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Olympic 5 Things: Lithuania vs China

Tom ZillerPosted Aug 19th 2008 4:45PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: FIBA



During the remainder of the Olympic men's basketball tournament, FanHouse will give you 5 Things to watch for in each game.

Will Yao play mad? On Monday, Chinese coach Jonas Kazlauskas held Yao Ming to seven minutes in the second half. Yao was furious. We assume he's gotten over things. If he hasn't? Yao rarely plays angry; he's an extremely mature fellow, typically calm and reserved, unless he's getting mauled on the court. But he's had a bit of an edge to him this week. He's barked at Yi Jianlian and Sun Yue more than he ever has in Chuck Hayes' presence. He looked like he wanted to punch Kazlauskas when he was removed. He didn't talk to reporters. I've only seen Yao under the spell of bloodlust once, in Sacramento last season as some combination of Mikki Moore and (surprise!) Ron Artest aggravated the snot out of the big guy. He was ineffective and eventually got ejected. I imagine things are fine on Team China now. If there are, however, raw nerves, Yao might either play with a fire we haven't seen ... or he might be distracted into malperformance.

Trade secrets. One more Kaslauskas note: this Coach K is Lithuanian, and coached the Lithuanian national team until 2001, and knows the games of many of Lithuania's top players well. That sort of trade secret thing won't work without talent ... with China has with Yao and sometimes Yi. As a longtime Oakland Raider fan (pity me), remember the Jon Gruden Super Bowl.
Continue Reading Olympic 5 Things: Lithuania vs China

Yao Carries China Into Second Round

Tom ZillerPosted Aug 16th 2008 10:44AM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: FIBA



Yao Ming couldn't take out the elite Team USA, and couldn't finish the job against reigning world champ Spain. I have a feeling none of that matters right now.

With a win over Germany this morning, China has clinched a berth in the next round of the Olympic men's basketball tournament. Yao went for 25 points and 11 rebounds, negating a monstrous effort from Dirk Nowitzki to push his country to a four-point victory. The last moments weren't without drama: with China up by one with after a Dirk three with two minutes left, Germany got a stop ... but Nowitzki got called for the offensive foul against Yao. Ming missed a shot but got his own rebound, and Yi Jianlian (!) got a bucket with 30 seconds left to strengthen the lead.

Dirk misses a three, Yao hits some free throws, and ballgame. The addition of Chris Kaman helped Germany get to the Olympics, no doubt, but couldn't get Dirk any further than that. But that can be discussed another time: Yao's accomplishment, while not unique (China made the final eight in Athens and in the '06 Worlds), is huge considering the locale and quality of Group B. After starting 0-2, with Germany and Greece looking strong, no one expected China to get this far. It has to be a marvelously proud moment for the Chinese team.

Golden Ticket, Day 4: Heavyweight Battle

Tom ZillerPosted Aug 15th 2008 7:25PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: FIBA, USA Basketball

Throughout the Olympic men's basketball tournament, FanHouse will prioritize the games of the day for you in Golden Ticket.

Two heavyweight battles on the docket for the fourth day of the men's tournament, plus a couple other intriguing matchups.

GOLD: United States vs Spain, 10:15 a.m. EST The Group B lead (and top seed, I reckon) will be at stake when the Spaniards and Americans face off. However, a loss for either team wouldn't mean a ton. This might be the only team against which Team USA loses two starters' position battle: Jose Calderon could be better than Jason Kidd, and Pau Gasol might be closer to Carmelo Anthony than you'd think. Of course, the United States has better depth and stronger talent at the top, with LeBron and Kobe. Can Spanish camaraderie bridge the gulf and take Spain to a win? We'll see ... well, Eastern and Central time zone fans will see. Folks in the Mountain or Pacific time zones can either watch online at NBCOlympics.com or catch it on a tape delay. Awesome work, NBC!

