Aug 23, 2008

USA vs. Spain - Live Game Blog

1st Quarter
  • Did Pau just flop on a jump ball?
  • Spain strikes early and looks determined to make it a closer game than the previous matchup.
  • Hmm, I'm shocked JC Navarro didn't last in the L. Most NBA teams love undersized shooting guard who can't play D. Just ask Chicago.
  • Navarro for three? Nope.
  • Who knew? Zack Efron plays point guard for Spain?
  • Efron just made Kidd look foolish. How slow is Jason Kidd?
  • Spain 21, USA 17. Coach K doesn't look happy.
  • Gasol just got hit for the first time, and missed a layup. Maybe the U.S. should be a little more physical with him?
  • This game is being played at Spain's pace. I don't like it.
  • The U.S. makes a mini-run and takes the lead. You know the U.S. is focused when they start hitting free throws.
  • Wade is EVERYWHERE. I haven't seen him play with this sort of tenacity since '06. Maybe I'll be a believer before this one's over.
  • Spain is face-guarding Wade on the three point line. Did they not get the memo about his outside shooting?
  • Most overused image of the Summer games: camera pans Lebron and Kobe chumming it up on the bench.
  • Marc Gasol is a stud. Part of me thinks he could have helped the Lakers more than Pau in the long run.
  • Tayshaun Prince sighting.
  • Where is Rudy Fernandez?
  • Did Wade just make a three?
End of 1st Quarter: USA 38, Spain 31

2nd Quarter
  • 2nd quarter begins, and we get a chance to see Rudy.
  • Kobe enters game, and abruptly drains a three.
  • Dwight Howard flagrantly fouls Pau Gasol. Gasol misses BOTH free throws. Coincidence? I think not.
  • Spain is getting a little testy -- they believe they can win this game.
  • Fernandez for three.... splash.
  • Efron beats Kidd to the basket again. Coach K?
  • Kidd gets subbed by Paul. Finally.
  • Wow, Paul delivers a perfect alley-oop from past halfcourt.
  • JC Navarro hits an impossible one-handed floater. Those are the types of plays that have "upset" written all over them.
  • Collins' sidekick just called the official a "Sting lookalike". I'm buying.
  • Lebron did his best Walter Payton impression on the fast break and gets an and one opportunity.
  • America is up 10, and the depth is taking its toll on the Spaniards. This could get ugly fast.
  • Fernandez is a good passer... I had no idea.
  • When Lebron and Wade start hitting threes, there is no way to stop this team.
  • Fernandez for three... splash.
  • Boozer still hasn't gotten in. Even Coach K knows how far he's fallen in the past 6 months.
  • Fernandez step back for three... splash.
  • Apparently the refs don't call moving screens, because Spain moves on every screen.
  • Reyes looks pretty good -- why didn't he make it in the L?
  • David Stern sighting. He must have been at the track & field events the past 4 days, because that tan is looking immaculate.
Halftime: U.S.A 69, Spain 61

Third Quarter
  • The wife just called it a night, but I'm gonna stay up for this one.
  • Spain comes out and hits a jumper to make it a 6-point game. The senior citizen quota minutes have already been met - K needs to sub Kidd.
  • The famous pump-pump-pump-lunge into defender move fails Lebron. Maybe these international refs get it.
  • Dwight Howard sighting. There is no reason Howard shouldn't get a double-double every game in this tourney.
  • Kobe gets what appears to be a three-point play, only to be called for traveling. No way that gets called in the NBA.
  • Pau makes an Olajuwon-esque jump hook. Time for the obligatory "Maul-a-Pau."
  • Replay just showed Howard cheap-shotting Pau in the face after he hit the jump hook. Maybe Dwight is a smarter player than I give him credit for.
  • Navarro with impossible one-handed floater #2.
  • Howard dunks Gasol and the ball in one motion.
  • Navarro hits impossible one-handed floater #3. Seriously?
  • David Beckham sighting. Bet the wife wishes she stayed up now.
  • With the U.S. up four, Kidd gets yanked in favor of CP3. Let's monitor the over/under with Kidd out of the game.
  • Kobe forces a three. Will the selfish tendencies resurface?
  • Kobe comes back with a tremendous assist -- so much for that theory.
  • Lebron Earl Campbell's his way to another and-one. Nevermind, I forgot he can't hit free throws.
  • Spain goes to the zone. I don't like America's current lineup against the zone.
  • Michael Redd sighting? Nope.
  • Wade is playing out of his skull.
  • I'm retracting my opinion that Paul is a top-3 player in the NBA. He's looking pretty pedestrian tonight.
  • Deron Williams with a gorgeous step back. I LOVE him in this tournament.
  • Navarro with impossible one-handed floater #4? Nope.

