Boogie & Rudy's Excellent Adventure

[PurpleHaze]

Wow, whole talk pre-tourney was how USA was going to load up inside to try and match Spain's big front line. Thus Big Cuz makes team after some question early on (to say nothing of Faried, Plumblee,Drummond) following departure, unavailability of Durant, George, others. Now Coach K has to game plan for France (or Serbia). But first things first, Lithuania is actually more like Spain than France. Big inside, might not go all that quietly like Spain did today.

 

[Flopi]

France played some wicked defense.

France played exceptional defense. One of the very best games I ever watched from "Les Bleus". And I follow them for 20 years.
I'm french and despite my patriotic passion I didn't think a Parker-less France team had any chance against this Spanish armada. Actually, I even thought Spain was favorite against USA.
That's sport beauty. Team is always bigger thant individuals and a game is never won before it is played.

I agree USA has now a clear path to the gold medal. But, damn, how proud I am of the french team !

 

[ParniValjak]

People are acting like French are a huge surprise. May I remind people that France are European Champions. While Spain is more talented, sometimes all it takes is grit, determination and heart to achieve great things. Both France and Serbia play like a well drilled team and while on talent level they might not be in top 4 teams at the championships, they are playing like it. Both teams remind me of the German National Soccer team. Just a really well drilled unit where everyone plays for each other and play their role for the team. Nothing more, nothing less!

 

[KingMilz]

France played exceptional defense. One of the very best games I ever watched from "Les Bleus". And I follow them for 20 years.
I'm french and despite my patriotic passion I didn't think a Parker-less France team had any chance against this Spanish armada. Actually, I even thought Spain was favorite against USA.
That's sport beauty. Team is always bigger thant individuals and a game is never won before it is played.

I agree USA has now a clear path to the gold medal. But, damn, how proud I am of the french team !

It's called the Boris Diaw effect

 

[King Baller]

Rudy Gobert is a problem

Gobert was awesome!

 

[The Hammer]

I want Team USA to have the easiest route to a gold. I don't need a challenge to feel good. Just win.

That's how I feel. Just get it over with, assert total global basketball dominance once again, and get back to the season.

 

[Gary]

That's how I feel. Just get it over with, assert total global basketball dominance once again, and get back to the season.

I wanted a little bit of adversity. I want Cousins and Rudy to bring something back to the Kings this year and show us how things are done. A win against Spain could have gave them the confidence.

 

[swisshh]

I really wanted to see USA-Spain. It's just a good match-up. I'm not sure if France or Serbia will be as entertaining to watch, even if Gobert plays out of his mind.

 

[rainmaker]

I wanted a little bit of adversity. I want Cousins and Rudy to bring something back to the Kings this year and show us how things are done. A win against Spain could have gave them the confidence.

We haven't won anything yet. Adversity may still come.

Some are selling France short. They have the ability to close down penetration and given our guards love nothing more than to jack up bad shots and we don't use our bigs nearly as well as we could, we could easily find ourselves in a tight one.

 

[The Hammer]

We haven't won anything yet. Adversity may still come.

Some are selling France short. They have the ability to close down penetration and given our guards love nothing more than to jack up bad shots and we don't use our bigs nearly as well as we could, we could easily find ourselves in a tight one.

We might actually have to give the ball to Cousins in the post!

 

[ESP47]

I was really looking forward to Cousins saving America against Spain.

Oh well

 

[pshn80]

Not that I think that we should look past Lithuania (because they could **** around and beat us), and not that I think we should take any of the remaining teams lightly but, seriously... if they don't win gold now, they can't come home.

As Cap. Says, that's why they play the game.

 

[VF21]

We have a game starting in a few minutes. I may be silly but I think I'm gonna watch it before I start talking about what we'll need to do against France.

GO TEAM USA!!!

 

[PurpleHaze]

USA playing rather poor early - again! Fouling, fouling, fouling, turning it over, chucking jumper after jumper, not going inside (unlike big upfront Lithuania) inviting opponent to make it interesting. LTU 11 to USA 10 at this point.

 

[swisshh]

That "travel" call on Rose is what I mean about international refs not being used to US speed and movement. It's not bias, it's just that their eyes aren't conditioned to this athleticism.