SILVER: Croatia vs Lithuania, 2:30 a.m. EST The Croats finally dropped a match with a stinker against resurgent Argentina. Lithuania continues to ride high after salting the Argentines on the opening day, and along with only the U.S. and Spain remains undefeated. The guard battle should be excellent, and you'd suspect plenty of made threes here -- Croatia is still at 50% from deep on the tournament. Lithuania's Linas Kleiza has been an uber-efficient scorer and has pulled seven boards a game.

BRONZE: China vs Germany, 8:00 a.m. EST China could use a big win here to slip onto the path toward the medal round. Yao Ming really dominated against Angola (surprise). Chris Kaman and Dirk Nowitzki should impede the big China frontline a bit more. Both teams have questionable backcourt outfits, as we've said and seen and said again after seeing. Despite the 1-2 record, China's been good, hanging with the States for a hot minute and taking Spain to OT. Germany, however, followed its win over the Aussies with two double-digits losses ... and it hasn't met the U.S. yet. I'll guess China in an upset of minor proportions. (Actually, I might take a nap.)

In other action: Greece vs Angola, Russia vs Australia, Iran vs Argentina.
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In Completely Stunning News. An NBA Player Got Busted for DWI

Matt MoorePosted Aug 12th 2008 1:29PM by Matt Moore (author feed)
Filed under: Rockets, Western, NBA Police Blotter

You know what the Houston Rockets need, now that they've been bounced from the first round again, Yao Ming is recovering from a severe foot injury by playing in the Olympics, and they've added one of the most volatile players in the NBA in Ron Artest?

Drama. And that's exactly what Rafer Alston is here for.

Alston was busted for driving while intoxicated on Friday, and posted a $500 bond. This comes almost exactly one year after he was arrested for public intoxication and assault, though he was cleared of those charges. He was also cleared of charges from August 28th last year stemming from allegations he slashed the throat of someone. Now, Skip To My Lou is the only truly competent point guard the Rockets have, and they're going to need him. But someone might want to tell him not to leave the house during August. At all. Just stay indoors, Rafer!

Take a look. It's in a book. It's Reading Rainbow.

(HT: Dream Shake)

Yao, China Almost Embarrass Spain

Tom ZillerPosted Aug 12th 2008 9:14AM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: FIBA



We included China-Spain in the Golden Ticket more for extracurricular reasons than any expectation of competitiveness. To date, the game was the closest fought of any in the Olympics. China, perhaps angry about the insensitive ad the Spaniards took out in a Spanish paper and almost certainly bolstered by a super-spirited crowd, fought hard, leading by 14 early in the fourth quarter.

The Spanish needed a Marc Gasol prayer to get the game to overtime, which is where the Spanish asserted themselves as Yao Ming fouled out and Pau Gasol found himself. Jose Calderon and Juan Carlos Navarro started the game on the bench, which might have been a form of punishment for the Marca scandal or could have just been a stupid mistake with the Spanish coaching staff. Calderon never got into a rhythm, and Navarro offered mediocre play in his 16 minutes.

If China had taken the United States to overtime, we'd be in a catatonic state right now. Marca's online header says something in 72-point font about "sweating red China." Yeah, that seems like a fair assessment. Spain plays the U.S. on Saturday, and both teams should remain undefeated ... we think.

Golden Ticket, Day 2: Wheat or Chaff?

Tom ZillerPosted Aug 11th 2008 5:32PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: FIBA

Throughout the Olympic men's basketball tournament, FanHouse will prioritize the games of the day for you in Golden Ticket.

Tuesday might have the weakest slate in pool play, but we still have a few interest-piquing matchups.

GOLD: Greece vs Germany, 2:30 a.m. EST The Germans busted out like a disrespected band of unsavory characters on Opening Night, simply destroying the Angolans. But how good are they? The Greeks, who suffered humiliating defeat at the hands of Spain, should be a better litmus test. A loss would murder Greece's slimming medal hopes, considering the U.S. team awaits on Thursday. The Clips own the NBA rights to Greek mammoth Sofo Schortsianitis, so the Sofo-Kaman battle could be fun for LAC fans to absorb.

