USA/Spain

[PhxGametime]

Amare should be getting some minutes, Duncan picked up 2 early fouls and Boozer is playing poor...

 

[sly fly]

Don't write off these guys just yet. The USA came to play today.

So far, we look DOMINANT.

Quick as hell, too much so for Spain.

I hope they crush Spain.

Up by 8 in the 2nd.

 

[sly fly]

BTW, Stouds just got absolutely posterized by Pau Gasol.

Ouch!

Up by 3.

 

[sly fly]

This team just can't shoot. Wow.

Wade and Lebron are just clanking.

Big meltdown going on.

 

[sly fly]

Up by 2 at half.

Big foul trouble.

Marbury with 10/3.

5/10 3 pt. range. 5 turnovers.

 

[sly fly]

Marbury on FIRE.

Up by 6.

It's a wonder what hitting a couple 3's does.

 

[sly fly]

Cry, Gasol, Cry.

No way this Spain team is better than the "patchwork" team of USA's SECOND-TIER players.

 

[sly fly]

Someone better get out on Marbs...

 

[sly fly]

Wow. Carmelo with a huge 3 to end the 3rd.

USA up by 7.

 

[sly fly]

Up by 9. Marbury continues to dazzle from 3.

Spain is a bunch of floppers.

The refs are completely outmatched with Spain crying on every call.

That giant Dueznas for Spain has a lot of backhair. Not exactly a pretty guy.

 

[sly fly]

Great win! Marbury with 30.

The rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Kudos to Marbury for stepping up and hitting his jumpers. That really helped. And, it also helped AI get going.

Larry Brown coached his ass off this game.

Lebron sat the 2nd half because he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn.

Odom and Duncan cotinue to be the mainstay's of this team.

Marion has been a great contributor.

Amare can put this one under his belt and learn from it.

Screw the crowd who keeps jeering our guys.

 

[frdbtr]

Are there any more updates? Or did the USA blow it in the final couple of minutes like they did with Lithuania? (sp?)

 

[sly fly]

Spain's coach is a whiny little bitch. Hilarious.

Wouldn't shake Larry Brown's hand at the end because Brown called timeout. Larry Brown told him, "Don't point your finger at me!". I though Larry Brown was going to brawl.

They had to restrain the Spain coach... quite a scene.

LB wasn't going to let him stand there and berate hm.

That was hilarious.

 

[devilalum]

USA wins by 12 MArbs has 31

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Marbury with 30.

Actually, he scored an Olympic record of 31. Most points for an American in basketball, passing Adrian Dantley and Charles Barkley.

I watched the 3rd and 4th quarters. To me it wasn't great...it was ugly.

 

[sly fly]

Actually, he scored an Olympic record of 31. Most points for an American in basketball, passing Adrian Dantley and Charles Barkley.

I watched the 3rd and 4th quarters. To me it wasn't great...it was ugly.

Why can't you just enjoy the win? Spain made it ugly. Flopping at the air.

Ugly, perhaps in the helter skelter action. But, a beautiful win nonetheless. Especially in front of a hostile crowd.

 

[binkar]

Steph was amazing. Those are the kinds of games I am going to miss watching from him even though I am much happier with our current roster.

 

[Joe Mama]

Dammit! This is the second straight game I have missed because I fell asleep before I was able to set up the digital recorder. Does anybody know whether it will be played on tape delay on many of the other NBC stations? When is the next game?

Sly fly, thank you for the gametime updates. I actually read them all this morning. Would you please elaborate on the problems between the Spanish coach and Larry Brown? What happened?

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Chaz]

The Spanish coach was upset that Brown called the TO at the end of the game.

Afterward he went over to the refs, then he yelled at Pop for a while then he was walking off the court and the US coaches were trying to talk to him about it but he kept yelling and pointing. Finally LB just walked away after the Spanish coach was restrained by his own assistants.

I feel bad for the players from Spain because they just got a bad draw. I don't feel so bad for the Spanish coach now because he was acting like a jackass.