 

[swisshh]

Cousins changing the game since coming in, but mostly through defense, boards and setting good screens. He should simplify on the post since these guys are struggling with his first move. Doesn't need a counter move really.

 

[PurpleHaze]

Big Cuz came in USA went on 11-3 run to lead 21-16 after 1Q.

 

[VF21]

USA playing rather poor early - again! Fouling, fouling, fouling, turning it over, chucking jumper after jumper, not going inside (unlike big upfront Lithuania) inviting opponent to make it interesting. LTU 11 to USA 10 at this point.

I'd much rather Team USA start slowly and build momentum than have them come out strong and fade at the end.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

That "travel" call on Rose is what I mean about international refs not being used to US speed and movement. It's not bias, it's just that their eyes aren't conditioned to this athleticism.

To whatever extent that may be true (and I don't know how many games you've seen when the US weren't playing), I've seen them make that call the whole tournament.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Meanwhile, Krzyzewski's refusal to play Davis and Cousins together is really starting to frustrate me.

 

[Rain man]

Uh oh... Boogie needs to calm down

 

[VF21]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm proud of Boogie - and I'm proud of Rudy. First, that elbow to the throat by Valunciunas was bs. Cousins showed a lot of restraint, IMHO. Second, I liked Rudy giving V. a finger thump on the head afterwards.

The only real chance Lithuania has right now is to get our guys in foul trouble or goad them into doing something stupid. DMC really needs to gather his inner zen and keep his head in the game. This is where Rudy just might be the dividend Team USA needs to keep Boogie on track.

 

[Rain man]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm proud of Boogie - and I'm proud of Rudy. First, that elbow to the throat by Valunciunas was bs. Cousins showed a lot of restraint, IMHO. Second, I liked Rudy giving V. a finger thump on the head afterwards.

The only real chance Lithuania has right now is to get our guys in foul trouble or goad them into doing something stupid. DMC really needs to gather his inner zen and keep his head in the game. This is where Rudy just might be the dividend Team USA needs to keep Boogie on track.

Agree that he showed good restraint, but fist closed and cocked, ready to hospitalize V, is not a great look.

 

[swisshh]

Play in question:

http://www.gfycat.com/LazyBleakHartebeest

Cousins held back but man did he scare the pee out of Jonas.

 

[PurpleHaze]

Looked more like an elbow push on the throat than an elbow to the throat. But still bush league tactic I'm sure hoping to get Cuz unglued.

 

[Bricklayer]

Agree that he showed good restraint, but fist closed and cocked, ready to hospitalize V, is not a great look.

Yeah, that was my thought too. What's the one way you blow all the changing narrative? That.

But just from quick reactions, I think instead you can see the power of nothing more than narrative and hype momentum -- 6 months ago that event would have been "see, Cousins can't control himself in big moments", "doesn't get it", "unreliable" etc. etc.. Now instead quick reaction actually seems to be "Cousins restrained himself well" and oh "haha, look at Valanciunas flinch!"

 

[Rain man]

Yeah, that was my thought too. What's the one way you blow all the changing narrative? That.

But just from quick reactions, I think instead you can see the power of nothing more than narrative and hype momentum -- 6 months ago that event would have been "see, Cousins can't control himself in big moments", "doesn't get it", "unreliable" etc. etc.. Now instead quick reaction actually seems to be "Cousins restrained himself well" and oh "haha, look at Valanciunas flinch!"

Agree. I was braced for the worst. An onslaught of "he hasn't changed at all. What a hothead, etc..." But the live comments were fair, and nothing on the halftime show. Hopefully the end result of the Team USA experience will be fairer coverage in the future.

 

[VF21]

I didn't really know much about Faried before this. I like his game and I love his attitude.

...And Team USA, as has become their wont, comes out and starts to put the pedal to the metal in the second half.

 

[VF21]

The home opener this year against the Warriors should be interesting.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

I almost came in here to say how much Valenciunas and his elbows he's always throwing pisses me off, and then he goes and elbows Cuz in the neck

But damn did Cuz scare the crap out of him!