Who wins the (Basketball) Gold? - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Flacolaco · 08-05-2008, 02:49 PM

Can Dirk get you that big pay day?

jthig32 · 08-05-2008, 02:57 PM

*looks around, looks at his watch, taps his foot*

dirno2000 · 08-05-2008, 02:58 PM

Somebody help him...I'm ready to vote...

jthig32 · 08-05-2008, 03:01 PM

You fail as a mod....and as a human.

Flacolaco · 08-05-2008, 03:02 PM

Sorry, I got pulled out of my office a couple of times.

jthig32 · 08-05-2008, 03:05 PM

Ah, I didn't realize it was going to be a vBookie. You get a bit of a pass based on that.

Flacolaco · 08-05-2008, 03:28 PM

I'm sorry if anyone wanted to bet on Angola or Croatia.

destroy ALL · 08-05-2008, 03:31 PM

i cant believe some of you think germany will win it all. USA all the way baby!

jthig32 · 08-05-2008, 03:48 PM

I don't really think they will, but 100 to one is enough to put 10 down on.

SMC0007 · 08-05-2008, 04:23 PM

OR 200.

GermanDunk · 08-05-2008, 04:38 PM

Nice event to earn bookie for next season.

horse900703 · 08-05-2008, 04:56 PM

100% U.S.A

OzMavs · 08-06-2008, 06:04 AM

Uh guys, you forgot someone!

digit · 08-06-2008, 06:56 AM

Spain all the way, that team can play ball like hell. US gets silver or bronze. Greece will be tough. Argentina is right there, but not as strong as previous tournaments. Aussies are my sleeper to get a medal.

MaVs 41 BaLler · 08-06-2008, 07:02 AM

umm what can you do with vCash besides bet??

jthig32 · 08-06-2008, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaVs 41 BaLler

umm what can you do with vCash besides bet??

You can purchase Sike's "services" for a night. Although I've heard the price doesn't match the performance.

Fidel · 08-06-2008, 08:21 AM

I´ve checked some betting sites and I really wonder about the odds they are giving Greece and Germany (about the same Flaco gave here). I think Greece has as good a chance as anyone of winning the tourney. If it was my buisiness I´d give 8/1 best. And Germany seems to be clearly underrated. This group had alot of success WITHOUT Kaman allready (3rd at world champs, 2nd at euro champs). No way I give 100/1, that´s insane. As soon as I saw those odds I put real money on Germany and Greece.

I think Spain is the favorite to win it though. I don´t think guys like Wade, Anthony, Kobe have really bought into the team concept. When it gets down to just a couple possesions everyone will want to be the hero. Also in the two warm up games I´ve seen team USA relied heavily on pressure defense/pressuring the ballhandler trying to create turnovers so they can run. That might work against most teams but I don´t think it´ll work against Spain.

Flacolaco · 08-06-2008, 08:40 AM

Spain scares me indeed, and Argentina as well. Greece is probably pretty underrated, I'd agree with that. Germany...I don't think it matters what the odds are. They aren't going to win.

I didn't do as much research on the odds as I would have liked. I'm blocked at work from a lot of betting sites. I think I got these from a European sports book.

dirt_dobber · 08-06-2008, 09:31 AM

Spain has a VERY good team with 9 guys who are playing or have played or will play in the NBA...........
Pau Gasol.........................(given to the Lakers by Memphis)
Marc Gasol.......................(will play this year for Memphis)
Juan Carlos Navarro .........(Memphis)
Jorge Garbajosa................(Toronto Raptors)
Raul Lopez.......................(did play for Memphis)
Rudy Fernandez...............(Portland Trailblazers)
Jose Calderon..................(Raptors)
Ricky Rubio.....................(who will be a top 10 draft pick next year)

Caseman · 08-06-2008, 09:38 AM

Look, it's pretty obvious USA has the better talent. It just depends if they give it their all this year.

Flacolaco · 08-06-2008, 09:59 AM

It just depends on if they can shoot their way out of a zone defense. It's the way they always get beat.

alby · 08-06-2008, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digit

Spain all the way, that team can play ball like hell. US gets silver or bronze. Greece will be tough. Argentina is right there, but not as strong as previous tournaments. Aussies are my sleeper to get a medal.

right on.

MavsFanFinley · 08-06-2008, 10:23 AM

USA for gold.

Underdog · 08-06-2008, 10:26 AM

Y'allz crazy...

Lithuania for the gold!

FINtastic · 08-06-2008, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirt_dobber

Spain has a VERY good team with 9 guys who are playing or have played or will play in the NBA...........
Pau Gasol.........................(given to the Lakers by Memphis)
Marc Gasol.......................(will play this year for Memphis)
Juan Carlos Navarro .........(Memphis)
Jorge Garbajosa................(Toronto Raptors)
Raul Lopez.......................(did play for Memphis)
Rudy Fernandez...............(Portland Trailblazers)
Jose Calderon..................(Raptors)
Ricky Rubio.....................(who will be a top 10 draft pick next year)

Oooh, I need to see Spain play. I've been meaning to check out this Ricky Rubio kid ever since I stumbled across a youtube vid. He looks to have some sick skills, I'm interested to see how he looks in an actual game against some top-notch competition.

fluid.forty.one · 08-06-2008, 06:04 PM

all in on USA

FINtastic · 08-06-2008, 07:03 PM

Same here.

