Monday, August 30th, 2010 at 1:58 pm  |  64 responses

Live Blog: USA vs Brazil

Tied atop Group B, but not for long

by Matt Lawyue / @mlawyue

Predictably, USA and Brazil have steamrolled through Group B in their first two games. USA defeated Croatia and Slovenia by similar margins, 106-78 and 99-77, while Brazil came one point close of identical victories over Iran and Tunisia, 81-65 and 80-65.

Tonight’s match-up should significantly test the American’s lack of size, which hasn’t been a problem thus far, as they’ve out-rebounded the competition 89-74. Kevin Love is cleaning up, coming off the bench to snag 21 boards in just 26 minutes of action. His double-double yesterday is exactly why Coach K brought him along, to be a bulldog in the paint. Along with Lamar Odom, they’ll have to deal with the height and physicality of Andy Varejao, who’s been out with a sprained right ankle, and Tiago Splitter.

The winner of this game will sit alone at the top of Group B, with Team USA and Brazil inevitably advancing in first and second place. This is significant because Group B faces Group A in the knockout rounds, where powerhouses Argentina and Serbia (likely finishing their group first and second) await the third and fourth place finishers of Group B.

ESPN will be airing the game at 2:30 PM EST. ESPN 3 should have it online.

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  • http://www.lkz.cn Darksaber

    I expected the Greek game to change now that they got Sofo and Fotsis back, but either their coach is stooopid (Kauslauskas usually isn’t) or his players don’t listen. Chucking up brick after brick from 3pt range and are getting killed by the turkish bigs. Erdem and Asik are just dunking allover Bourousis and co. i thought the 39 attempted 3′s vs China were an aberration. i was wrong. it’s 72:54 with 7mins to go.

  • http://www.lkz.cn Darksaber

    Ersan Ilyasova, facemask and all, is killing the Greek team from downtown. 6-6 so far, all pretty much splash into the net.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Darksaber
    I love that dude’s game.

  • gaber

    powerhouse of greece

  • http://www.lkz.cn Darksaber

    Allenp: He was the stud for Turkey tonight (26pts), they beat Greece by 11 (and it could have been more). Greece has Bourousis their huge center taking 3 pointers and dude has low post skills when he plays for Olympiakos! this MUST be a strategy thing, they just keep on chucking 3′s…
    oh damn, i gotta go to bed, i’m beat.

  • http://www.lkz.cn Darksaber

    Wait, Lithuania beat SPAIN? when i changed channels in the 2nd qtr, team Whine was up by a dozen points, and Gasol was just eating the slim LIT defenders up in the post. Wow, Spain sure as hell are overrated this WBC. Good for Lithuania, Kleiza has come a long way.

  • http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?clubcode=oly&pcode=AQU GIANNIS BOUROUSIS

    yeap, exactly as i told you again (unfortunatelly this time)….

  • http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?clubcode=oly&pcode=AQU GIANNIS BOUROUSIS

    @Dark….:you are unbeliavable,… so last years tournament in Poland (where Spain aslo started slow and finally won easily) never happened to you..?? Ok, judging by previous comments, you most propably don’t know what i’m talking about (2009 european championship in Poland, Spain loses to Turkey and has problems in other games also) and at the same time they are missing Gasol now, BUT writting off the best basketball team in the world the last 5 years so easily and calling it overated (yeap, i read this also here, thanks SLAM !!) is really “funny”….

  • http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?clubcode=oly&pcode=AQU GIANNIS BOUROUSIS

    i always liked Iliasova but today he was simply amazing, Tanievic(turkish coach for many years, one of the best in europe) said that they were lucky to have him in such a great form today, and he also said that he is proud about succesfully executing their team strategy to stop Spanoulis…indeed Iliasova was the guy that kept Turkey in front with amazing shots whenever we where about to take the lead or come close to 1 basket…anyway, congratulations to Turkey for a historic win (one of their players said that this was the biggest day of his career) and for a really pasionate but civilized atmosphere in the stadium.

  • http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?clubcode=oly&pcode=AQU GIANNIS BOUROUSIS

    Most propably for Greece it is much better to finish 3rd instead of second, meaning it is better for us to intetionally lose from Russia on Thursday (i know how it sounds)….if we win against Russia (we are much better at this moment, they are actually with a B-team, not like U.S..) we likely play Spain in the “sweet 16″ and then we definitely play U.S. in the “elit-8″, not the easiest road to a medal(to say the least)….BUT if we manage to lose from Russia, we avoid both great teams till the end…(not bad).Under Giannakis that kind of manipulations where unthicable, i don’t know now, kazlauskas is not Greek, just a pro that wants to go us far us possible….well, that’s when INTERNATIONAL tournaments get “interesting”….stay tuned!!!!

  • Jon

    Dumb greek

  • http://Www.lkz.net Darksaber

    102 three’s in 3 games at a 33% success rate, with a center shooting 2-8 against Turkey, yep, that strategy translates to medals.

  • http://Www.lkz.net Darksaber

    Rolando Blackman as an assistant coach on the turkish bench was a nice surprise.

  • http://Www.lkz.net Darksaber

    Wow, just saw the rest of LIT vs ESP. Nice businesslike approach by the guys in green. That team is full of guys who do all the little things you need to win (especially Pocius and Maciulis). Just erased Spain’s double digit lead mid 4th quarter by playing some fantastic D.

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