# World Championships start tonight any early predictions



## IV (Jul 16, 2002)

I have to admit my interest in the World Championship doesn't really exist so I predict any evening of boring unentertaining basketball.
Will I watch? Of course I'll watch because I'm a sports idiot, and I just can't help it. Between ESPN thursday night football and the World Championship's tonight, i ought to get even of my medicine to keep me from going insane! 

So you guys looking forward to seeing the tournament? 
if so, please help me join in on all the fun!


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## Hitman (Jul 16, 2002)

I am totally looking forward to it...I was actually thinking of making a trip out there to Indianapolis for it before work commitments kept me in NY. It's kind of a bummer that some of the international talent such as Nash, McCullogh, Wang and Raul Lopez will be MIA, but it should be fun. My bet is that the U.S. will prevail (barely) over Yugoslavia in the gold medal game, while Dirk and company in Germany will get the bronze but put up a big fight against both the U.S and Yugoslavia.


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

Can anyone post a schedule (times and channels/probably espn) that the games will be...specifically USA Germany China and Yugoslavia


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## starbonis (Aug 7, 2002)

It's strange for me that the US people have no interest for this competition.
I mean, it's a totally new edition, the more open in the past years. Maybe we'll see for the first time an US national beaten on their own ground. It can happen

And behind the USA, the competition is wide open: YU are struggling, Germany has Dirk and a bunch of top role-players, Argentina has the fire in its vein....

Plus you will see some action from the best players coming in the NBA in seasons to come with Brazil, Argentina and of course China. 

Well, Euro-ball is no longer boring so the games should be fun to watch.

So even if my country, France, does not play, I will stay tuned for every games.

Are thse enough reasons for you to watch ???


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## TomBoerwinkle#1 (Jul 31, 2002)

*Wrold Championships TV schedule*

http://www.usabasketball.com/seniormen/02-mwc-tv_schedule.html


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

My bet is this:
Gold - U.S. although they could be beaten, but is very unlikely playing home.
Silver - Yugoslavia: an extremely talented squad.
Bronze - Argentina: a very deep roster full of talent.

Other candidates for the broze medal (in order):
- Spain: Gasol, Navarro, Garbajosa and 9 men-at-work.
- Germany: Nowitzki, Nowitzki and Nowitzki.
- Turkey: great starting five, no deep in the bench.


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## robyg1974 (Jul 19, 2002)

*I'm calling it right here!*

Yugoslavia is going to win this thing! Yep! They have a ton of talent, and guess how much more they want it than the U.S.? Answer: A WHOLE LOT!

So go ahead, make fun of me, but you heard it here first!


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## starvydas (Jul 16, 2002)

QUOTE]Originally posted by <b>robyg1974</b>!
Yugoslavia is going to win this thing! Yep! They have a ton of talent, and guess how much more they want it than the U.S.? Answer: A WHOLE LOT!

So go ahead, make fun of me, but you heard it here first! [/QUOTE]


I only partly agree.

Reasons why I think Yugoslavia may (key word here) win the World Championships

Reason #1. 

You guys will be represented by the worst ever US team. No player on the current roster is in the All-NBA First or Second Team. A record five players have not yet reached All Star status (Dre Miller, Ben Wallace, Jay Williams, Shawn Marion, Raef LaFrentz). As a comparison, the US team that won by two points against Lithuania in the 2000 Olympics had only two non-All Star at the time (McDyess, Abdur Rahim). They're all good players but it's still the second tier of superstars.

Reason #2

Yugoslavia has arguably the best team of their history. They have two NBA All Stars (Divac, Stojakovic) plus 3 bonafide NBA role players with potential (Radmanovic, Jaric and Dorbnjak). Add into that Europe's best player for the last two years, Dejan Bodiroga and you basically have the best team in Yugoslavian history. The only major absentee will be Pistons C Rebraca

Reason #3 

Yugoslavian players are used to playing with each other. To that extent they are a better team in that everyone knows his role and sticks to it. They're likely to find their chemistry quicker than the US. The US team is a compilation of stars, but the biggest names do not always win it all. The Blazers of 1999 are a good example of that

Reason #4

World Championships do not really mean something for the US. It won't get as much media and fans attention as the Olympics. Not quite the same in Europe, where the feeling is the Yugos can pull an upset. Yugoslavian are pumped up for this believe me.




Despite all that, I still feel the right conditions are not there yet for the Yugos to win. Home court advantage could well be what saves the US at the end of the day. It would have been really interesting if the WC were held in Europe, where the underdogs would have gotten all the love.


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