Doug Collins just quoted the guy and he says now that he lost all respect for Brown.
Brown called a TO when Spain was pressing and the US had committed a turnover. The refs did not call it untill the next dead ball but by then it was a little late. Popovich said they tried to take it back but the refs had already blown the whistle and stopped play.

 

[Djaughe]

You must be registered for see images

​

lol...I think every photo has a spanish guy flopping....

 

[NDSunsfan]

The Spanish coach was upset that Brown called the TO at the end of the game.

Brown called a TO when Spain was pressing and the US had committed a turnover. The refs did not call it untill the next dead ball but by then it was a little late. Popovich said they tried to take it back but the refs had already blown the whistle and stopped play.

Steph said in the interview with Craig Sager after the game that in international ball you can't just call a timeout. You have to tell the refs you want one and they give it the next deadball. If that's how it works, why didn't the Spanish coach figure that out? He looked like a whiny sore loser. Why would the US want to 'rub it in?' It was a acceptabe play. Even when it was given, there was nothing wrong with the TO. If it had happened in the NBA, NOBODY would have thought anything about it. Larry Brown tried to be nice, but Spanish dude kept pointing his finger in LB's chest and eventually it looked like it was go time for the coaches. Would have been a huge mismatch.

Great comment about the back hair for the Spanish center. I thought it was a huge tattoo until I looked closer. Yikes.

 

[PhxGametime]

Everyone played well, James and Anthony didn't have real strong games but Anthony did make a huge 3PTer to end half. Boozer picked it up in 2nd half, it was a close game though. Marbury dominated (similar to Clippers games in LA) forgot which year but I saw it not too long ago, while watching Q play.

The Spain 19 year old, wasn't that impressive - Rudy Fernandez. Perhaps another Mike Dunleavy type player (that is expected to be Lottery Pick) - decent player but he looks overhyped.

 

[George O'Brien]

It sounds like Marbury had the kind of game that everyone knows he can play, but doesn't on a consistent basis. When he's on he is unstoppable and when he's off he'll shoot you out of the game. I am so happy he finally had an ON game.

All the previews suggested that Spain would have a problem matching up with the USA team inspite of their great record. USA is not out of the woods yet.

 

[cardsunsfan]

Ok I have to admit that I was on the fence with the US team but now I definitely want them to win. No respect from Spain. We just won because of the refs according to their coach and the better team loss. What a whiner! It would have sucked if they had one the gold.

I hope we continue to get better and it doesn't just end of being Marbury who can shoot...

 

[George O'Brien]

Team Usa Article

USA BASKETBALL

U.S. Shooting Eye Returns In 102-94 Win Over Previously Undefeated And Number One Seeded Spain

– Marbury's 31 Points And Six Made 3-Pointers Set U.S. Olympic Records –



August 26, 2004 • Athens, Greece

Box Score
Post Game Quotes
Olympic Schedule / Results
USA Cumulative Statistics
Behind guard Stephon Marbury's (New York Knicks) U.S. Olympic record 31 points and record six made 3-pointers, the U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team (4-2) battled its way to a 102-94 victory over No. 1 seed and previously unbeaten Spain (5-1) Thursday afternoon in Athens. With the win, the USA moves on to the medal round semifinals on Friday (game time TBA) and will face the winner of tonight's Argentina-Greece game (10:15 p.m. Athens local time).

In Thursday's other afternoon quarterfinal contest, Lithuania improved to 6-0 with a 95-75 victory over China (2-4). The evening's quarterfinal games feature Italy (3-2) versus Puerto Rico (3-2) and Argentina (3-2) meets host Greece (3-2) in the night's final game.

With center Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs) and Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers) in foul trouble much of the game, the U.S. relied on point production from its outside shooting to earn the critical win.
Entering the quarterfinal contest shooting as a team 46.0 percent overall and just 23.6 percent from 3-point, the U.S. shooting warmed to 50.7 percent from the field for the game and the U.S. made 12-of-22 3-pointers (.545 percent).

