The spinmeister

[bartruff1]

KD deserves the MVP....but Draymond Green is a force.....

[Reborn]

Did Draymond Green play against Gonzaga in K2? I seem to have a memory of him beating the Zags practically by himself. I think if my memory is right, that he scored like 35, and hit a game winning 3 at the end?????

He is def a force, and a very tough team player. As is Holiday.

[bartruff1]

In my view Green just wouldn't let Gonzaga win that game....he is one of the very few bigs that have beaten Gonzaga.....KD and Texas got blown out by Gonzaga back in the day....

[bballbeachbum]

Congrats to Team USA. biggest accomplishment imo was the players becoming a team. They were not, the players said as much, and openly admitted that that was the big challenge...and they pulled it off. Lilliard's response the riding the bench in crunch time was what team ball is all about.

Pop gets a shout out for evolving the D. He changed up 3 base Ds, 2 without rotations that were M2M base with no help, one with double teams. It was fun to watch.

[JPtheBeasta]

Did Draymond Green play against Gonzaga in K2? I seem to have a memory of him beating the Zags practically by himself. I think if my memory is right, that he scored like 35, and hit a game winning 3 at the end?????

He is def a force, and a very tough team player. As is Holiday.

He played an amazing game against the Zags. He is a swiss army knife with really good feel for the game (played point forward a bit against France for a bit, even). I got blasted here by multiple persons for thinking that Timme could develop into that kind of player at the next level (with lack of athleticism but high skill and BB IQ in mind). People hate him here because of his antics. If his persona can be separated from his play, he is a very good player.

They didn’t much care for Michigan State’s Draymond Green. Too slow to play at small forward, too small to be a legitimate power forward. Too heavy to be an energy guy. Too volatile to be a glue guy. He wasn’t an elite athlete. He spent four years in college.

Why bother?

Green was on the board for the Warriors to take in the second round, No. 35 overall. The other 29 teams could not have known they were bypassing the player who would be the most influential of that draft -- and any other draft of the decade.

How influential? Scouts and front-office executives that spent months preparing for the 2020 draft next week are hoping and praying for a Draymond.

https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/why-draymond-green-most-influential-nba-draft-pick-last-decade

[seacatfan]

In my view Green just wouldn't let Gonzaga win that game....he is one of the very few bigs that have beaten Gonzaga.....KD and Texas got blown out by Gonzaga back in the day....

I can't remember that game honestly. Looked it up, 10 pt. lead at halftime, same as the final margin. Maybe Zags were up big and then Texas chipped away at it late. Durant had a nice game, 29/9. Zags backcourt was much, much better than Texas backcourt, that was the difference.

[bartruff1]

I think Texas scored the last 18 points of the game after it was over.....Pargo and Raivio burned them as I recall.......

It doesn't matter if it is KD or Mobley or Gaza or Hansbrough or Zion or a bunch at BYU or whoever.....Mark seldom gets beaten by a big......

[jazzdelmar]

Few pulled waaaay back, called off the dogs, which was his wont back then. Texas and Durant got a whole rodeo of junk points after that. Could have easily been a 25 point game. Few’s friendship with the Horns coach was suggested as one reason for the give up.

[seacatfan]

Thanks for the reminders. Truly a game where the final score is not indicative of what went down.

[ZANY]

I love his “antics”. It’s fun and not malicious or getting in the opponents face. It’s hard to be objective because I am a fan and will have a bias but still I do think even if he were playing for another team I’d think they were funny.

[bballbeachbum]

Team USA's defense against Australia was horrific in the first half of the semifinal. I fell asleep, but the 3rd quarter suggests that defense carried the day (they allowed only 10 points to Australia in the 3rd quarter). I agree that shots do need to fall, because they run barely any offense.

the defense was the key. Pop let teams get their looks in the first half of games, doubling and using various rotation defenses. As usual, that did not work internationally. But the half time adjsutment was always to go M2M no help, whether that came from switching everything on the perimeter or by sticking and fighting over the top of pick and rolls. The M2M no help d's were the difference. In the semi vs. Australia, the USA went to it midway through the 2nd quarter, in the final vs. France, they went to it almost immediately in the first quarter. In fact, to start the 2nd half, Pop went to doubling Gobert in the post and France got loose on the perimeter, not good. Pop got out of it quickly, and even though Gobert did what he wanted in the paint in the final vs. the mismatches it was still a net win for Team USA, just like it was whern Scola would go off M2M no help vs. Team USA, other examples too (Navarro for Spain over the years and this year Rubio but neither could facilitate for others vs. that D). The D did it

[JPtheBeasta]

the defense was the key. Pop let teams get their looks in the first half of games, doubling and using various rotation defenses. As usual, that did not work internationally. But the half time adjsutment was always to go M2M no help, whether that came from switching everything on the perimeter or by sticking and fighting over the top of pick and rolls. The M2M no help d's were the difference. In the semi vs. Australia, the USA went to it midway through the 2nd quarter, in the final vs. France, they went to it almost immediately in the first quarter. In fact, to start the 2nd half, Pop went to doubling Gobert in the post and France got loose on the perimeter, not good. Pop got out of it quickly, and even though Gobert did what he wanted in the paint in the final vs. the mismatches it was still a net win for Team USA, just like it was whern Scola would go off M2M no help vs. Team USA, other examples too (Navarro for Spain over the years and this year Rubio but neither could facilitate for others vs. that D). The D did it

Thanks for the synopsis.

[zag944]

Jrue was so good leading the perimeter defensive effort. Quite a last month for him going from a one time all star to a key player on a championship team and a gold medal team. Seemed like the player Pop was most confident having our there other than KD. Created a surprising amount of offense for himself too, considering how many guys that specialize in that were struggling to do so

[bballbeachbum]

Thanks for the synopsis.

it's the nutshell, inside it is what zag944 is talking about, and Pop having to figure out those players that could best do all of that on the D end and force the bounce no help and also cover inside in a mismatch no help, all to take away the screen/roll while also defending the 3 point line. So Jrue, Green, Bam, Lavine, Tatum, etc. with Tatum eventually being the go to on O when KD rested. With Gobert, just 6-13 FTs so they fouled him inside, and also 3 turnovers and turnovers for others trying to get it in to him and to the other French big Fall. When they did score the bunny, Team USA looked to run them back the other way while they were still under the basket