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Kessler was not his usual smiling self after the game. Either the lack of playing time is getting to him, or the heat of the arena did (I heard it was brutally hot in there).
 
@Cy: Miro Little will get his first minutes playing with Team Finland (this summer) today in the rematch vs Lithuania (on Lithuanian turf this time). The betting sites don't seem to put much value on Miro Little, the betting spread for this match is +10.5 for Lithuania to win (Finland on home-turf won Lithuania with two points ten days ago). I think I'll take a bet, I find it hard to believe Finland would lose this match with 11 or more points.

Both teams are expected to use near full rosters they intend to use in World Cup, so an important match for those players in each team fighting for the final spots (both teams have 13 players for todays match, while only 12 tickets are available to the World Cup). I wouldn't be mega-shocked if players like Lauri Markkanen or Jonas Valanciunas might see lesser minutes than what they are used to, and more minutes for the players still needing to show the coachings staff(s) why they need to be in the team(s).
 
Swuul said:
I don't understand why Kesseler doesn't get playing time. Maybe it is thought he will be beter ready to wrestle with big FIBA centers if is let rest the practice matches? I don't understand.

Kelly Olynyk had a good game vs Germany. He had 21 points, and his last moment block did win the match for Canada.

View: https://twitter.com/CanBball/status/1690801451025432576

Match highlights:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mct-ul27lM&t=1s
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He is essentially JJJ insurance policy. If Kerr ever intended to deploy him in some packages he would have already tested them at this point.

But its still an honor to make the cut and be there. Means they are buying his stocks for the future as well.
 
Saint Cy of JFC said:
It's a miracle Walker is even on the team. He doesn't deserve it or minutes.just be happy he is on the Team USA track to where he might get minutes in later tournaments
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cy i get that i do, but when you are up 40 in an exhibition game that is the time kessler should play the entire 4th quarter. when its a 1 point game against spain heading into the 4th yeah i understand not playing. give the big guy garbage minutes you may need him in the future.
 
oldtimer said:
cy i get that i do, but when you are up 40 in an exhibition game that is the time kessler should play the entire 4th quarter. when its a 1 point game against spain heading into the 4th yeah i understand not playing. give the big guy garbage minutes you may need him in the future.
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Brother these guys are practicing. It's not like it's a regular team. Kerr wants the main dudes to get experience playing together
 
Crazy to say this after Lauri put up 32/11/4, but it was not a good game for him. He was good in the second half of 1st quarter, and scored points during the last minutes of the match, but for much of the game he was sulking and yelling at the refs, and got into foul trouble. At times I had to blink my eyes to make sure it was Lauri and not Luka on the field (both in good and bad).

The finnish players, even Lauri, had some nightmarish issues with ball-handling and passing. Lithuania started with man-to-man defense, and Lauri was in trouble, because some seriously physical bumping seemed to be allowed. Then Lithuania switched to zone, and Lauri feasted. Lithuania then switched back to man-to-man, and Lauri started to yell at the refs. In fourth quarter, when Lithuania led by 10 points, they switched back to zone, and Lauri began feasting again.

The match was curios in that sense that there were seemingly an unlimited amount of time-outs. In friendly matches teams can agree to that, and apparently it had been agreed on. At one point during second quarter Lithuania had two timeouts within 25 seconds. This did break the flow of the match quite a bit, but it allowed both teams to use different tactics and different players (and player-combos).

In the end, I think this was a good game for Lauri. He has to learn to keep his head cool even when the refs give him the other kind of special treatment, or when his team-mates act like they have never before in their life seen a basketball.
 
Swuul said:
Crazy to say this after Lauri put up 32/11/4, but it was not a good game for him. He was good in the second half of 1st quarter, and scored points during the last minutes of the match, but for much of the game he was sulking and yelling at the refs, and got into foul trouble. At times I had to blink my eyes to make sure it was Lauri and not Luka on the field (both in good and bad).

The finnish players, even Lauri, had some nightmarish issues with ball-handling and passing. Lithuania started with man-to-man defense, and Lauri was in trouble, because some seriously physical bumping seemed to be allowed. Then Lithuania switched to zone, and Lauri feasted. Lithuania then switched back to man-to-man, and Lauri started to yell at the refs. In fourth quarter, when Lithuania led by 10 points, they switched back to zone, and Lauri began feasting again.

The match was curios in that sense that there were seemingly an unlimited amount of time-outs. In friendly matches teams can agree to that, and apparently it had been agreed on. At one point during second quarter Lithuania had two timeouts within 25 seconds. This did break the flow of the match quite a bit, but it allowed both teams to use different tactics and different players (and player-combos).

In the end, I think this was a good game for Lauri. He has to learn to keep his head cool even when the refs give him the other kind of special treatment, or when his team-mates act like they have never before in their life seen a basketball.
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You are absolutely right there. Super star Lauri scores 50 points in these games. He is just gearing up.
 
FrenchJazzFa said:
Fiba rule can be frustrating for NBA player like Lauri. Much more contact and physical contact. Have to deal with.
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I have followed FIBA basketball for nearly four decades. This was far from normal refereeing. It can happen though, and the players have to stay cool even when the refs seem to be far out there somewhere. Last night it did get under the skin of Lauri, to the point where the Finnish coach Lasse Tuovi was heard yelling (he never yells, at least I have never heard him yell) during a time-out in 4th quarter to Lauri&Co "Stop acting like losers! Focus on next ball, not the last call!" (the Finnish coach uses English during timeouts, because the team has two players who are not that fluent in Finnish, and the coaching staff has two members (including Sean Sheldon from Jazz) who do not speak Finnish).
 
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