vs Argentina: Radmanovich, Vladimir: 21 pts (8/12 FG, 4/7 3PT, 1/3 FT) 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 turnovers, 5 fouls S&M lost 82-83 after Manu hit a runner on the buzzer.
Excellent game for Vlad. Not to be too picky but I'd like to see him get more than three rebounds. Five turnovers and fouling out aren't two bright spots either. I'm glad he has been able to contribute but, at the same time, he needs to get tougher.
Fair game, but I agree with Shiek's comments on his rebounding. Does anyone know what sort of role he is playing for Serbia? As in the three or the four? I would assume he has taken over Peja's role as their main perimeter threat, but I'm not sure what their big man stocks are like without Divac and Drobnjak being a jump shooting center.
Vlad scored 13 as Serbia came up with a huge 74-72 win over Italy, who earlier defeated the USA in a friendly before the tournament. This was Serbia's first win of the tournament, and ranks Vlad fourth amoung NBA players in Olympic scoring at 17ppg, behind Yao Ming, Pau Gasol, Carlos Arroyo and Manu Ginobili. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">ATHENS (Olympics) - Vladimir Radmanovic believes Serbia & Montenegro's Olympic medal hopes could have died had they lost to Italy. Thankfully for them, Gianluca Basile missed a baseline jump shot that would have tied the game, giving Serbia & Montenegro a 74-72 victory. The result has left both teams with a win and loss in Group B. "After our loss to Argentina in the opening game, the match against Italy was a must-win game," said Radmanovic. Serbia & Montenegro appeared to have the game in control against the Azzurri but their opponents fought back from a 10-point deficit with 3:58 remaining to level the score at 70-70. Dejan Tomasevic and Milos Vujanic each made two free throws in the final minute and though Basile came up with a big steal and fastbreak with 19 seconds on the clock, he didn't score at the end. "During the last quarter, we lost our concentration and Italy came back, but fortunately we managed to win this game and that makes us happy," Radmanovic said. "Hopefully, we will manage to improve some things in our games and play even better basketball." Radmanovic's fortunes with the national team have improved dramatically since 2002 when he was in the squad that won the World Championships but had a difficult relationship with coach Svetislav Pesic. Radmanovic had a limited role and was infamously ordered off the team bus following a disagreement with Pesic. He's crucial to this year's side at the Olympics. The Seattle Sonic had 13 points on Tuesday</div> <font size="1">Full Story courtesy of Jeff Taylor and FIBA.</font>
Vlad had only seven points and four rebounds in Serbia's costly loss to new Zealand. Interestingly enough, he only took about seven or eight shots from memory, while back court buddies Milos Vujanic and Bodigora (sp?) took around 15 each, with Vujanic alone taking 12 threes.
Bodiroga can't do it on his own. He needs the Vlad man to step up on offense and especially on defense. The Serbs are dangerously close to being eliminated from the medal round.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Supersonic:</div><div class="quote_post">Fair game, but I agree with Shiek's comments on his rebounding. Does anyone know what sort of role he is playing for Serbia? As in the three or the four? I would assume he has taken over Peja's role as their main perimeter threat, but I'm not sure what their big man stocks are like without Divac and Drobnjak being a jump shooting center.</div>' His role is not that big. He's like the fourth option on the team, after Bodiroga, Vujanic, and Rakocevic.
Two points on 1-5 shooting as the Serbs go out of the Plympics with a low scoring loss to China, with Yao Ming starring. They finished with a disappointing 1-4 record, and Vlad looks like he lost his starting job for the last game. I guess we're stuck with him
Vlad and the rest of the Serbs were extremely disappointing in the Olympics. 11th place? That is an embarassment. Vlad has played his way out of the good graces of the Serbian National Team. I will be surprised if he ever plays on the national team again. Vlad has done nothing to suggest that he will have a breakout year this upcoming season. If the Serbian National Team is willing to part ways with Vlad, don't you think that it is high time we do the same?
Do we cut our losses and accept less back? He has the talent, but maybe not the application, and his Olympic performance would not have endeared himself to any NBA scouts. That said, I'd hate to trade him for whatever we could get (likely not much) and watch him breakout elsewhere. I reckon San Antonio would be a good fit, but they're not really a good team to trade with at all.
I think that we should trade as many impending free agents (except Flip, of course) as we can so that we don't end up w/o a roster for the 2005-2006 season. Our primary concern right now is the point guard position. I think that Flip is capable of being our starting point guard but I'd rather use him as a combo guard than have him exclusively at the point. If we could use Radmanovic to get Tinsley I would, as you would say, "dance around the streets naked."
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Iron Shiek:</div><div class="quote_post">If we could use Radmanovic to get Tinsley I would, as you would say, "dance around the streets naked."</div> Hmm, well I'm glad I live on the opposite side of the world then I too am a big fan of Tinsley, and feel that gettig him under a coach like Nate, who's been a pass first point guard on a successful team, would do him wonders.
Getting Tinsley would be a godsend. Our backcourt would be even more young and talented. If Swift lives up to his lottery status and Collison keeps getting better then we are set for the future. But "if, if, if."
I don't see the point in getting Tinsley if we have Ridnour. I consider them the same type of player. That said, he probably has the best handle in the league after Skip To My Lou.
I don't want any more youth log-jams. If anything, we should be trading our depth for greater talent, even if it opens up holes.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Casual:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't see the point in getting Tinsley if we have Ridnour. I consider them the same type of player. That said, he probably has the best handle in the league after Skip To My Lou.</div> Tinsley has the best handle in the league, period. I also think that he has the best moves in the league outside of Flip. Tinsley in the right system could lead the NBA in assists. He has a natural feel for the game he is also tough as nails. Tinsley would be a huge upgrade from Ridnour. Ridnour wasn't even effective in the summer league before he was injured. He is not going to be our long term, or even short term, answer to our point guard problem. He reminds me of the Professor from the And 1 mix tape tour. All flash, no substance. Like everyone else I don't think that Flip is a natural point guard. I also don't think that he should be played exclusively at the shooting guard. He is a combo guard that is most effective when he is rotating between the two guard spots. That said I do think that we should really use our assets as trade bait for a bona fide pass first point guard. If we could get a player like Tinsley the development of Collison and Swift will be a lot more rapid than we expect. Indiana has handcuffed Tinsley since he went on a tear his first couple of months as a rookie. Even though he is turnover prone, I'd take 15 assists for five turnovers. If a team gave him the freedom to play his game, you will see his leadership skills and talents really come about.
It sounds like you're guessing about Tinsley's talent just like I'm guessing about Ridnour's. Tinsley hasn't shown the desire to do anything but rack up fancy assists and force shots. If the Sonic players actually moved without the ball while Ridnour's on the floor he'd have been much more effective. I doubt Tinsley could do anything Luke can't besides being bigger.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Casual:</div><div class="quote_post"> I doubt Tinsley could do anything Luke can't besides being bigger.</div> And tougher, and better.
The tougher thing would go with Tinsley being bigger. Ridnour has already added a bunch of muscle, so it's not going to be as much of an issue. And Tinsley may be better now, but he had a two year head start. I don't see how Tinsley will be an improvement over Ridnour besides being more experienced. They're both great passers, they both struggle with shooting at times (although Ridnour has been a great shooter before, something Tinsley never was). What's Tinsley going to do that Brent Barry couldn't that he'll become a league leader in assists? The fact is that the Sonics stand around on offense. That won't change because Jamal Tinsley comes into town.
