If this were America, i’d be searching for hyperbole right now, calling the 2009 edition of Team Spain the greatest Spanish team ever, the greatest European team since dissolution of the Soviet Union, the greatest non-USA squad ever assembled … but instead, BallInEurope humbly offers congratulations to the fantastic Spaniards for finally achieving Eurobasket gold.
“It’s going to be waaaaaaaay closer than people think,” proclaimed this blog yesterday in predicting the outcome of the Spain-Serbia final of last night, but damn was it not. Spain finished off the dynamic and surprisingly polished youngsters of Serbia early — not quite as early as those USSR teams in the 70s and 80s (those guys often had the final wrapped up before the tournament started), mind you, but it was a quick death for Serbia.
How quick? The BiE notebook reads, “7:20.” In the second quarter, that’s when the failed inbounds pass turned into Ivan Paunic desperately fouled a Ricky Rubio threatening to blow past him into the lane yet again. Moments thereafter, Spain had a 20-point lead and showed no intention of giving this one up.
Was anyone else struck by the desperate style of play Serbia employed from the go? After a minute or two (probably right after Serbia relinquished its last believable lead of the game at 5-4) of play, it was clear that this was induced by Spain, who fearlessly jacked up the tempo with total disregard for the youthful advantage of Serbia.
In fact, Spain’s triumph was a reflection of not just experience at the highest levels of basketball, whether that be NBA, ACB or Euroleague, but in transforming that wisdom into a team game. Early on in this tournament, a few sources (ahem) dogged Spain for playing like that nightmare Team USA of 2004 – all flash and no substance. Yet, these old dogs (Rubio excepted here, of course) kept up with the new tricks and incredibly improved throughout the competition. Winning their final half-dozen games by an average of 16 points against the likes of Lithuania, France, and Greece before pummeling Serbia last night earned these guys worldwide respect, even awe, at their mad skills.
And an extra toast to Pau Gasol who, after putting in perhaps the best individual season by a European player in the NBA in 2008-09 with the Los Angeles Lakers, took Eurobasket 2009 MVP honors. Gasol the Elder’s feat of playing on Eurobasket and NBA champions in the same year is unmatched in recent history (if ever). In fact, you’d have to go back to 1991 to even compare Gasol’s personal glory: In that year, Vlade Divac and Team Yugoslavia took the European championship while Divac’s Lakers were vanquished in the NBA finals by those Chicago Bulls.
Kudos, then, to Spanish basketball: You deserve it. Let’s just hope this team sticks together for the 2010 Worlds. BiE can’t wait to see these guys go up against those dudes named LeBron, Kobe, Carmelo, Dwyane…
Tags: Eurobasket 2009, FIBA, Ivan Paunic, Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol, Ricky Rubio, Team Serbia, Team Spain, Vlade Divac
SPAIN v USA should be a good rivalry for the next 4 years. 2006-2012. Although it will be tough for spain to beat lebron, kobe, wade.
Re: “Early on in this tournament, a few sources (ahem) dogged Spain for playing like that nightmare Team USA of 2004 – all flash and no substance. Yet, these old dogs (Rubio excepted here, of course) kept up with the new tricks and incredibly improved throughout the competition. Winning their final half-dozen games by an average of 16 points against the likes of Lithuania, France, and Greece before pummeling Serbia last night earned these guys worldwide respect, even awe, at their mad skills.”
You had the chance to make that point after Spain beat Poland, after Spain beat France and after Spain beat Greece. You didn’t. To the very end, you kept demeaning Spain with ridiculous analyses like this, which completely destroy your credibility:
“While Spain brings the megastars, Serbia brings a team; if the latter manages to bring the unexpected player to the forefront – recall a key clutch player in the game one win for Serbia was 19-year-old Milan Macvan – it will be a long night for Spain. (…) With the exception of Pau Gasol, you’ve gotta like any Serbian player over his Spanish counterpart in terms of sheer defensive skill. And this youthful bunch has shown it has the will to play with the best. BiE fearless predictions: Nah, i’m not willing to take a barrage of criticism here, nor am i willing to wedge with the serious underdogs in this one; let’s just say it’s going to be waaaaaaaaay closer than people think.”
One more point about the “old dogs”:
Rudy Fernández (All Tournament), age 24. Marc Gasol, age 24. Sergio Llull, age 22. Victor Claver, age 22. Ricky Rubio, age 19.
But who said these dogs, old and new, had to learn new tricks? Did you really see them play in the 2006 Worlds or the 2008 Olympics? Did they then show “all flash and no substance”? Did you bother analyzing why they started the tournament poorly – such as Pau not having played or practiced with the team for a month, or Fernández, Navarro and Garbajosa playing hurt?
BTW – Maybe Spain’s dogs will be around longer than some think. Just so that you don’t say you had never heard of them, here are some names waiting in the wings: Sergio Rodríguez, age 23. Fran Vázquez, age 25. Saúl Blanco, age 24. Alberto Jódar, age 19. Pau Ribas, age 22. Nikola Mirotic, age 18. Adrià Gasol, age 15. Pablo Aguilar, age 20.
Never heard of them? Well, now you have.
As a greek obviously I am happy about our third place and dislike Spain for killing us (again) in the semis, but one particular quote of the tournament stuck with me and I have to agree wholeheartedly with it.
Scariolo, spain’s coach, thanked the spanish bb federation for letting him “drive this Ferrari”.
That’s the best description of this tournament ever.
In the beginning it took some getting used to, what with the new driving properties of the vehicle and how to control it and later on, when the tires were warm and the motor well-oiled the machine just took off completely. It is amazing to see this team clicking, and it’s a p[ity that we saw so much of Rubio instead of Calderon, because with him this team turns into a basketball wonder. But props to spain for their team , their basketball culture and their youth movement and development, those Lull, Claver, Rubio and Aguilar types look mighty good.