Comments on: Team USA 118, Spain 107: Instant Analysis

By: bornagain

bornagain — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:10:53 +0000

well the us players at the end showed the world how much class we have. was that a water buffalo mating call crotch grab at the ceremony? or maybe they wanted to make sure they still had one.
one thing that basketball will be remembered for was the death of amatuer olympics.

By: sososmom

sososmom — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:46:00 +0000

Thank you bookkwormmaster! I was just thinking the same thing about James. Most of the writer and commentators prior to yesterdays game were discussing how USA beats the zone by putting James at the top of the key. He just didn’t get the touches. I’m not sure why having 8 very good games seems to be less that 1 great game.

Also, I want to know who was supposed to be covering Navarro. How could that guy get into the lane every time down the court?

By: bookkwormmaster

bookkwormmaster — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:06:51 +0000

People should really stop trying to call LeBron James out for his supposed “4th quarter disappearance.” LBJ did not go MIA 1) he already had 4 fouls in the fourth and that limited his aggressiveness 2) he played a more defered game and did the little things like keeping possessions alive, grabbing rebounds, playing defense, etc 3) KOBE WAS CHUCKING!! At about close to the halfway point in the fourth when Spain had both the Gasols in the game LBJ kept camping in the middle of the lane while Marc Gasol (they were guarding each other) stood under the basket. LBJ was calling for the ball but Kobe, or anybody else for that matter, weren’t even passing him the ball

By: doc

doc — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:00:25 +0000

If Spain didnt turn it over they coulda won.If Spain hit some 3’s they coulda won.If Spain had Michael Jordan they coulda won.Spain got that ass bust.Yes Sir!

By: eyeused2b

eyeused2b — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:36:57 +0000

If Spain wouldn’t have turned the ball over, they could have won. If Spain would have shot 100%, they could have won. If Calderon were healthy, they could have won. If Spain would have grabbed every rebound of the game, they could have…..

OH STOP!

Woulda, coulda, shoulda, but they didn’t. Sh*t happens. It’s called basketball. The USA turned the ball over, missed shots, Kobe has torn ligaments, and they didn’t get all the rebounds either. If both teams played perfect games, USA wins in a blowout. Fortunately for us, neither team was perfect and we got to watch a great, competitive game.

Congrats to Spain on their silver medals. Congrats to the USA on earning the gold medals and some much needed respect.

By: Austin Burton

Austin Burton — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:40:12 +0000

@Jay — I understand where you’re coming from, I just don’t get why some people are like, “They didn’t deserve to win.” They just won the whole thing, and I’d say it was fairly convincing.

By: Jay

Jay — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:35:37 +0000

No offense Austin, but you folks stay hating and bandwaggoning on this site when it comes to teams and players, so I don’t see why its wrong for people to voice their opinion about the situation. I am happy that team U.S.A won, but i’m not going to sit around being on their nuts about it.

By: au61458

au61458 — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:59:36 +0000

Yea, have to agree that the game was great an sometimes the Spanish team really showed the could win against the best US team (by far) they have had in the last eight years.

Kobe, Wade and Paul really made the difference to me. Only Paul didnt score much, but he certainly was much better than Kidd, who got a couple of times owned by Ricky Rubio.

Rudy, Navarro, the Gasol brothers and the rest of the Spanish team gets my congratulations for playing their hearts out and making this maybe the best Olympic final ive ever seen in basketball.

Also have to say that Im really disapointed that Koponen didnt get his place in the Portland team this year. Ok, theyr already stacked with young potential so there was no place for him. But Im from Finland and I thought this would be the opportunity for him to enter NBA and keep on improving. Now his in Italy and might never again get the chance.

Dwight getting blasted by Rudy was the highlight of the game by far. Rudys going to be at least good in the NBA if he still improves.

By: heartbreaker85

heartbreaker85 — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:44:51 +0000

how many teardrop/ floaters did navarro make?

he was throwing them from 10-12 ft, tony parker throws it from less than 10…

memphis should’ve kept him around a bit longer to pair him up with gasol, gay, that edahadi dude and mayo

By: Amar

Amar — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:10:55 +0000

Congrats to team USA. Great game to watch, exciting plays to the end. Spain had heart — if Jose wasn’t hurt it could have been an even closer game. JC Navarro was scoring on Deron like anything because at that point 2nd and 3rd quarter Deron already had 3 fouls. (But then again, JC was scoring like crazy all game long)

I’ve resisted for the longest time, the cognition that Rudy Fernandez is more than just an athletic and exciting swingman, but he looks like he has serious game. Could he be the starting SF in portland?

Raul Lopez played quite poorly, and the 1st quarter he picked up 3 fouls and was out of the game. He iddn’t look that bad at times, nice to see him still playing after all of those knee injuries. No mention from Doug Collins et al. that he was ever an NBA player.

Dwight needs to learn how to make some freethrows.

Ricky Rubio is playing against Jason Kidd, Kobe, Wade, CP3 and Deron as a 17 year old, and he’s breaking them down off the dribble and making some nice passes? At 17? That is impressive.

But it’s going to be hard to win any game when you’re playing against a motivated Kobe.