Full disclosure before this game gets started: I’ve only seen Chapters 1-5 from last year’s weird “phenomenon” (which is why the joke is a bit stale).
Annnyyyways. Good morning y’all, this is a great way for me to get a head start in the day as after the game I’m heading straight out with the advantage of having the whole day ahead of me. That’s assuming I don’t collaspe from exhaustion of waking up at this zombie hour.
Alrighty, let’s see if ze Germans/ Dirk Nowitzki can put up a good test for Team USA.
One thing I should note with my above photo.. there’s no real story there. They just merely played in the same Finals, that’s about it, they hardly went head to head most of the time. It was more: Wade vs. The Refs and the City of Dallas.
1st Quarter:
Wow, lightning quick bucket by Germany before I even get settled in to be answered by? That’s right, Shane m’f’n Battier. Just like last game he gets the first play of the game.. weird. Germany gets another shot to go which get answered by Lebron’s jumper and then a tip back dunk after forcing a turnover for a break.
Woah! Dirk gets first bucket! Watch out now. 6-6 @ 7:24
Man, Carmelo’s cross is so nice… to bad he dunked it on the rim; he was fouled though. After his free throws are made Captain Kirk decides to check in to the captain’s log and get a steal and give it to Lebron for a jumper over Dirk.
Jumpshots are the name of the game for Team USA now even though they had success attacking the zone quick like Wade did. It’s now 16-14 Germany with 3:25 to go.
OMG! A Chris Bosh sighting! And he scored on an alley-oop! Good thinking Chris! (He did get a close bucket a little bit before… but that’s after he missed the dunk before that)
Jim Durham is utterly confused as to the difference between Dwight Howard and Elton Brand. Yay, finally Wade penetrates the zone to dish it to Joe Johnson for a 3 to make it 20-21, still Germany lead with a minute left. HMMM.. interesting.
“Holy Moly” is used by Fran Francilla after the refs give the most absurd continuation play for Dwight Howard. He makes his FTs to take the lead 23-21 to close the quarter. Okay, it’s over, I’m calling it. Team USA won’t play around for the rest of the game. I think this is as close as Deutschland is going to get (aaaand queue me getting ready to eat these words later on)
2nd Quarter:
Team USA stays with JJ, Kirk, Bosh, Melo and Wade. This is probably optimal for quick steals and good defensive runs. As I write that, Kirk gets burned by his man to get an easy feed 2 feet from the bucket and gets fouled by Kirk.
I wish I looked up the German team’s players. They are quite sharp and deserve the respect… ehhh.. I’m not getting paid for this. It’s all tied up at 25 a piece with 7:05 to go.
Dirk isn’t the one with all the points though (only 4pts so far and missing a bunch), which is a great positive for their team though, but I worry they won’t be able to keep it up much longer if Dirk can’t get going for the rest of the game.
Team USA isn’t doing a good job against this German zone as Lebron gets called for a charge. Elton puts the team back two, and then answered by Nowitzki by his good looking shot. Team USA jacks up a couple 3s that rattle out… they were open I guess, but is that how you want to win this game? I’m not saying like I know anything… As I write that, JJ gets a good 3 after a penetration pass to make it 33-29 with 4:00 to go.
Heh, this game is still close after (sorry any German readers for not getting their names down) they get an easy layup from a breakaway. 31-33
Bosh is redeeming everything! He almost gets the steal but is quick enough to run and collect the board.. then on the offensive end he tips to ball away from the Germans that ensues in a Melo bucket. 37-33 with 2:10 to go.
Coming out of the timeout, we see that familiar Wade steal and goes for the one man break… which he MISSES since he was expecting a foul. For his punishment, Wade gets slapped on the face from a German player unintentionally due to Flailing-Arm-itis.
Germany gets a good tip dunk which keeps this game in amazingly close margin of 39-40 at the end of the half. Well, time for me to find refreshments. Of note: Dirk has 3 fouls. Who’s going to Melo-it up in this 3rd quarter a la the Italy game? Stay tuned!
3rd Quarter:
Alright internet connection, we meet again, I’ve come to avenge my last live-bloggin session meltdown! Okay, I opened the German roster team, so let’s see if I can make this slightly more respectable. Okulaja leads all players will 11pts and Dirk is behind him with 8. The US obviously has more balanaced scoring. Hey, I bet Brad Miller loves his vacation in Japan huh?
Ohhh boy.. two steals from the US which Lebron converts in one of them. Lucky for Dirk et al. the refs calls travelling as if there’s a bonus for each one called.
Femerling (see! I’m good!) shows Dwight what good post footwork is as he makes the up and under shot…Howeva, Melo just flushes it strong just as everyone is sleeping (ooooh Melo is waking up… Mr. 3rd quarter) Hamann gets fouled for an and 1 but Melo is the one again to hit the 3. Next play, guess who steals and goes for the dunk?? GUESS! Okay it’s Carmelo Anthony. 51-43. Where’s Wade? P. Diddy is making sure his home boy’s face is good for the next catwalk.
Chris Paul can’t buy a jump shot for the moment as he misses an open 3. Side not: I really hate that horn that’s being blared in the stands, whatever the hell it is. Melo for 3 again, like you had to guess. Wade takes a three in another play..juuuust misses it by about 7 yards (aaairball). But he goes back to attack mode afterwards to get the hit to go to the line.
Paul decides to work for Habitat For Humanity as he builds several houses out of the bricks (sorry Chris..your shot isn’t there today yo) In other news: Wade got STUFFed bad at the rim from a dunk attempt. Several possessions later, Bosh is all about the hustle in grabbing the offensive board and connecting with Paul for a lookaway alley-half-oop as Bosh dumps the ball in behins his back into the net (yeah, I butchered that last part pretty bad…)
Dirk finally gets going again to nail a shot and get fouled. 48-60
Lebron gets a couple (but he seems relatively quiet huh, it’s all about the Carmelo show) and then as the time ticks down the quarter he dishes it to Paul for the 3 at the buzzerr……. he finally hits one. Yay for Chris Paul! You can stop building that house now. 67-52
4th Quarter:
Hah, Chris Bosh takes a three and makes it count.. okay now he’s just showing off. Ugh.. how bad are the replays huh? They don’t show the start of the play (it’s like the crew’s thinking: “ehh, it’s around the play people want to watch) and they always show it at bad times (like when there’s still play going on)
Well, lots of plays came and went but Germany just can’t close the gap enough for now as Anthony tips in and gets fouled 77-61 with 4:54 to go. Damn, the Semis look awesome.. but it’s IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. Jesus.. 3am.
As this game gets pretty much out of hand, sorry Dirk, I just like to say how much I’m loving this International style. Not just the teams involved, but the organization. For instance, there’s shot clock malfunctions and bad reffin but it feels so pure and real, very unlike what’s bad about the NBA now. Sure the NBA has the highest quality in a lot of things, but seeing these games makes you appreciate those things more and keeps you down to Earth I guess. It’s not glamourous but still fun as hell because you’re playing with your countrymen.
Yeah, this game is booked. I just had a thought (shocker!), what if Team USA plays Germany or Italy in a Series instead of just single game elimination? I mean, in those two games the opposition were able to have the lead at times but just ran out of time.. I get the feeling they can win at least once. Then what if you were to do a Series against Argentina or Spain? Still think USA can win just like that? Good things to think about.
End of game 85-65. Hope that was…um.. somewhat entertaining. Until next time!