End of the 3rd Quarter: U.S.A 91, Spain 82.

4th Quarter
  • Deron Williams misses a sure layup. Put Kidd back in... kidding.
  • Fernandez to Gasol for the alley-oop. 5 point game.
  • Fernandez for three? Splash. This guy is going to be good in the L.
  • Coach K signals for a timeout.
  • The human momentum killer (Kobe) hits a desperation runner. I love it.
  • After a Fernandez miss, Williams hits a huge three to put the U.S. up by 7 again.
  • Howard dunks Gasol and the ball in one motion. Nine point game.
  • Fernandez for three? Nope. Fernandez for three? Yep. Is anyone guarding him?
  • Kobe with the retaliatory dagger three. Nine point game again.
  • Fernandez with the and-one throwdown. What can't this kid do on the offensive end?
  • Kobe circa 2005 fires a deep three early in the shot clock and comes up empty.
  • Dwight Howard goes to the line up by eight. I just put my hard hat on.
  • 1/2... I'll take it.
  • The U.S. can't keep the Gasol brothers off the offensive glass.
  • Pau stands in the lane for 5 seconds, Marc pushes an American to the floor, and Pau hits a jumper. Spain's within 5.
  • In the biggest play of the game, Kobe hits a three AND gets fouled. On the same play, Fernandez fouls out.
  • Who should NBC zoom in on after the biggest play of the game? David Beckham, of course.
  • Navarro with impossible one-handed floater #4. Maybe he's doing this on purpose.
  • Some guy named Jimenez hits a three to put Spain within 4.
  • Wade hits a three to put it back to 7.
  • After a Spain timeout, Kobe is jawing at JC Navarro. That's almost embarrassing.
  • Bryant with yet another game-saving shot. Is there any debate about the iciest veins in the world?
  • Zack Efron picks up a personal foul and a technical foul. Disney execs cringe after exhausting their PR budget last month on Miley Cyrus' provocative photos.
  • Kobe hits both free throws. Game over.
  • In one of the most awkward moments in sports history, Kobe pours a water bottle over Coach K's head and slaps him on the butt.
Game Final: U.S.A 118, Spain 107.

3 comments:

GB's Fav Five said...

My thoughts exactly on Navarro's runner(s) through the lane and Dwight Howard getting even with Pau.

Rudy's dunk was sick; went by the best guard (and this tournament's best defender) in the game then put the hammer down on the best big in the game...and got fouled. Pretty sure that counts as "sick." Even at 1am it sounded like an "And 1" crowd at my house after that throw down.

The biggest surprise for me from the American team was D Wade's play. Has his body finally recovered from that playoff run back in 2005? More importantly, what would the game have been like if the US didn't have Wade? 21 in the first half of the Olympic final for a guy coming off the bench is flat out ballin.

How strong is LeBron James?

LeakBrewerGator said...

I've been a Kobe fan, so I might be a little biased. However, is there any doubt who was going to take over in that fourth quarter?

D-Wade did impress me, as did Williams(who I thought was incredibly overlooked).

Kobe > Everyone else in the world.

KNEE JERK NBA said...

Hi, buddy. Haven't seen a post in awhile. Keep the dream alive and THROW IT DOWN, BIG MAN!