That Lavittrola kid is good. Played two seasons in the ty brazilian league as a starter for one of the most relevant teams out there. He's only 23 o 24. Should be a nice replacement to... Cory Joseph in the Spurs.
Last edited by PingPong; 09-02-2015 at 09:29 AM.
Nocioni is around 35. He's big and tough for FIBA. Scola is basically a superstar in FIBA. He's money in the post and mid-range.
Arg has a good system. Not surprised they beat a talented but young Canadian team.
PR has regressed a lot through the years. The game has become too guard oriented. This year they're also even shorter on big men with some injuries. Devon Collier is out, and Harkless was going to finally play for the team and got injured and removed supposedly by the Blazers.
Last edited by NameLess Scrub; 09-02-2015 at 09:54 AM.
Considered strong maybe by heritage or history? PR's current team is and Canada is young and inexperienced. But if you compare them to what, the Philippines? CUBA? Yes, they're better. But not to teams like ARG, RD, Mexico and Brazil.
RD is not that good. Brazil is usually good but I don't think they send the best roster and they're playing for nothing since they are host next year.
Mexico is probably the hotter and more motivated team. I expect ARG and CAN to get the 2 available spots for the Olympics, and the rest will go to the Wild Card tournament so good Euro teams that happened to not qualify outright can have a party at their expense.
Cojo was overrated by many on this forum... Limited offensive game, stalled the offensive movement and had a shaky jumper. Defense was good, that's all.....
Laprovitola played here in Flamengo (are going to play in Europe), and was the best player of last season, it is a playmaker
Despite the last two games, this ARG team is still projected to be underwhelming. They have a good system, but at some point the lack of talent and the fact that they rely on old guys will be exposed (especially on FIBA, with games every day).
PR is a good team that's been together for a while and now have a solid coach in Rick Pitino. They have NBA talent, and IIRC, won the last FIBA Americas.
Last time I checked, the Philippines is in Asia, I thought this was a tournament in the Americas????
OP is a got, but a cool got like Freddie Mercury.
Mexico won the 2013 tourney. PR was silver. They should have beaten Mexico though.
They've had their moments, specially when Barea and a couple of other guys have good games.
But they have still regressed and with the injuries, they are a small team in general this time around.
This worldview of yours.........,,,,..,..,........,
Thanks...He is a strong guy and a very good player. Didn't want to sound as if I was slighting him.
I don't get the CoJo hate.
He wasn't overpaid, he played hard, Pop absolutely loved what he brought during that tough December last year, and he seems like a really nice guy.
It's not like he stole our money or was an asshole.
It was meant as an example as the Philippines sucks at basketball. I've could have said Honduras but the Philippines was the first ty basketball team that came out of my mind.
I checked and the last time PR won a FIBA Americas Tournament was 20 years ago. Their Under 17 team won a tournament this year but it was the "Centrobasket". The only true NBA talent they got is Barea. Carlos Arroyo, Balkman, et al, are old and declining faster than their Country's economy. ARG could look as an "underwhelming" team compared to previous years but they got savvy veterans, Mr. FIBA Scola and the Reign MVP of the Euroleague Final Four (Nocioni).
Laprovitolla just signed with Lietuvus Rytas which is a fairly important team in europe... so, he isn't that bad tbh
Arroyo still has game, but is injured. Balkman is not old yet and always plays well.
That said, they wouldn't be doing much better with Arroyo. Frontcourt is a huge problem.
Economy still sucks though
Only way I see ARG not getting 1st or 2nd is if they run out of gas later in the tourney. PR and Mexico might have a chance then.
shoulda traded him to minny, last season. coulda got a 2nd, at least. woulda had an extra stasher, that could never come over. instead, LMA and the pride before the fall.
Yeah, my bad, it was Mexico that won. But that PR team has been overachieving for a while. Barea and Balkman are really good when you look at the rest of the teams tbh... also they have that sharpshooter Ayuso...
I mean, the overall talent level of America's basketball outside US and Canada is pretty damn poor.
As far as Scola and Nocioni, I think they're going to be toast by next week, when the games really start to matter... we'll see.
You're going to say those same words. Next week... YOU WILL SEE
What if the team adds Swaggy P?
Yeah I'd rather just not think about this...I hate that scrub tbh he's everything thats wrong with basketball
Eh who cares. He's no longer with the Spurs. I think Cojo will find some meaningful pt one day. Maybe he will rejoin the Spurs in a few years.
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