After an apalling start the Aussies have suddenly found some pretty decent form, nailing the two Baltic superpowers of Europan ball, namely Russia (European Champs) and Lithuania (undefeated thus far in the tourney). After their disasterous first game loss, the country ripped the Milwaukee big Bucks' man to shreds for under-performing for Australia, but since then the Bogey man has struck some amazing form and even made it rain 3's in the Boomers last game.
There are a few plusses for the Underdogs as they have a crack at the Big Dogs tonight. Firstly, the Redeem Team has a major weakness from beyond the arc. You would not find Jason Capono, Steve Nash, Sasha, Kevin Martin or Stojakovic in this team. Secondly, a team of amazing indivduals are always bound to let their supporters down and under-perform when playing for their nation. I have in mind my favourite soccer team, the Netherlands, who've always boasted some of the most amazing individual talents on planet earth, yet they would lose in the qualifiers to Borat and his Kazakhstani crew!!! Unbelievable indeed! (I still feel like smashing my TV when I'm reminded of those days of J. Cruijff, Gullitt, Van Basten, etc...and how those legends never got to hold that World Cup trophy aloft). Anyway...
Well, unfortunately for my balling countrymen, that's where the weaknesess of the US Team end! It would take an Epistle to start listing the strengths of this team however. As our ex- Boomer's captain, A Gaze said "..if Kobe and king James were allowed to run, Australia would be blown out of the water.." Also there's a minor revenge factor to be taken into consideration too. Last week when US won 87-76 against the Boomers, M Worthington thought he was playing Australian Rules Footy and tackled Le Bron crashing him as though it was a scene from WWE. With a "sweet" if looks could kill glare, le Bron said to the Aussie in a quiet and gentle voice "You're Mine". I'd fake an injury if I were Worthington tonight ...Speaking of Le Bron though, he's been spectacular so far and the Boomers will be in for a long night if him and Kobe have show-time in their mind! Furthermore, I hear so much talk about that last warm-up fixture in Shanghai last week. Yes the Boomers lost only by 11, yes the Bogey man wasn't present, etc. But Caution Not much is to be made of that last encounter at all. This Redeem Team lookes poised, focused and with one Golden goal in mind and no one will stop them. Our wonder boy P.Mills will be up against someone 198cm and with an annual salary - $US19,490,625! That man alone could buy three sets of Boomers, with their total salaries of almost $13 million, including the Bogey man, whose salary with the Milwaukee Bucks is $US6,294,306. Forget about Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, or Rafa Nadal we are talking Kobe Bryant here. Even the most amazing Olimpian ever, Michael Phelps, goes to Kobe's locker room to pay homage to this legend. Our women players Lauren Jackson and P. Taylor were bragging to the media last night that they had dinner some 40 tables away from Kobe! Doesn't that blow your mind?!
Well, not just around Covers, but all around the World, hoops fans are echoing the same question: By how many are the US going to win? We are talking the superstars of basketball taking on a bunch of drop kicks, as my father in law would say, who nobody has ever heard of outside of this great south land of our's.
Team USA has averaged a 31 point win so far in the tournament, and that's the handicap that Vegas' books donated to the Boomers too. The total opened at 179 and after going up by a couple of pionts is now sitting at 179.5, expected to go probably much lower as the public is pounding the Under.
So the question that needs to be asked is: Can the US win every quarter by 8 or more points? In basketball "lingo" that is 4 buckets. In NBA "lingo" that's only two dunks Kobe and two dunks Le Bron. You see if you spread it like that, our task to cap this game, suddenly becomes much easier
Pick: Redeem Team -30.5 (for a 2 Unit play)
God bless and enjoy what should be a fun and entertaining game.
AUSSIE