U-S-A, U-S-A...

jayC · 08-06-2008, 09:22 PM

This team is assembled more like a basketball team and less like an all-star team. Coach K will bring the gold back to America.

Fidel · 08-06-2008, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caseman

Look, it's pretty obvious USA has the better talent. It just depends if they give it their all this year.

No that´s a total misconception. They´ve given their all in recent years too and still lost. Why? Because they don´t have superior talent in international style ball. What they are lacking are two things that teams like Spain or Argentina have.

-Big Men who can pass the ball. Neither of the three bigs is a real good passer. They´ll probably try to counter that by playing small (the way the team is assembled seems to indicate that) but that could give them problems against the bigger teams. And really they couldn´t have nominated other guys who´d fit better. It´s just that big men in the US and in Europe learn the game pretty different. That makes it hard for alot of euros to adjust to the NBA game but it definitly helps in international play.

-Even more important team USA doesn´t have the three point shooters needed in international ball. It is quite common with the other teams that every man on the floor can shoot the 3. For team USA not even the forwards Melo, Lebron and Prince are great shooters. In fact team USA has no one on the roster who shot above 40% from 3 point range last season.

I´m not saying they can´t win in, but they certainly aren´t superior in talent for the international type game.

Flacolaco · 08-06-2008, 10:40 PM

Someone who lives in Europe who thinks the USA basketball team isn't good enough to play the "international game."

Novel. I guess we'll find out one way or the other.

Fidel · 08-06-2008, 10:59 PM

Are you criticising my post? I don´t quite understand your comment.

Anyways I don´t think the team isn´t "good enough". On individual talent they are the best team no doubt. It´s just that they are lacking a couple of important skills for the inernational game (or let´s say they aren´t as good as other teams in certain aspects of the game). And there´s no doubt that the international game is quite different from the NBA game.

As for living in Europe. What has that to do with anything? I´ve seen the US play noumerous times over the last 20 years. But I´ve also seen the other teams and euroleague alot.

Flacolaco · 08-06-2008, 11:18 PM

I think the U.S. team is good enough to dictate the game to the other teams. I will be disappointed if they don't. They should be telling other teams how to play basketball, not the other way around.

That being said, when they get zoned they seem flustered. They brought in Redd to shoot them out of the zone...they got Prince to defend when the game gets tight...they have Paul and Williams, both of whom can shoot, and can also push the ball up the court to beat the zones... There's no reason they shouldn't be fine.

"The international game." Screw that. It's our game. I hope coach K realizes that properly.

alby · 08-06-2008, 11:53 PM

Start Kidd at PG, then milk Deron, and team USA will win.

It's harder for Paul to dominate in a much more physical game out in the perimeter. No touch fouls here young'n. Deron has the strength and a true jumper to really be USA's point guard of the present and the future.

jthig32 · 08-07-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

I think the U.S. team is good enough to dictate the game to the other teams. I will be disappointed if they don't. They should be telling other teams how to play basketball, not the other way around.

That being said, when they get zoned they seem flustered. They brought in Redd to shoot them out of the zone...they got Prince to defend when the game gets tight...they have Paul and Williams, both of whom can shoot, and can also push the ball up the court to beat the zones... There's no reason they shouldn't be fine.

"The international game." Screw that. It's our game. I hope coach K realizes that properly.

He's right though. There is a significant difference in style in the international game. A lot of that has to do with the free reign to run a complete zone, and the way the games are officiated.

This team is put together much better than previous USA teams, but to think that they are head and shoulders better than anyone else in the tournament is wrong.

nikeball · 08-07-2008, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alby

Start Kidd at PG, then milk Deron, and team USA will win.

It's harder for Paul to dominate in a much more physical game out in the perimeter. No touch fouls here young'n. Deron has the strength and a true jumper to really be USA's point guard of the present and the future.

Paul is very underrated in strength. When Kidd was backing him down in the first round of the playoffs he was holding his ground. And when he is so fast..it is harder for people to keep up with him to use their strength. But it is true about CP3's weak jumper.

And Kidd has looked very different than when he did in last summer's qualifier. His impact on the game is minimal at BEST. More than half the time USA is running isolations for Lebron, Kobe, Wade, and Melo. Kidd looks 1 step slower out there than the rest of team USA and half a step slower than the quick guards of the world

alby · 08-07-2008, 02:50 PM

Deron > Chris

:O

nikeball · 08-07-2008, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alby

Deron > Chris

:O

I agree. HAlf of Paul's assists come from Alley Oops to Chandler.

AxdemxO · 08-07-2008, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alby

Deron > Chris

:O

Def. true. CP3 is really good, but give me Williams

DirkFTW · 08-07-2008, 03:34 PM

Oh wait, "wins" not "hosts"... oops.

Mavs Rule · 08-07-2008, 06:19 PM

Spain seems to be winning everything else this year, why not basketball gold? They have won the big events in soccer, tennis, and bicycling to name a few. If it wasn't for Gasol being on their team, I would say it is their year for basketball gold. I think the USA will win it, but I may as well go for the longer shot Spain for the vDollars.