FC Barcelona Basquet vs. Los Angeles Lakers Tonight on ESPN

Shapecity · Oct 18, 2008

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Euroleague Basketball have announced that three Euroleague teams will compete in five NBA preseason games from October 10-21, 2008. The five games, which are part of the Euroleague American Tour, will be played by 2008 Euroleague champion CSKA Moscow (Russia), FC Barcelona (Spain) and Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania). The teams may face up to five NBA opponents including the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Orlando Magic, the Toronto Raptors and possibly the Los Angeles Clippers.

“These games continue our collaboration with Euroleague Basketball, as we work together to grow the game of basketball on a global basis,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern.

The Euroleague American Tour continues a tradition of friendly competition between the NBA and Euroleague Basketball, dating back to 1978 when Maccabi Tel Aviv played the Washington Bullets in Tel Aviv, Israel. Following the 2008 preseason schedule, 33 games will have been played between the two leagues since Euroleague Basketball was created in 2000, including 13 games during NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS™ in 2006 and 2007.

"We value the chance to partner with NBA teams in their own arenas," Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu said. "There are basketball fans of all types in North America whom we plan to entertain with our own distinct playing style. We are sure they will appreciate again that the international game has a lot to offer our sport."

The Euroleague American Tour tips off on Oct. 10 in Orlando, Florida, when six-time Euroleague champion CSKA Moscow makes its North American debut against the Orlando Magic. CSKA’s second preseason game will take place in Toronto, Canada, when CSKA plays the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 14.

FC Barcelona play two games as part of the Preseason Shootout at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif. The 2008 NBA Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers will be Barcelona’s first opponent on Oct. 18, followed by the either Los Angeles Clippers or Toronto Raptors on Oct. 19. For Barcelona, founded in 1926, the games in Los Angeles will be their first played in the United States.

ORACLE Arena in Oakland, Calif. will be the final site of the Euroleague’s American Tour when the Golden State Warriors hosts Lietuvos Rytas on Oct. 21. Rytas is the 2005 ULEB Cup champion and hold five Lithuanian League crowns.

For the third consecutive year, NBA teams will participate in preseason games abroad. The Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets and Washington Wizards will play four games in Barcelona, Berlin, London and Paris as part of NBA Europe Live 2008.
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Source: Lakers.com

Shapecity · Oct 18, 2008

Re: FC Barceloa vs. Los Angeles Lakers Tonight on ESPN

It’s a city of the Mediterranean Sea … The mountains … A confluence of new age and Gothic architecture … Unique cuisine … And, most of all, of a vibrant people.

It’s Barcelona.

Simply say the word, and Pau Gasol is ready to wax poetic.

“It’s an amazing city that has so much to offer,” he offered. “You have pretty much everything without it being a super congested city … I love being there.”

The topic came up, of course, as the team on which Gasol grew up - Regal FC Barcelona - is in Los Angeles to play against the Lakers Saturday evening at STAPLES Center at 7:30 p.m.*
*The Lakers will play at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday as well no matter if they win or lose on Saturday.

We sat down with Gasol earlier this week after practice to talk more about his upbringing with FC Barca, this weekend’s game and his city of birth.
Click on the box to the right to take a listen.

Now, if you have yet to learn enough about Barcelona, here’s a quick history of Gasol’s basketball past in Northeastern Spain.

Basketball in Barcelona
Like many young Spaniards watching the 1992 Olympics, Pau Gasol was inspired. It’s not that Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird are responsible for Gasol’s current success (well, OK … maybe a little), but The Dream Team certainly pushed kids all around the world to start bouncing an orange ball.

It was at the age of 16 that Gasol first starting playing with F.C. Barcelona – a club known for having one of the world’s premier soccer teams – on its youth team. Fast forward two years later, when Gasol helped the team win the 1998 Albert Schweitzer Tournament and the 1998 European Junior Championship. As Gasol mentioned in our interview, his best friend Juan Carlos Navarro was the superior player when they met at 16, but it didn’t take Pau too long to catch up.

Indeed, Gasol was named MVP of the Spanish National Cup (Copa del Rey) after leading his squad to the title, and had a breakout year at the professional level in 2000-01 as a 20-year-old playing for the full side (“side” is like “team” in Europe). He averaged 11.3 points and 5.2 boards in 23.8 minutes, and promptly entered the NBA Draft as an early-entry candidate at a time when teams remained skeptical about international talent.

He should have gone No. 1.

Instead, Washington took high schooler Kwame Brown first and Chicago took teen Tyson Chandler at No. 2. Even at No. 3, Gasol was a risky pick to the public as no non-great-basketball-mind had seen him play, but it turned out to be an absolute no-brainer. Pau went on to average 17.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.06 blocks to run away with Rookie of the Year honors, and open the door for Houston to take Yao Ming at No. 1 overall the following year.

Another thing you heard Pau mention in the audio interview is that he’d like to retire ultimately in Barcelona … But not just to the beach. He’d like to play there after his NBA career comes to a conclusion, which to me is somewhat analogous to David Beckham’s current place on the L.A. Galaxy – but only in terms of stage of sports career. The bigger reason, of course, is that Pau absolutely loves Barcelona.

If you’ve been there, even for a day, you understand why.
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Source: Lakers.com

kobimel · Oct 18, 2008

Re: FC Barceloa vs. Los Angeles Lakers Tonight on ESPN

Fixed it for you: FC Barcelona is the football team, FC Barcelona Basquet is the basketball team. They're also known as Regal FC Barcelona, though.

I'll definitely be watching this.

Colonel Ronan · Oct 18, 2008

Re: FC Barcelona vs. Los Angeles Lakers Tonight on ESPN

I fixed the spelling for you.

DynastYWarrioR6 · Oct 19, 2008

What does the FC stand for?

kobimel · Oct 19, 2008

DynastYWarrioR6 said: ↑

What does the FC stand for?
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Football Club

DynastYWarrioR6 · Oct 19, 2008

kobimel said: ↑

Football Club
Click to expand...

That's what I thought, but I didn't know the Basquet was after Barcelona, so before I knew that Basquet was there, it made no sense, but now I know better.

CelticKing · Oct 19, 2008

Lakers will win.

Shapecity · Oct 19, 2008

Lakers won, but Regal FC Barcelona was impressive, especially the guard play. I love these exhibition games between the NBA teams against European clubs.

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FC Barcelona Basquet vs. Los Angeles Lakers Tonight on ESPN

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FC Barcelona Basquet vs. Los Angeles Lakers Tonight on ESPN

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

kobimel Hapoel

Colonel Ronan Continue...?

DynastYWarrioR6 JBB SmurfY

kobimel Hapoel

DynastYWarrioR6 JBB SmurfY

CelticKing The Green Monster

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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