Hoops

Dare to Dream: Can Boomers beat USA?

Referees Christodoulou (Greece) Garcia (Spain) Lottermoser (Germany)

USA has taken the day off training to go sight seeing...

Clearly they aren't phased by the Boomers

You cannot referee your own country at the Worlds or Olympics Ricey so USA cant have a "home town" referee

Just had a quick look, our best performance against the USA in the past eight years at majors ranks 22nd for getting closest to them.

Spain lost by 11 in the 2008 final and seven in 2012. Lithuania lost by five in 2012, while Brazil lost by two in 2010. In major tournaments, we lost by 31 in 2008 and 33 in 2012, so we're not really even on the radar!

Australia must be the team to have come the closest to USA over the past 8 years.

Think they only lost by 11 in the build-up to the 2008 Olympics.

Can't recall a team losing to the USA by less than that since. Spain lost by 17 in the 2008 Beijing final?

I will be interested to see who the referees are. For some reason USA has always appeared to have a home town referee for their game with us, and subsequently getting some very suspicious calls their way.

Our biggest strength being our physical play may actually be our downfall this year.

Unaustralian to say they'll lose by a lot. Perfectly okay to say you'll be happy if they lose by less than 30. Makes sense

"Bet none of you have ever barracked against a footy team just because you don't like their fans. Full of angels this page.:

You are saying "Bet none of you have ever barracked against YOUR OWN footy team just because you don't like their fans."

No, I have never done that and would think you would struggle to find anyone on this forum (besides yourself by the sound of it) who has.

Cant believe anyone would pot someone from expecting their team (or worse country) to be competitive and hoping for a win, irrespective of the opposition. Thats what supporting a team is all about.

We may not beat the US, but Australia has always fought well above its weight range in life and sport, and from what the boomers have shown in the first 2 games, you can bet whoever is on the court will leave it all out on the court and do Australia proud.

Your sick & bitter attitude suggests you are not an Australian anyway or a few of the boomers have shagged your girlfriend.

Reality is it will be a significant margin. Once it gets above 15 with a few minutes to spare, they'll run the benches. Our bench with no minutes so far against their bench of NBA starters....... just saying is all.

Play USA pretty honest until it blows out - if it does - then run the bench. But don't take away a chance to make history if that chance does present itself. Beating the USA has to be a near equal to winning a medal.

You can rest Bogut, Mills and Delly for most of Venezuela and China games without being in much danger of dropping those matches. That should be the plan. Get another 20-25 out of Bogut on Thursday and then drop it to 10 for the last two games just to keep him in some form and fitness.

Anyway, judging by the comments being made by coaches and players, I think winning is going to be their first priority. Or, shall I say, at least putting their best possible effort in.

I only wouldn't bother trying to hard to beat the US! Ibeiuld want them coming in undefeated and complacent in the semis onward! I'd go out, and play a balanced rotation, maybe using the full compliment a bit and give some rest to the starters before the last couple games!

Whatever chance we have of beating USA, it's even less of a chance we beat them twice. Consequenty, Don't show our full hand now but wait till the medal rounds and then you can also use the pressure of the situation to your advantage if you get a fast start. If USA loses a pool game there is no real consequence but they'd be a bit anxious if they got down early in a knockout game.

Play hard vs USA rest vs China and ven cause they are terrible.

Hard to say what to do in the remaining games. We need to get some rest into the important players but also try to keep the roll we have going.

Our biggest threat is an injury to one our key players, Bogut, Delly or Mills so I am in favour of giving Bogut in particular as much rest as possible but keeping the intensity levels high with the full squad.

I would think we have second wrapped up even if we loose to either Venezuela or China would we not?

I'd like to also see Broekhoff get more court time in this one. He has shot poorly from deep (1/7) in the first two games, so I'd like to see some more plays run for him to hopefully shoot himself back into form. Broekhoff's shooting might be crucial later in this tournament. It will also give him an opportunity to show off to a US audience as he is the most NBA-worthy player on this team that isn't on an NBA roster.

As long as the US goes undefeated in pool play, we finish second even if we lose against either Venezuela or China, as we already own the two and three-way tiebreakers against France and Serbia. The only thing I can see that could disrupt that is if China or Venezuela sweep their remaining games (not happening).

I agree. It depends what the signs are. But for as long as the game is competitive it should be played to win. As for resting, that can be done against Venezuela and China. We're unlikely to need more than 15 minutes from a stars in those games.