SILVER: Croatia vs Russia, 11:15 p.m. EST (Note that this game actually kicks off today in the States.) The Russians faced a virtual bye against Iran on Day 1; the Croats made quick work of a decent Australia (who, you know, gave Team USA a scare last week). Russia probably has better talent, starting with Andrei Kirilenko (15/5/3 blocks against Iran) at the top. But Croatia has been strong this summer, beating Germany in Athens without Damir Markota. Markota remains unavailable, but Croatia boasts a credible deep threat (they went 12-for-16 from three against the Aussies) and solid depth. Should be a tight contest.

BRONZE: Spain vs China, 4:45 a.m. EST China's frisky. The Chinese stayed near Team USA for a full half on Sunday (no small feat), and Yao often barked out directions to his young teammates, most notably Yi Jianlian. Mix in what had better be a hostile crowd, and we could have the ingredients for a dazzling upset. Spain is far superior in the backcourt -- Jose Calderon, Rudy Fernandez and Ricky Rubio should run figure-8s around the Chinese guards -- but I think we have settled that Pau Gasol's post defense is a smidge less than glorious. Spain should win, and likely will. But there's a chance for something epic from the Chinese, and I for one will be rooting them on.

In other action: United States vs Angola, Iran vs Lithuania, Argentina vs Australia.
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Yi Jianlian Has a Long Way To Go

Tom ZillerPosted Aug 10th 2008 2:00PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Nets, FIBA, USA Basketball



Yao Ming isn't old or outgoing by any means, but the giant will be 32 years old by the next Olympic Games in 2012. As such, it follows that Yi Jianlian represents the new vanguard of Chinese basketball, for better or worse.

For much of Sunday's match against the elite Team USA, it was for the worse. Yi looked clueless on offense and defense in the first half, playing like an agnostic summer league swingman, refusing to make sense of the team concept or display any sort of sentient basketball stratagem.

In the early parts of the third quarter, everything right about Yi sprung to life. He had a few magnificent soaring dunks, and a killer transition block. Basically, all those highlight reels which make scouts and fans fall in love with thin athletic giants -- those are made up of plays like the ones Yi made in the third. Those plays, of course, are usually the exception and not the common expectation.

Clearly, that's the case with Yi. He's a very poor man's Josh Smith, and probably older. (That birth certificate has still not been cleared up: he says he's 20 or 21, reports indicates he's closer to 24.) Yao is a monster, in the NBA and in international competition. Obviously exhausted, he still managed a double-double and a fair amount of low-post domination. Can you ever see Yi being a bedrock of consistency for Team China (or hell, the Nets)? At this point, that looks like a dream.

Team USA Defeats China 101-70

Matt MoorePosted Aug 10th 2008 12:25PM by Matt Moore (author feed)
Filed under: FIBA, USA Basketball

Step 1, complete.

Team USA has to take it one game at a time in order to re-establish their dominance in Olympic basketball, and that's what they did Sunday morning, US time, crushing China 101-70. Behind Dwyane Wade's 19 points on 7-7 shooting, and LeBron James' 18 points, 6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks stat-stuffing, the US broke the game open late, and never looked back.

Yao Ming led the Chinese squad with 13 points and 9 rebounds, but was just 3 of 9 from the field. The New Jersey Nets' Yi Jianlian had 9 points on 4 of 13 shooting, but did have a few flashes of offensive brilliance with some powerful swooping jams. Other than that ....

Kobe Bryant gets 13, Dwight Howard gets 13? Hard to come back from that. The US shot 54% from the field, and led the entire way. China fought the whole way, though, with Yao Ming even coming back off the bench to try and get his team back into it after taking a fall that seemed to hurt his foot in the third. Put the whiskey down, Rockets fans, he looked fine by the end of it, and the Chinese did pull him at the end, when it became clear the US wasn't letting China anywhere near them.

Wade may be the explosive factor the US needs to turn to, he's playing the best ball on Team USA, with Deron Williams and James right there as well. But the commitment to defense by Wade is wreaking havoc on opposing ballhandlers, and as expected, China had no answer for the US forwards.

Step two is Tuesday versus Angola, before our big fat Greek revenge game on Thursday.

