Disclaimer from the get-go: This is not the place to get expert analysis and insights from EuroBasket 2009. As always, if there is an area that I’m not intimately knowledgable on, I will refer you to where to get the best news and views, whilst highlighting a few interesting tidbits that I spot along the way. Basketball is such a global game now, that no one could claim to be an international expert on the sport. Plenty will pretend though…
The first thing you’ll notice about the teams in EuroBasket: they go hard. There is no respite between games, so blink and you’ll miss it. Have an off game and you’ve dug yourself a hole. Take a day off and you might as well kiss the World Championships adios.
Spain entered this tournament as the massive, unmistakable favourites. A star-studded cast of NBA veterans, both young and old, and a proven track record make them the team that everyone has been gunning for. Thus, it’s worth focussing here on how Spain has looked in the early going.
Serbia, a long-time basketball region, with a young but talented roster, gave the Spanish their first wakeup call. Day one saw the Serbs knock Spain off 66-57. Nenad Kristic had 17 points and six rebounds for the victors, whilst Spain got 14 points from Juan Carlos Navarro.
NBA-heads will recognise the team as a similar one to that which matched up strongly against Team USA at the 2008 Olympics. Pau Gasol, brother Marc, Navarro, Minnesota’s favourite son Ricky Rubio and Jorge Garbajosa all are familiar. Portland’s Rudy Fernandez sat out injured, whilst Blazers draftee Victor Claver contributed a solid, if unspectacular two turnovers, one foul and one missed shot in seven minutes of action.
YouTube highlights of the Serbia v Spain match.
Now, to those with more measured views on Spain’s first match. The Painted Area is following EuroBasket in detail:
Has to be the worst game I’ve seen Spain play in recent time. Can’t remember a non-USA game in the last five years where Spain got thoroughly outplayed.
It’s not so much that they lost, it was how they got beat. Spain is just not a national team that goes thru the motions. Spain was without Rudy Fernandez because of a quad injury, but they have more than enough firepower to play better than this.
Spain was a step slow and couldn’t hold onto the ball. Was slow transitioning from offense to defense. Constantly beaten to spots on both ends. Spain made some mini-runs in the 2nd half, but never seriously threatened the Serbs.
That doesn’t sound like the Spanish team that we’ve all seen in recent years.
Nenad Krstic was the star of the day on both ends with 17 pts & 6 rebs on 7/12 FG. Nenad mixed in some righty hooks with some turnaround jumpers on offense, and was active near the rim helping to change shots & holding the fort vs. the Gasol boys.
Forward Felipe Reyes was the only Spaniard who had a positive showing. Reyes showed off his tight footwork to score around the rim a few times. Reyes had 12 pts, 6 rebs, and scored on a few put-backs off his 3 offensive rebs.
Like I said, this tournament comes at you like a flock of ladies at a red-light department store sale. Whilst still pouring dettol on their wounds, the Spanish team suited up for a battle with Great Britain, less than 24 hours later.
Team GB has been on a massive upward swing in the last two years as they build their program with an eye to the 2012 London Olympics. Solidifying their squad with the addition of Luol Deng and Ben Gordon (neither of which are available for this tournament), there have been giant-sized steps in British basketball. Tonight was no exception.
Spain held on to win 84-76 in a game that many would have predicted to be a Spanish walkover. A true sign of how far Team GB has come.
Mark Woods, aficionado on all things British basketball, said via his Britball blog:
Great Britain 76 Spain 84. But what a battle. [Jarrett] Hart 15 points and 8 rebounds. [Mike] Lenzly 14. Pau Gasol had 27 and 11 and saved Spain, who led by as much as 16 in the third period. Bad news is that [centre, Andrew] Betts is a major doubt for Wednesday’s win-or-bust tie with Serbia with a back injury and so is [Portland Trail Blazers draftee, Joel] Freeland.
GB post-game reaction from Torwar
Mike Lenzly: “It’s tough. We worked so hard to come back from last night’s loss to put forth a better effort and it didn’t quite come off.”
Kieron Achara: “We had them right where we wanted them.”
Chris Finch: “I thought we’d do it before the game. Spain aren’t not playing well. I thought they were there to be had. I would have liked a better start, of course. They got us in foul trouble early. It took us a while to settle into a rhythm, But once we figured it out, I thought we controlled the game, even when we were down.”
It’s hard to argue that this was not a good result for Britain and a potential kick in the culo for Spain.
Day three (Sept 9) sees the final game of pool play with Spain playing Slovenia and Great Britain taking on Serbia. Group C is as wide open as the key on a mid-90’s Golden State Warriors team.
So you want to watch some of the fun ‘n’ tumble EuroBasket action? FIBA.com has a great feature which allows subscribers to shell out $30/€22 and have 24/7 access to live games AND replays on demand all the way through until August 2nd, 2010. But you might just want to do your homework first, as certain games are not available in certain countries. Apart from that, you will have access to “over 200 live games” including the entire EuroBasket 2009. A worthwhile investment in my books. (Yeah, I wish I was getting a referral fee on this too…)
Other highlights via the marvellousness of youtube:
France v Germany (Day One)
Great Britain v Slovenia (Day One)
