excuse coming
:lol spanish armada
:lol coasting

:lolArgentina better
:lolNeeding an African to carry them
:lolAs hairy as Greece

[TE]

:lol Spain
:lol losing even with disgustingly bias officiating in your favor
:lol fluke three point shooters
:lol whole team of harden-like floppers
:lol ugly ass hairy mfkers
:lol needing an african on your team
:lol coasting

:lol Jose patches
:lol mad cause your country ain't ringing gold any time soon
:lol "A" game

[pass1st]

Argentina at best is two steps behind Spain.

Spain would win 9 of 10 if they play 7 games series. But only one game? Of course Argentina could beat Spain.

:lol

[cobbler]

Kobe doesnt know how to pass :lol

Just because his shots per game is high it doesn't mean he doesn't know how to or doesn't pass.

As mentioned to the Mav poster last week with the same ignorance, he has more assists per year for the majority of the last decade than your entire team sans Parker the point guard. Go figure.

[Latarian Milton]

even espana are hardly a rival to us, they are the closest but there's no hell of a chance they could surmount us. losing a game to US by single-digit should feel like a win for them spaniards or any other team imho

[BanditHiro]

Just because his shots per game is high it doesn't mean he doesn't know how to or doesn't pass.

As mentioned to the Mav poster last week with the same ignorance, he has more assists per year for the majority of the last decade than your entire team sans Parker the point guard. Go figure.

usage rating..

[ElNono]

even espana are hardly a rival to us, they are the closest but there's no hell of a chance they could surmount us. losing a game to US by single-digit should feel like a win for them spaniards or any other team imho

Lebron is something else right now, tbh... and that 3 point line is too short for Durant...

[weebo]

Dream Team 2012 just toying with the world.

[racm]

Wait, Argentina is the only team Team USA didn't beat by double digits?

:lmao

[Stabula]

Definitely going to refer back to this thread when USA doesn't get the gold.

[Venti Quattro]

Definitely going to refer back to this thread when USA doesn't get the gold.

You're not going to bump this thread for that purpose.

[ElNono]

I think some teams might be able to keep it close against the bench (like ARG did the other day)... but Lebron + Durantula are too much to handle for everyone, tbh...

Plus there's games every other day, and I suspect the extra athleticism will benefit Team USA more...

[Venti Quattro]

:lol 27 US personal fouls
:lol 15 Spain personal fouls
:lol homecooking
:lol cooked at home by 20 points

[TE]

:lol 27 US personal fouls
:lol 15 Spain personal fouls
:lol homecooking
:lol cooked at home by 20 points

:lol spain
:lol "2nd" best team in the world

[Venti Quattro]

bdsuRi5BNyQ

found this highlight reel

[Stabula]

It's important to note that the heterosexual version of Pau, Marc Gasol did not play. Also Carmelo Anthony had a fluke 27 point game.

[Venti Quattro]

It's important to note that the heterosexual version of Pau, Marc Gasol did not play. Also Carmelo Anthony had a fluke 27 point game.

It. Doesn't. Matter. The United States is winning the gold medal at the Olympics.

[Stabula]

It. Doesn't. Matter. The United States is winning the gold medal at the Olympics.

I won't deny the US has good chances but it's definitely not lock stock and barrel. Spain will play better with the physicality of Marc Gasol, Carmelo Anthony won't have another night like this, team USA has Westbrick, and team USA almost lost to the geriatrics in Argentina.


Not guaranteed.