USA-GREECE LIVE BLOG

We’re breaking ground with a live blog this morning. This is the first time doing this.

I’m a bit tardy, I pick it up at the start of the 2nd quarter. USA leads 20-16.

Greece is playing physical. I once heard someone say FIBA refs let you play; J-Kidd picked up 3 fouls in the first 2 minutes.

Wade saves the ball and tosses an alley to KB 24 for a dunk from the sidelines!

Wade to Howard in the pick-n-roll for an and 1. Sweet play – after you screen, roll to the goal.

USA stepping up the defense, Lebron with a dunk, 26-18 USA. Be careful, pundits may say USA is showboating.

Doug Collins said he saw Wade in the summer and thought he was 10 pounds too heavy. Today is Aug 14th.

3-Pt play for Greece 26-21 USA. Rotation has to get better. Be in the weak-side area and look to help!

Lots of fouls being called, I thought FIBA let you play physical? Not so tonight! Or is it morning?

Point guard for Greece is tough. He plays the right way. 27-22 USA.

Greece runs a lot of ball screens and dribble handoffs. I’d like to see USA with more dribble HO’s.

USA should post LeBron up in the low hole. He’s unstoppable! He’s a guard in a power forward’s body. (Did I say that right?)

Wade cuts to the goal, and KB 24 hits him with a nice pass. Breen says USA with another unselfish play. That’s a basketball play. Wade moving without the ball. Don’t stand still.

I could’ve sworn I saw the big fella #14 for Greece playing in West 4th street last week. He’s Rick Mahorn and Darryl Dawkins!

USA scores, up 33-26.

Wade with a 3, USA up 10. 4:55 to go.

Doug Collins said Greece will not go away; Doug, where would they go? They have a game to play.

Lebron goes sky high for an offensive rebound put back slam! USA up 38-28. Please LeBron, no showboating.

Greece comes out of time out and scores, but announcers don’t say, ‘that’s a sign of a well-coached team’. Isn’t that what they usually say?

Kobe for 3. 41-30. Collins said he’s not sure if Kobe is comfortable shooting from 20 feet. Did he see KB 24 light the Raptors up for 81? Kobe is comfortable shooting from his hotel room.

3 on 2 fast break for USA Bosh scores from the feed by Kobe and gets fouled…And 1. 44-30 USA. Hit the open man!

Pressure defense by USA and LeBron steals and throws down a thunderous dunk; 46-30. Doug Collins just said it’s like Cameron Indoor with the Duke fans going wild. Coach K is juiced.

USA stepping up the Defense. Time out Greece. Who said Americans can’t play D?

Kobe was caught on camera during the TO getting juiced up with Coach Boeheim on the sidelines. ‘Coach, I was going to come to Syracuse’!

How come no mention of assistant coach Nate McMillian?

Bosh with another And 1; USA up 49-30.

Collins just said when Greek is down, they are not the same team. Earlier he said they weren’t going away?

D-Williams just got ripped from behind – someone needs to tell him to watch his back! Picked up a foul on the loose ball. Can’t compound the mistake. Need eyes in the back of your head.

Another deflection for USA. Steal leads to a bucket. Bosh blocks a shot, end of the first half. 51-32 USA.

What, no Craig Saeger interview with Kobe? No Cheryl Miller? Now to the studio with Ernie, Kenny and Charles. Oops, that’s TNT. Imagine those guys doing this game from courtside?

Bosh has 12 points. Kobe 11, Wade 10.

Steve ‘Snapper’ Jones in the studio. He says attitude is the difference. Where’s Bill Walton?

Third Quarter

Lebron scores from inside. Good energy. Stay in the post LJ.

Someone from USA grabbed the net, two points for Greece. “Hand in the cookie jar” Do families still have cookie jars in their kitchen?

Carmelo gets fouled two makes two from the line. Craig Saeger with good updates. Just sit him on the bench to get live updates. ‘Hi Kobe, your jumper is on tonight, how are you doing it’? ‘Well you know Saegs…”

Sorry, I had to pour more coffee…My fourth cup!

