Good morning, FIBA’s Round of 16 has arrived
That and much more in Friday’s NBA newsletter.
Good morning. Let’s basketball.
TO THE KNOCKOUTS: Group play has wrapped in the FIBA World Cup. Here are Saturday and Sunday’s Round of 16 matchups (full schedule here).
Team USA vs. Mexico
Dominican Republic vs. Slovenia
New Zealand vs. Lithuania
Turkey vs. Australia
France vs. Croatia
Spain vs. Senegal
Serbia vs. Greece
Brazil vs. Argentina (!)
Team USA can’t face Spain or Greece until the final, though both teams are harder paths there than the Americans do. A second-round match against Slovenia would look a bit more frightening if Team USA hadn’t rolled the Slovenians in a pre-tourney friendly.
The end of group play wasn’t without controversy: Australia tanked against Angola in an apparent (successful) attempt to avoid Team USA until the semifinals. The Aussies cheated? New Zealand warned us, guys.
FIX FIBA: I presented an idea to make group play -- currently rife with uninteresting blowouts -- better.
SHAKEUP IN MIAMI: Kind of a surprising coaching staff shakeup in Miami. Ron Rothstein is retiring and Bob McAdoo will be a scout.
NEWSFLASH: Yao Ming is still great.
MOVE THAT DOUGH: Adam Silver says legalized sports betting is inevitable, and the NBA will play ball.
NEW SHARD: Jonathan Tjarks on Dario Saric’s upside.
Hey, you. Have yourself a good weekend. See you Monday.