Marbury, who likewise entered the game in a shooting slump having made just 6-of-30 shots overall and 2-of-16 (12.5 percent) from afar, shot 10-of-15 from the floor and dropped 6-of-9 3-point shots versus Spain.

"This afternoon we came out and played with a lot of emotion. Guys are well aware of how we've been playing from the beginning of the Olympics. Guys' mind-sets are that if we don't come out and we don't play from the jump, these teams are so good, we're not going to give ourselves the opportunity to win," Marbury stated. "We wanted to go out and attack on the defensive end. We knew that Pau Gasol was going to have a big game because he's their guy and they go to him a lot. Our main concern was playing with a lot of energy and a lot of effort."

"It was a great game. We were able to keep the lead in the first half with some severe foul trouble. Most of the game we were in foul trouble, but I think a lot has to do with the way they drove the lane and got the ball inside," said USA and Detroit Pistons head coach Larry Brown. "Under the circumstances we shot the ball, moved the ball better, only had eight turnovers and that's been a big problem for us throughout the tournament.

"This was a great team we played against. (Pau) Gasol was incredible. They hurt us on dribble-penetration. But for the most part, taking care of the ball and generally taking good shots, having our bench help us when Timmy (Duncan) and Lamar (Odom) were in foul trouble, got us through today."

Tied 25-25 after the first quarter, Marbury accounted for six points as the U.S. opened up a nine-point lead, 38-29, with 5:14 to play in the second quarter after outscoring Spain 13-4. Spain marched right back and reeled off 11 straight points to take te lead 40-38 with 1:42 left before half, but the U.S. closed out the half with a 6-3 run to take a 44-43 lead to the locker room.

Although the U.S. would grab a 63-56 lead with 3:28 left in the third quarter, Spain again fought back to tie the score at 63 all. But the U.S. again closed out the quarter strong and outscored Spain 11-4 to grab control 74-67 with one quarter to go.

Holding an 82-78 lead with 4:20 remaining in the contest, Marbury made a critical steal and then drained his sixth 3-pointer of the day. Duncan added a tip-in, and following a Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz) basket at 2:41, the U.S. advantage increased to 89-78.

Spain cut the gap to five, 91-86, with 1:55 to play, but Marbury scored off a drive with 1:34 to play and following two free throws from Boozer and two more from Shawn Marion (Phoenix Suns) the U.S. lead was back to 11 and Spain's hopes of upending the Americans were done.

In addition to Marbury's record offensive explosion, which also saw him hand out four assists and make two steals, the USA got 16 points from Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers), who made 3-of-8 3-pointers, while Boozer finished with 12 points, and Odom added 11 points six rebounds. Duncan, playing just under 21 minutes, recorded nine points and four rebounds, and Marion also turned in a solid effort, adding eight points and six boards.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Pau Gasol led Spain's attack with 29 points, while Juan Carlos Navarro added 17 points.

"He (Marbury) was great. He took the game over from start to finish. He just took it over. There isn't much else to say except that," commented Duncan. "He shot the ball very well, extended the zone, got them out to where they had to play man-to-man. I thought he did a great job of moving the ball. He shot the ball very well, very confident. I know he came in and worked out yesterday on our day off, trying to get himself ready for this and he was prepared to play the game."

Marbury's 31 points surpassed the previous U.S. Olympic Men's single game record of 30 points that was set by Charles Barkley (vs. Brazil, 7/31/92) and Adrian Dantley (vs. Yugoslavia, 7/27/76). Marbury's six made 3-pointers also improved the previous U.S. record for made 3-pointers, which was five by Reggie Miller (vs. China, 7/26/96). The USA's 12 made 3-pointers tied the U.S. single game mark which was done in two previous games (vs. China, 7/26/96, and vs. Puerto Rico, 8/4/92).

Here's a quote from the Spanish coach

"It was said that the public supports the weaker team. I think in this case the public was solidly behind the stronger team because we were the stronger team,'' said Pesquera, who also complained that the officials allowed the Americans to get away with multiple traveling violations.

"I think this game was played under NBA rules, not FIBA rules,'' he said.