Olympic Basketball- Germany Thread

[sagegrouse]

Did Germany even show up? 106 - 57?

Box scores can be deceiving. Howard scored 22 points? Did Team USA just pound the ball inside? 54.5% shooting for the game - was this a dunk fest?

I didn't watch the game but would appreciate the thoughts of anyone who did.

Thanks.

The US began by opening up an 18-3 lead. Defense, steals, fast breaks, inside shooting, outside shooting, rebounds. It was a tour de force.
I scarcely paid attention to the last 3Qs, although I did see Carlos make a couple of nice plays.

sagegrouse

[wilson]

Has anyone found a source for Olympic hoops? I can't seem to find the box scores on either ESPN or FIBA.

sagegrouse
'106-57 final. Germany got just over 1/2 the points of the US (53%).'

I haven't had any trouble finding box scores on ESPN.com.

[jwg]

I haven't had any trouble finding box scores on ESPN.com.

But they are wrong. For example, they list Boozer as a starter...at least they do now, at 10:15 EDT.

[roywhite]

I haven't had any trouble finding box scores on ESPN.com.

To be picky, the espn box is not the final or "official" boxscore.

Usabasketball.com is a good source for game information, quotes, and the official boxscore. I just checked, and the official boxscore is not yet posted for the US--Germany game.

[wilson]

FWIW, the ESPN box appears to be correct now, with minutes filled in and the starters adjusted.

[roywhite]

From usabasketball.com

http://www.usabasketball.com/seniorm...cores/USA5.pdf


On to the medal rounds!

[LetItBD08]

The FIBA website is also very useful:

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/08/...Stat_sche.html

[BlueintheFace]

Darn, I was so close to my prediction of Germany getting less than 50... Oh well. Can't say I'm disappointed in the game.

[91_92_01_10_15]

From usabasketball.com

http://www.usabasketball.com/seniorm...cores/USA5.pdf


On to the medal rounds!

Also, there are links to comprehensive post game quotes from USA basketball here:

http://www.usabasketball.com/men_tea...=msnt_schedule

The quotes from today's game include comments from Michael Phelps, as well, who attended the game and visited the locker room afterward.

[godukerocks]

Don't jinx my reverse jinx!

Sorry about that Mr. Billybreen. I was not familiar with that. Um, yes, Germany by two in a stunner.

[hc5duke]

The big deal is that the Olympics are supposed to be about representing your country, not being a selfish mercenary. Kaman has absolutely NO personal connection w/Germany. His great-grandparents are from there, that is his only link. If a player has spent several years in a country, etc., then maybe I can see how he/she is justified in playing for a nation other than the one they were born and raised in, but this business Kaman and Becky Hammon are doing, signing on to whoever will have them so they can get some better competition during the summer (Kaman) or enjoy the "olympic experience" (Hammon) makes a mockery of the Games. And I'm just old-fashioned enough to be upset about that. No matter how perverse the original concept of the game has become.

Sure doesn't seem like a big problem for the US table tennis team. I do have a problem with Becky Hammon playing for Russia (and I suppose the ping pong team, too), but again I fail to see what's wrong with playing for your ancestor's home country.

[devildownunder]

Sure doesn't seem like a big problem for the US table tennis team. I do have a problem with Becky Hammon playing for Russia (and I suppose the ping pong team, too), but again I fail to see what's wrong with playing for your ancestor's home country.

I brought up Kaman and Hammon because this is the germany-us thread and Kaman plays for Germany. Plus, I find them to be two of the more egregious examples, AND their actions draw more of my emotional ire because they are Americans. But I don't like this business of mercenaries at the Games. It's not a right to play in the Olympics, it's an honor; if you're not good enough to represent your country, too bad. And if the athletes don't have any more pride than to respect the Games as such, than the IOC and each sport's respective governing body needs to make the rules so that this kind of stuff can't happen. I would suggest that anyone who wants to compete for a country 1) forfeit the ability the play for their country of origin or any other, permanently, as soon as they state their intention to play for the new country 2) Have to wait six years from the time they apply to play for the new country to the time they actually do so, during which time they must live and work in that country for at least 4 years 3) Obtain citizenship and a passport for their chosen country prior to the Games BEFORE the ones in which they want to compete.

That would weed out all the mercenaries. Seeing athletes win medals for the US on quickie passports doesn't fill me with any joy either and is against the spirit of the Games -- something I'm still naive and idealistic enough to believe in.