And now I've reread rjds comment above I've pretty much just reworded exactly what he said

The US will know everything about our best players already, they've all been in the NBA for a couple of seasons. China and Venezuela are guaranteed wins, let's not kid ourselves. We should play strong against the hard team to prepare for the finals, and use the last two games to work the bench players into form while ensuring delly and co keep up their current form

As satisfying in the short-term that an unlikely win over USA might be, it might actually not help us get a medal, especially the gold that they are aiming for.

I'm starting to think that Lemanis should expand his rotation for this game, to let our most important pieces have a bit more rest. This game is for first place in the group, but without knowing the rankings for the cross-over (which seems fairly evenly matched), it is difficult to see whether there is any advantage in being first in the group over second. The most important aspect is to stay healthy and guarantee a top 2 finish in order to avoid USA until as late as possible in the elimination rounds. That means having enough in the tank to appropriately deal with China and Venezuala to seal top 2, and keeping players like Bogut and Delly fresh for the all-important elimination games.

I'm not saying we should throw this game, but I am saying that perhaps we shouldn't go all out -- and reveal all our cards -- with a short rotation; play Mills, Delly, Bogut, Ingles less than 30 minutes, and give players like Goulding and Lisch a bit more court time.

If USA take a big lead early, then Lemanis may as well play the bench more.

Why upset them now. Save it for a final.

I don't hate them. I think they're perfectly capable of medalling. Delly is playing out of his skin and bogut back healthy has completely changed the team.

I don't think they will win. I just don't rule out the possibility. No one should have ever beaten the USA in basketball in the entirety of human history but it has happened and one day it will happen again. It most likely will be a 20-30+ point loss, but I don't see the harm about theorizing ways that they might be able to do the almost unthinkable. And if you hate a team just because of their fans yet you insist upon having to rant onto them about it, it is you with the problem.

Wonder how some of you manage to get out of bed in the morning if this is how offended you get at someone not sharing the same ridiculous opinion as you

Bet none of you have ever barracked against a footy team just because you don't like their fans. Full of angels this page.

It's pretty much just you thinking they can win. Everyone else seems fairly happy with a 25 point loss.

People come to the Aussie Hoops page and are surprised that people are talking up Australia's chances in a game?

I think a few of you went to the wrong place. We're talking about best possible scenarios here. If you don't like it, I am sure there are plenty of American sites where you can gloat over the might of Team USA.

If they get within 30 its a win. The USA team, will be very hungry to destroy the Boomers, purely because of the hype that has built with the Boomers. Think it will be around the 30 point mark, and thats all we can hope for. To wish the Boomers to lose purely to shut some optimistic fans up, on a Australian based bball forum, is just delusional, but the world seems to filled with moronic people with access to social media these days... so you just keep doing you, no matter how sad and pathetic a person you must be.

Deandre is way too laid back. Cousins on the other hand...

Oh dear....Australia has little or no chance of beating USA but i'm damn sure there is going to be a scrap.

I'm picking Bogut Vs DAJ

Anyone like a bet??

Why's that? Do you stop to think about what that means about you as a person that you have that reaction?

It means I'm sick to death of people talking up our nonexistant chances. That's about it. Dellys playing really well. Will be nice to see him do this in the NBA. When I use him on 2k

I am so happy right now I don't really care how we go against the US. Just looking forward to the spectacle, even if it is a 40 point blowout.

I don't think it will be mind you, but 20-25 point final margin sounds about right, with us sticking around thereabouts for the first three quarters or so.

Bogut has been so influential in these games. GSW will miss him next year more than they may realise. Too bad he probably won't be around in 2020 with Simmons and Exum strengthening the core of the team.

The Boomers are getting some people to turn their heads at these Olympics. The Ringer for example cautioning Team USA not to take them lightly!

What separates Australia from other countries against the US is that our team strategy and team execution is higher.

While our individual talents are lower, they are much better than years gone by, but our team chemistry and togetherness is much more improved.

Watching these Boomers play, it doesn't look like a bunch of great players brought together to play. It looks more like a well function and cohesive team.

This is our biggest strength, and in intangible that will give us an outside shot.

I hope they go balls out tho. To me a win over the US is more meaningful than winning Gold.

*Serbia

I hope we beat them like we beat France and Spain just to shut some of you idiots up.

