[UPDATED] Rooting for a Melo vs. Kleiza matchup...

by Andrew Feinstein on Aug 16, 2008 2:37 PM MDT

It looks as though Carmelo Anthony had his much needed breakout game in the Olympics as Team USA pummeled Spain, arguably the second most talented team in the tournament. With 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting (4-of-6 from three) and a sprightly defensive effort, Melo rediscovered his comfort zone with Team USA. So it looks like I was overly concerned after watching Melo's first few unimpressive outings in Beijing, and kudos to the Denver Stiffs readers who defended Melo right away.

It's time to put the Spain "slant-eyed" gesture controversy behind us, but I was glad to see them finally get their butts kicked. I was rooting for China to best them the other day and was disappointed when Spain pulled out the victory in overtime.

On the other side of the bracket, Linas Kleiza's Lithuania continued their undefeated march into the medal round, setting up a possible Melo vs. Kleiza matchup next weekend for the gold medal. Like his Denver teammate, Kleiza also made 4-of-6 three point shots as he put up 18 points in Lithuania's victory over Croatia.

Watching Kobe Bryant play against his Lakers teammate Pau Gasol was fun, but it won't compare to Melo going up against his fellow small forward Kleiza as they'd likely guard each other. So I'll be rooting for Lithuania...until they play Team USA, of course.

[UPDATED] Melo looked terrific again against the Australians this morning. And the Rocky Mountain News' Chris Tomasson wrote a good piece detailing Melo's Olympic experience thus far.

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Maybe one of the two would lay the other one out like Kobe did to Pao. That's always a nice way to start off a game. But if Melo plays anywhere near the way he did today against Spain, Kleiza's gonna have some trouble on his hands. I'll root for Kleiza but just as long as he doesn't hit any game winners on us.

by Goldennugget on Aug 16, 2008 11:26 PM MDT reply actions

Damn it's going to take something special to beat the Americans. We're probably meeting you in the first round of finals. Goodbye us. :(

I was watching Lithuania against Croatia and as it was close in the third or fourth and kept saying to my brother that LK should come on. What's up with their coach!? I was joking that he was keeping Kleiza up his sleeve for the finishing touch. Then he came on, knocked down 3 3s and it was game over.

by Julian from Australia on Aug 17, 2008 5:21 AM MDT reply actions

I really don't care about what Carmelo does in the Olympics..he needs to start bringing it for his Nuggets team when it counts in the NBA! Otherwise, all of this is irrelevent.

by Anonymous on Aug 17, 2008 7:44 PM MDT reply actions

Great job by Team USA and great job by Melo, I knew he'd step up to the pressure.

Don't know about you guys, but I though the Spain picture was hilarious. Talked to a couple Asian friends of mine about it, they also thought it was hilarious, and thought it kind of offensive that Americans of all people are making such a huge fuss about it. Afterall, this should not be looked at through a politically-correct American lens, but through the cultures at hand: Spain and China.

by Joel15 on Aug 17, 2008 9:11 PM MDT reply actions

don't fret julius. i believe we're the best chance at beating the USA. i swear to god. the boomers are really starting to click. owning lithuania in the first half now. just watching.

i doubt we will, but if anyone can, we can.

by andrew fisher on Aug 17, 2008 11:41 PM MDT reply actions

"Afterall, this should not be looked at through a politically-correct American lens, but through the cultures at hand: Spain and China."

Joel15, you nailed it on that one.

Still, I don't think the picture is "hilarious", it is just "stupid".

by Catalan on Aug 18, 2008 5:54 AM MDT reply actions

heehee Australia has the best chance the beat the US, sorry guys, Bogut's not that good. Linas the menace and his comrades did get pummeled by the aussies in what was a pointless game for them though. I would love to see the all nugget small forward showdown for gold but that most likely means lithuania has to beat spain in the quarters which is unlikely, I have US vs. Spain in the gold medal game, US taking it of course, Argentina Lithuania in the bronze with the Argentenians getting some revenge and a Bronze, which is pretty reflective of their talent level in comparison to the other teams in the tournament.

by Zachm219 on Aug 18, 2008 7:47 AM MDT reply actions

yikes. did you see what they just did to germany? up next: the aussies

by Anonymous on Aug 18, 2008 7:47 AM MDT reply actions

zachm219

the only reason i say australia has an outside chance at beating the US is cos australia is because out of spain, greece and argentina; australia is the one you yanks wont see coming. ya'll gona come out with all guns blazing against the sure fire good teams. but australia. well if you go by their last 2 games, though against iran and lithuania, well they pummled over both of them team USA styles.

and believe me im the first one to know that bogut aint all that. but him and the other aussie bigs will play a big role in tomorrow's matchup i'll tell you that.

by andrew fisher on Aug 18, 2008 3:54 PM MDT reply actions

Apparently we saw you coming just fine, and i guess Bogut must have just left his legs in Australia huh? heeehee, now that the slugs are out of the way we can play some REAL basketball with the 4 best teams in this tournament

by Zachm219 on Aug 20, 2008 6:15 PM MDT reply actions

calm down zachm

tell me when youre in australia so i can school your ass on the court.

some of you yanks are so cocky it's annoying.

i never said we were gona beat yous. and had bogut stayed on probably might have been a better contest. and in all the olympics and pre-olympics, australia is the only team to have won a quarter off the US team. so that's a start. baha

australian basketball is really starting to make strides. look at our women's team. who will soon enough own your girls most probably.

but again. tell me if youre down. i'll take you to the nearest court THEN we'll see who the REAL ballers are... i'm serious

by andrew fisher on Aug 22, 2008 5:09 AM MDT reply actions

Go back to winging boomerangs at dingos and leave the basketball to the REAL players, and what are you like 45, don't challenege us young "yanks" to the court old man, we'll smoke you every time

by Zachm219 on Aug 22, 2008 10:41 AM MDT reply actions

hahaha how nice of you to be a racist dick straight away.

and no. in fact, i'm 18. and i will 'smoke' you any way you want fool... but even a 45 year old could probably 'smoke' your ass too.

what are you anyway? cos to me you seem like a 15 year old ignorant dumbass who wouldn't know his ass from his armpit.

stupid racist prick...'leave it to the REAL players' ... bahah you crack me up mate

by andrew fisher on Aug 23, 2008 2:28 AM MDT reply actions

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STIFF LIST (as of 4/26 by Andrew Feinstein)

1. METTA WORLD PEACE

Metta resorted back to Ron Ron last Sunday by clubbing James Hardenwith an "inadvertent celebratory elbow", landing him a 7-game suspension. Apparently, changing his name didn't prevent NBA commissioner David Stern from overlooking Metta's past behavior problems.

2. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

The 'Cats are on the verge of securing the worst winning percentage in NBA history. Given that the guy who runs the team - Michael Jordan - had previously drafted Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison, should this really be a shock?

3. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
The team that was supposedly built to overcome the lockout-shortened season managed to lose 7 of its last 14 games, ceding the Western Conference's 1-seed to the Spurs in the process. Their reward might be a first round matchup with defending champion Dallas.

4. BILLY HUNTER AND DEREK FISHER

With report after report coming out about NBPA union head Hunter's shady, nepotistic dealings and questions arising about Fisher's own role in dealing with NBA owners behind Hunter's back during the lockout, this off-the-court scandal could prove to be more exciting than the playoffs themselves!

5. STEVE NASH AND THE PHOENIX SUNS
The Suns are on this list for squandering the last few great seasons from Nash. Nash is on this list for his stupidly stubborn loyalty to a franchise as awful as the Suns.