The Eurobasket Thread

Does anybody but me give a shit about Eurobasket? Because I'll stop using bandwidth (and maybe get some work done) if nobody cares.

 

I do! Please keep posting.

I'll be near Nic territory in a couple weeks to see my parents. I've never actually seen an 88 Blazers jersey when I visit France, maybe too far south (mostly Toulouse)?

 

I like checking in and getting the updates and color commentary. There's nothing else going on.

 

Your parents live in the south of France? Can they adopt me?

 

Keep posting, especially the player stats. One thing I noticed, neither Claver nor Sergio shoot any better playing in Europe than they do/did in the NBA. So, it isn't an Adam Morrison can't get thier shot off against NBA talent type situation. They are both just BAD shooters - period.

BNM

 

I care enough to read your updates, but not enough to watch the games. What I mean to say is that your effort is appreciated.

 

Sure. But fair warning, they hate basketball (sports). I had to listen to the Blazers alone in my room on my clock radio in the late 80s and into the 90s. We lived far enough out (Scio) that it was hard to get game reception with our TV antenna anyway.

Now that I have little kids, they help us get tickets to come see them every year. Not a bad deal! Lots of great wine, Armagnac, foie gras...And they finally have decent internet (they're in the middle of nowhere), so I'll at least know a little bit about what's happening in pre-season.

 

Lithuania just kicked France's ass.

If it's any consolation, Tony Parker may have played worse than Nic. Parker didn't lead the French in any category.

 

I have been one of the biggest Batum supporter here. But I'm starting to get frustrated with him. It's one thing to want to play for your country, I get that. But, not really following National play closely, it seems most player will duck out at the first sign of injury or fatigue from the season.

Nic is nursing a sore foot as he plays into the 2nd round! At what point does he start putting his Blazer obligation first. After he signed the huge contract? After he explains how LA just wants to win? After he realizes how much hinges on this season and he is a huge part of it?

Nic tends to get banged up every year. He is being paid all star potential type cash and needs to really focus on taking his NBA game to the next level . . . consistent production for 82 games. I don't think that is too much to ask given he is the 2nd highest paid player on the team.

 

Here! Here!

Or is that Hear! Hear! ??

I'll just go with: Oui-Oui!!

 

Look: if the team really thought it was an issue, they would write it into the contract. And as the article I linked to elsewhere showed, it really doesn't seem to affect players adversely. Look at Tony Parker: as committed as anyone to the national program and, if anything, playing better as he hits 30 than at any point. I think a lot of this grumbling is that people are butthurt that Batum doesn't seem to care as much about the Blazers as he does about France. But would you really rather he was the type of person whose biggest loyalty was because of his salary? What if you had a chance to compete in the Olympics or something, doing something you love, and your job said "I'm sorry - you could be exposed to all kinds of diseases, and we have to pay your sickleave, so we're not going to let you do that." You'd think it was bullshit.

I'm just glad I get to watch basketball featuring players I care about in the interminable offseason.

 

There seem to be bigger blowouts in the second round than in the first. Latvia absolutely destroyed Mike Fratello's Ukraine yesterday, and today Finland are getting obliterated by Croatia.

 

Spain-Greece coming up soon on ESPN 3! In theory this should be close, but Greece have been very wobbly recently, while Spain has been trampling teams. We get to compare the 3-and-D Euro SF we signed with the 3-and-D Euro SF whose rights we gave to Houston.

 

[video=youtube;VwkMjP30cGM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwkMjP30cGM&feature=share&list=UUhsN13M_uLLQQ8lFewoXxzA[/video]

 

Some players are "iron men" and can play and play. Some are not. After a half-dozen years of data, I think it is pretty clear that Nicolas Batum is not. I don't give a crap if Marc Gasol plays year-round without injury. Batum isn't Gasol. He is constantly dinged, and in ways that affect his play. I believe he needs more rest and he needs to put his 'day job' first.

 

Spain-Greece now on.

 

First, I don't think that's true.
Second, if it is, do you really think resting in the off-season will make much difference? Didn't help Oden, did it?

 

It's not black and white. Oden was Mr Glass. Life exists on a bell curve, there are Andre Millers and there are Greg Odens. Batum is somewhere in the middle leaning towards Oden.

 

Claver playing well right now.

Rubio can shoot now! His shot is very flat, but he's looking for it and hitting it fairly frequently!