"I think the closest we've ever come to beating a US Dream Team was a 10 point loss I can't remember when that was Beijing maybe?

As long as we play hard and don't get intimidated I would expect a loss under 20 and hopefully less than 10.

They haven't played anyone half decent yet a 57 point win over China and a 43 point win over Venezuela both teams we should even beat by 30 so no reason we can't make a real game of it."

Agreed. It was a 10 point loss in Athens after having led most of the game and an 11 point loss in an exhibition game before Beijing.

*They beat Venezuela today by 44

I think the closest we've ever come to beating a US Dream Team was a 10 point loss I can't remember when that was Beijing maybe?

As long as we play hard and don't get intimidated I would expect a loss under 20 and hopefully less than 10.

They haven't played anyone half decent yet a 57 point win over China and a 43 point win over Venezuela both teams we should even beat by 30 so no reason we can't make a real game of it.

"I hope they beat us like they beat China and Venuzuela just to shut some of you idiots up


"Why's that? Do you stop to think about what that means about you as a person that you have that reaction?

What is so horrible to comprehend that people in a country might politely and optimistically hope their team only loses by 20-30 points? Baffles me that you spend so many hours on Hoops purely being negative. It's like Chris Nelson has a protege."

That guy you're commenting to is the epitome of a hater - tall poppy syndrome at its shortest. The kind of guy who gets a bit outclassed in the shower room measurements so goes home and makes a voodoo doll wishing death on the more endowed. I can't imagine why he would continue to knock his countrymen as they're playing completely above most people's expectations. I can only think that Delly schooled him in juniors and his fragile ego never recovered.

The turkey needs some help with his issues for sure

Wonder if they would be so negative if Delly was not in the team ??

I hope they beat us like they beat China and Venuzuela just to shut some of you idiots up

The Puerto Rico game was probably the biggest surprise in the history of basketball though!!

True that, thanks Paul...

"The United States had taken home the gold medal in basketball every year since 1988, so it came as a big shock when Argentina beat them in 2004."

It didn't really, the US had already lost to Puerto Rico and Lithuania!!

Be serious man...

"Ice Skating - My favourite has to be Steve Bradbury winning gold as all of his opponents crashed in front of him on the home turn."

^ Let's go with this one.
Team USA cruise ship gets commandeered the evening before the game. Everyone wakes up the next day in the middle of the South Atlantic, and are unable to make it back to Rio in time for the game.
Boomers win by forfeit.

Rulon Gardner vs. Alexander Karelin (Sydney Olympic Games, 2000)

It must be pretty intimidating to go up against the best wrestler in the history of Greco-Roman wrestling, and a man who hadn’t lost a match in 13 years, or even surrendered a point in six years. Additionally, with nicknames such as “Russian Bear,” “Russian King Kong” and “The Experiment,” most would be shaking in their boots when set to face the legend that is Alexander Karelin.

This was what American Rulon Gardner was up against when he reached the super-heavyweight gold match in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, making him a massive underdog against the three-time defending Olympic champion. On the biggest international stage, Gardner did what was thought impossible and defeated Karelin for the gold.

He managed to score a point in the second round against the “Russian Bear,” and then was able to hold on for a famous and inspirational win and the gold medal.

Horse Racing:

Man O' War loses only race (19 letters)
The biggest upset in sports history was 100-to-1 underdog Upset beating heavily favored Man O' War in the Sanford Memorial.

Willie Knapp, who rode Upset, the horse whose name has come to mean "to defeat unexpectedly," described his victory best: "We'd passed the quarter pole and were going to the eighth pole, I guess it was, and I heard something right behind me and I knew it was Big Red (Man O' War) coming at me now. I looked back and there he was. Johnny Loftus was riding [him] like a crazy man and he yelled at me, 'Move out, Willie! I'm coming through!' So I yelled back at him, 'Take off! Take off me, bum, or I'll put you through the rail!' Then I set down to riding and we won."

Man O' War had 21 starts in his racing career and he won 20 of them, only being upset once. Thus his defeat in the Sanford Memorial by Upset must be considered the greatest upset of all time.

Argentina's basketball gold in Athens, 2004

The United States had taken home the gold medal in basketball every year since 1988, so it came as a big shock when Argentina beat them in 2004. After winning against the United States, the South American nation went on to play (and beat) Italy, taking home the gold.