Golden Ticket: Olympic Basketball, Day 1

Tom ZillerPosted Aug 9th 2008 5:10PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: FIBA, USA Basketball

Throughout the Olympic men's basketball tournament, FanHouse will prioritize the games of the day for you in Golden Ticket.

We have a slate of six to open up the Games, including a game the president had to beg for tickets for.

GOLD: USA vs China, 10:15 a.m. EST, NBC. This game isn't the best on paper. But Yao Ming is leading his country against the titans of basketball in his home nation -- this is important. It feels a bit like USA vs Brazil in the 1994 World Cup, doesn't it? Of course, the Americans aren't the home 'dogs in this one, and China really isn't good enough to dream of beating the United States. By all measures, this should be a blow-out. Even if it becomes one, I have a suspicion the game will still feel important.

SILVER: Spain vs Greece, 2:30 a.m. EST. Spain won the 2006 FIBA World Championship and came within a missed basket of capturing the Euro title last summer. As deep as anyone and bright as a highlighter, Spain figures to at least challenge Team USA for gold. Greece is a good team -- a bit streaky, a world-beater who could lose to Australia, too. This game's incredibly important for the Spaniards. A loss to the Greeks puts Spain in line to get the Group B third seed at best (barring a win over Team USA), which sets up a match with Group A champs, possibly Lithuania or Argentina. Speaking of which ...

BRONZE: Lithuania vs Argentina, 4:45 a.m. EST. In the U.S., this one will be online only, unless you have that crazy 100% Olympic basketball channel on DirecTV. Being online only, those TiVo options are limited (unless you're severely efficient in tech matters) so you'll need to stay up late/get up early. Still, it might be worth it. Sarunas Jasikevicius and Manu Ginobili may not guard each other, but an epic battle can be easily imagined. The winner should brawl with Russia for the Group A top spot, which draws the worst elimination qualifier of Team USA's pool in the quarters.

In other action: Russia vs Iran, Germany vs Angola, Australia vs Croatia.
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Ron Artest, On Contract Extensions and What Yao Ming Knows About the Ghetto

Tom ZillerPosted Jul 30th 2008 11:41PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Kings, Rockets

Like 12 hours after news broke that the Rockets had traded for Ron Artest, our beloved enigma is making waves in the media, responding to some anxious comments from would-be new teammate Yao Ming. Sam Amick of the Sacramento Bee caught up with Ron-Ron this afternoon to talk about the trade and Yao. A couple key excerpts:
We've still got to make sure there's still a commitment. That's the main thing, is to make sure there's still a commitment. When I speak to the powers-that-be of the Houston Rockets organization, we're going to find out how much they really want me there. We'll find out. I'm still waiting to find out if this is just a trade or if this is like a long-term commitment type thing. [...]

I understand what Yao said, but I'm still ghetto. That's not going to change. I'm never going to change my culture. Yao has played with a lot of black players, but I don't think he's ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Yao Ming gets to know me, he'll understand what I'm about. Sometimes it's hard to get to know Ron Artest because I'm so down to earth to a fault. ... I can't wait to be putting on that jersey and be standing next to Yao Ming. I can't wait. I guess once Yao Ming approves it, I'll be a Houston Rocket.
On the first point: Artest can't block the trade if Houston won't talk extension, but that's not going to stop Ron from talking about it. He's completely unfiltered, as we all know, and while you wouldn't think he could say anything that would change Houston's collective mind, we do have 15 days before the deal can become official. If he gets too aggressive with the 'pay me' talk -- this is relatively mild -- the Rockets could get cold feet.

The Yao stuff is interesting if only because Ron talks as if he needs to impress Yao, to convince him he's OK. Honestly, Artest has reason to feel miffed that Yao brought up the Brawl today without prompting. Instead of popping off, it almost reads like Ron completely understands Yao's fears and wants to reassure him everything will be OK. It's an odd pose for a guy who, for the last four years, has done everything in his power to assert to those around him that he (Ron) is better than everyone else. Deferring to Yao, even at this early stage, is a big step.

Sacramento, of course, wishes Amick would choke on his word processor until this thing is final. No more drama!
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