Spain will win the FIBA world cup this year..

[tgan3]

In terms of talent, i'll still put USA a slight edge over Spain (Even after all those star players absences).

However, Spain's frontcourt is probably the best in the tournament (Gasol brothers and Ibaka_ + they have a very deadly backcourt (Rubio/Navarro amongst others). Their frontcourt plays into USA weakness of USA lack of size in the paint.

Also, it is Spain's home court, thus they have a MAJOR advantage if the refs want to side their way. In their world cup preparation games, these are the free throw discrepancies between Spain vs others:

Spain 27 FT-Canada 6 FT
Spain 22-Angola 5
Spain 21-Turkey 16
Spain 9-Senegal 8
Spain 42-Croatia 9

Remember this is Spain that were competing head to head with a USA squad laden with stars like Kobe/Durant/Lebron/Melo/CP3. Now less these guys, USA seems vulnerable. It's the young guns vs experience savvy Spain. Experience tends to win games.

[toooo]

Davis and Drummond will wax the Gasol brothers.

[deja vu]

Davis and Drummond will wax the Gasol brothers.

[madmax]

Davis and Drummond will wax the Gasol brothers.

in their wet dreams maybe...

[ImKobe]

Drummond averaged 14 & 13 in the NBA in 32 mpg

averaged 14 & 12 against the Lakers on 62% FG, 14 & 15 against Memphis

going up against Pau last season

Nov 17: Drummond 14 pts & 13 reb on 78% FG
Pau 12/9/7 on 46% FG


Nov 27: Drummond 13 pts & 11 reb on 50% FG, in 16 minutes
Pau 13 & 12 on 36% FG in 33 minutes



Let's see vs Marc

Nov 1:

Drummond 12 pts 16 reb 3 stl 2 blk on 46% shooting
Gasol 15 pts 8 reb 5 ast on 50% shooting

seems like Drummond ain't half bad going up against them in the NBA


Wanna see what Davis did?

vs Lakers Nov 8

32 pts 12 reb 3 ast 6 blk on 12/18 shooting (67%)

Pau 9 pts 11 reb on 3/12 shooting (25%)

Vs Lakers nov 12

15 pts 5 reb 2 ast 2 stl on 55% shooting in 26 minutes

Pau 14 pts 8 reb 3 ast on 26 minutes on 60% shooting

Vs Lakers 4th March

28 pts 15 reb 3 ast on 10/16 shooting (60%)

Pau 29 pts 12 reb 4 ast on 67% shooting

Vs Memphis 12 March

29 pts 10 reb 4 blk on 9/14 shooting (64%)

Gasol 15 pts 9 reb 4ast on 42% shooting

Seems like Davis/Drummond could be much better

[Milbuck]

We need to start Davis/Cousins and have Faried/Drummond with the 2nd unit..I know Coach K loves small lineups..but we really need to have size in the front court to beat Spain. And not just size, but experience/chemistry as well, which means we have to start now.

Gonna ignore Rose for now..but the lineup should be:

Curry/Irving/Lillard
Thompson/Harden/Derozan
Derozan/Gay/Parsons
Davis/Faried/Cousins
Cousins/Drummond/Davis

Plenty of shooting/playmaking/ballhandling in the perimeter, while having a strong post presence either offensively, defensively, or both in the front court at all times.

[deja vu]

Drummond averaged 14 & 13 in the NBA in 32 mpg

averaged 14 & 12 against the Lakers on 62% FG, 14 & 15 against Memphis

going up against Pau last season

Nov 17: Drummond 14 pts & 13 reb on 78% FG
Pau 12/9/7 on 46% FG


Nov 27: Drummond 13 pts & 11 reb on 50% FG, in 16 minutes
Pau 13 & 12 on 36% FG in 33 minutes



Let's see vs Marc

Nov 1:

Drummond 12 pts 16 reb 3 stl 2 blk on 46% shooting
Gasol 15 pts 8 reb 5 ast on 50% shooting

seems like Drummond ain't half bad going up against them in the NBA


Wanna see what Davis did?

vs Lakers Nov 8

32 pts 12 reb 3 ast 6 blk on 12/18 shooting (67%)

Pau 9 pts 11 reb on 3/12 shooting (25%)

Vs Lakers nov 12

15 pts 5 reb 2 ast 2 stl on 55% shooting in 26 minutes

Pau 14 pts 8 reb 3 ast on 26 minutes on 60% shooting

Vs Lakers 4th March

28 pts 15 reb 3 ast on 10/16 shooting (60%)

Pau 29 pts 12 reb 4 ast on 67% shooting

Vs Memphis 12 March

29 pts 10 reb 4 blk on 9/14 shooting (64%)

Gasol 15 pts 9 reb 4ast on 42% shooting

Seems like Davis/Drummond could be much better

I still don't see how Drummond waxes any of the Gasol brothers.