Kobe for 3. 63-40 USA. Light it up KB!

Spanoulous to the rack off the dribble. Doug just said he had a cup of coffee with an NBA club! I thought they only said that in Major League baseball?

Kidd with a big time bounce pass through 12 guys to KB 24 on the run. 65-42. Kobe mentioned AAU ball to Doug about a lot of dunks he had in a game. See, AAU is all good.

The pass off the backboard should be outlawed. J-Kidd, made poor decision. That’s not his game. He thought it was Kenyon Martin trailing.

Greece with a three point play – lead cut to 18.

Two big time blocks by Team USA. Going after shot attempts instead of watching. Lebron needs a nickname.

Two Ft’s for Greece, down 16. Oh no, the big comeback?

Lebron with another block- leads to a fast break for USA. 69-49 USA. Serious, what can we call this cat?

Mike Breen gets excited when Bosh scores with his right hand. That has to be taught at a young age. Mike, you are taught early on to use your opposite hand. Didn’t they shoot left-handed layups at Molloy?

Greece with a nice drive and kick out for a 3. Playing the right way. Hit the open man

Things getting a bit ragged. Missed shots and a turnover. Wade fouled hard going to the basket. Makes one of two, USA up 71-54. Everyone, three deep breaths! When things get sloppy in our open gyms, I stop the action.

Last shot time – Wade fouled again, makes the lay-up and gets to the line. And 1. 74-54, end of the third quarter.

4th QUARTER

USA 32% from 3-Pt line. Get those shots up in practice! Reps, reps and more reps!

Carmelo rebounds on the defensive end and screams, ‘I GOT IT, I GOT IT!’

He does it again…Wow! Melo ripping down caroms! Doug said he wants to be the leading rebounder. I want to drink the most cups of coffee – I’m on cup number 6!

Chris Paul with a mid-range make. Thought they said the mid-range is missing with American players?

On the other end, Spanoulous goes off the dribble past Paul for a bucket and foul. FT good. 78-57. After you score, you have to get back on defense and lock up!

Lebron in the post, backs in and dishes off to Bosh for a dunk. He’s unstoppable in the post! Mike Brown, if you are reading, please run a play or two for LJ in the low hole. How can anyone defend him? The double comes, he finds the open man

Team USA sharing the ball well. Collins said one too many passes. No DC, we like the unselfishness. There’s never ‘too many’ passes.

Travel called on a Greece player – first time in FIBA I have seen a walking call. The dude took 5 steps!

Carlos Boozer and Prince getting some light. Prince shoots as soon as he touches the ball, miss.

Spanoulous again goes off the dribble to the basket. Foul on Boozer. Makes one of two. 82-58. Who got this guy?

Late game etiquette is important. USA has this game wrapped up with 4:00 left and up 24.

Michael Redd is in. Catch and Shoot, Catch and Shoot.

Knowing how to play in a blow-out is important. Get good shots, defend with the same intensity.

Mike Breen just said there is a 17 year-old player from Spain who they compare to Pete Maravich: PLEASE!!!

Evander Holyfield in the crowd – he looks excited. Roy Jones Jr. got robbed a few years ago, remember that?

USA playing zone on defense. Must drive Coach K crazy to sit back in a zone.

Catch and Shoot makes a jimmy, USA 6 for 19 from way downtown.

Williams makes a three. USA up 92-67.

Spanoulous again off the dribble for a deuce. Is anyone guarding this guy? I’d like to see Kobe check him when they meet again.

Chris Paul dribbles it out, just like you should. I once saw a kid shoot a three at the buzzer when his team was up 25. I also saw another coach set up an ally-oop play up 20 in the last couple of seconds. Play the right way people!

D-Wade with Saegs after the game, “I’m just doing my job.”

Wade states, ‘I’m a solid defender’. After Saegs calls him out on his defense.

92-69 USA over Greece.

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

-SF

Hoops135@hotmail.com