Mind officially blown.

Gordon, quick, to 1930s Europe!

Mills and Baynes combined for 16 points (6/7 FG, 3/3 FT) in 7-8 minutes to push out the lead. Then Parker and Duncan sub in for them. Rough day for Portland it seems.

so because Australia now has 4 NBA players you think a medal is a formality?

So how many does Spain, Argentina, Brazil and France have because based on your theory they will also medal?

Yeah unfortunately we are still a ways off. Even once Exum, Simmons, etc all come on there are no guarantees.

I also think there is a massive stepdown in head coaching skill from Brett Brown to Andrej Lemanis that no one is talking about.

No disrespect to Andrej because he is obviously a great coach in this country, but Brett Brown is a class above.

Could you say Baynes was in beast mode?

'Mills and Baynes' sounds like it should be some kind of condiment spread from the 1950s. Like 'Mills and Baynes freshly made marmalade straight off the farm' type shit.

Mystro could be a hater.

Not just any four old NBA players. We are talking about Bogey Man, Patty Mills, Big Banger and Delly. 4 of the hardest working and most underrated players. Plus 3 top 5 draft picks to come Exum, Simmons, Maker (who are already major players). Plus our bona fide fillers such as Ingles and Bairstow etc.

Sounds like a damn good well rounded lineup to me. Australia underates its players and league.

Sure there are other countries that have some big name NBA players but they have poor supporting casts and barely play for their teams at the best of time and do so without passion. Look at Brazil - 4 NBA players who are all bigs who have not been known to play for their country very often who are supported by mediocre players. Put them together (if you can) and you have a fragmented team.

Bogut might not be that useful for Australia in the future considering he's barely ever playing for the Boomers whether it be because of injuries or insurance.

But you'd have to say 2016 looks like a pretty reasonable squad for bronze medal contention? Unfortunately I think we might be a bit too young and undeveloped by Rio, 2018 would probably be the perfect year for us.

C Andersen/Maric/Maker
F Baynes/Simmons
F Ingles/Newley
G Exum/Barlow
G Mills/Dellavadova/Gibson

Sorry ket you lost me at Barlow !

Goulding goes in over Gibson!

We don't need Gibbo with Delly, Mills & Exum!

We need shooting off the bench hence Goulding

People are forgetting that Patty Mills is a maniac at international level. He was the lead scorer of all countries at the last Olympics! - he made the all London 5! He has annihilated Chris Paul at every Olympics.

Bairstow gets in he had a ripper season at New Mexico. Really improved out of sight.

You are all forgetting the others Deng Adel and Deng Deng

Highlights of Baynes 10 point playoff performance from today (the youtube channel DownToBuck, has some great highlight videos)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkClsqshL78&list=UUmJen5_cQofZXbtzulZj9MQ

Lopez went to sleep guarding the lane, he lets a 6'11 guy get an easy back door cut and doesn't even notice him until Baynes is laying it in...

We wont have bogut at the worlds. We aren't guaranteed a medal but I expect we will beat some top teams and be a surprise package. Medal rounds is possible but not probable. I see us in the top 8, and out of 32 teams thats commendable.

I think we can all have our little moments of being proud that we have a couple of Aussies (recognise Baynes was actually born in NZ) in the NBA finals and that they are showing signs that they can play at this level.

Also, it is obvious that some posters are easily hooked in by the others just doing the Aussie thing and taking the piss out of them!

Funny thread really...

"Not just any four old NBA players. We are talking about Bogey Man, Patty Mills, Big Banger and Delly."

1 starter who won't be available to play and 2 guys who get reasonable minutes off the bench and another who gets limited minutes. Yes they are good players but other countries also produce some decent players and a lot of them have also made the NBA.

France has 10 NBA players (includes Batum, Parker, Turiaf).
Canada has 8 NBA players (includes Nash & Olynyk).
Spain has 6 players (includes the Gasol brothers, Ibaka & Rubio).
Brazil has 5 players (includes Diaw, Splitter and Verejao)
Russia has 4 players.
Italy has 4 players.
Argentina has 4 players (includes Ginobli, Scola, Delfino).
Turkey has 5 players.
Germany has 3 players (includes Nowitzki & Schroder)

and a heap of other countries have 1-3 NBA level players and like Australia struggle to get them all on the court together.

More than half of those 'French' NBA players don't play for their national team. Its like saying that Kyrie Irving is an Australian NBA player.

Mystro has been sippin on the haterade. Australia is deep. NBL standards are not that far behind and our best NBL players struggle to get a place on the boomers.

Sorry was getting Diaw mixed up with Barbossa.

Pointing out other teams have players that have made the NBA is "sippin the haterade"?