International ball is way different than NBA ball. Remember Pau beasted on the US team just 2 years ago.

[ImKobe]

I still don't see how Drummond waxes any of the Gasol brothers.

International ball is way different than NBA ball. Remember Pau beasted on the US team just 2 years ago.

Did Drummond play? Was Davis as good in 2012 as he was last season? Who did Gasol go up against? Kevin Love and a young Davis with no NBA experience? And Gasol the season after the Olympics played some of his worst ball of his career and was bothered by foot injuries, same thing happened this season (though his production was better). Didn't Pau have knee surgery at the end of the season?

My opinion is that while Pau has gotten older and more hampered by injuries, Davis and Drummond continue to improve. International ball is obviously different and it should benefit the Gasol brothers a bit more, but don't act like Davis and Drummond are some scrubs that haven't held their own against the Gasol brothers.

It could go either way, but both Davis and Drummond are physically superior and at this point, are better rebounders and defenders than Pau Gasol, Marc can still ball though. It will not be a lopsided victory on either side in terms of USA big men vs Spain big men, that's my point really.

[tomtucker]

[FKAri]

Pau goes super saiyan for spain. On the Lakers he's subdued by Chi Chi (Kobe).

[gabepizza]

Spain has gotten older.

Navarro is 34 and his ppg are the lowest since 2003 and hasn't been selected to all-Euroleague 1st team in 3 years, last year he didn't even make all-Euroleague 2nd team.

Pau Gasol is 34 as well and hasn't made an all-star game or all-nba team in three years.

Yes Marc is in his prime but he is more of a defensive player, he does not have the scoring abilities of Pau or Navarro who are the heart and soul of this Spanish team.

Navarro and Gasol can still play but they are not the same players from 2006, 2008 or even 2012.

Yes they can win but my money is still on USA.

[SpanishACB]

if anyone has been watching Spain preparation games, which they won every single one, even ignoring the FT attempts you can easily tell they're a much better fit to win it this year, the play between bigs has been higlight reel after highlight reel. Add to that that team USA, whilst still being slightly better on paper, is noticeably worse than last time; I like Spain's chances, but it's just too early to tell really.

If Marc and Pau do what they've been doing these games (albeit in friendlies) thinking Cousins and Drummon are going to be doing anything other than chasing shadows is kind of rich.

I agree though, Davis will still be extremly hard to contend. But we also have Ibaka, mind.

[JohnFreeman]

Cousins and Davis would eat the Gasol brothers

[gabepizza]

if anyone has been watching Spain preparation games, which they won every single one, even ignoring the FT attempts you can easily tell they're a much better fit to win it this year, the play between bigs has been higlight reel after highlight reel. Add to that that team USA, whilst still being slightly better on paper, is noticeably worse than last time; I like Spain's chances, but it's just too early to tell really.

If Marc and Pau do what they've been doing these games (albeit in friendlies) thinking Cousins and Drummon are going to be doing anything other than chasing shadows is kind of rich.

I agree though, Davis will still be extremly hard to contend. But we also have Ibaka, mind.

Yes Spain has a slight advantage down low (and I think it will be more Davis, who could neutralize Marc, and Faried then Cousins and Drummond) but US has a big advantage in the guard play and the wings. If Spain can slow the game up and make it a half court game they can win but if the US starts running (and Curry, Harden, Irving, etc..are hitting from outside) they'll be in trouble.

[gabepizza]

In terms of talent, i'll still put USA a slight edge over Spain (Even after all those star players absences).

Also, it is Spain's home court, thus they have a MAJOR advantage if the refs want to side their way. In their world cup preparation games, these are the free throw discrepancies between Spain vs others:

Spain 27 FT-Canada 6 FT
Spain 22-Angola 5
Spain 21-Turkey 16
Spain 9-Senegal 8
Spain 42-Croatia 9

Remember this is Spain that were competing head to head with a USA squad laden with stars like Kobe/Durant/Lebron/Melo/CP3. Now less these guys, USA seems vulnerable. It's the young guns vs experience savvy Spain. Experience tends to win games.

Is that Spain vs Croatia FT disparity really true?? That seems like a fix.