[valentine]

It is safe to say Goran Dragic was not impressed with Australia’s losing performance vs Angola in the last match of the FIBA World Cup. He claimed they fixed the match on twitter.

The deal is this. Finishing Third in the Group with Australia, Lithuania & Slovenia is better than finishing Second because it means facing the United States at a later stage of the tournament.

Australia is confident of winning a medal, but not if they have to play the United States in the Quarter Final.

By losing to Angola, and having Lithuania win, they were advantaged by finishing third. 

Having watched the game, the following happened:

• Australia rested Dellevedova, Baynes & Ingles. Their 3 most important players for the whole game. 
• Nathan Jawai (aka outback shaq), played 30 minutes in long stretches. If you haven’t seen this guy play…his conditioning allows for 3-5 minute bursts at most and was completely gassed
• Little known Angolan Yanick Moreira scored 38 points, almost all in the second half, on simple put-backs, fast break dunks & uncontested layups. 
• Australia led by 15 points at one stage, and lost by 8

I love a good conspiracy theory, but this one looks like an obvious tank job to me and completely unsportsmanlike. Being an Aussie myself, I feel like a dirty cheat.

So who is to blame? FIBA for their system that encourages tanking (it does), or the Aussies for losing on purpose (they did). 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[natedogggParticipant]

Was a clear tank job to avoid Team USA, i didnt see the second half but Australia were comfortably beating Angola with the 2nd string guys so it must have been a tank. 

I dont understand how finishing 3rd avoids playing a top team though which is wierd? why wouldnt you be rewarded for finishing higher. Makes it smart to tank. 

 

[natedogggParticipant]

Was a clear tank job to avoid Team USA, i didnt see the second half but Australia were comfortably beating Angola with the 2nd string guys so it must have been a tank. 

I dont understand how finishing 3rd avoids playing a top team though which is wierd? why wouldnt you be rewarded for finishing higher. Makes it smart to tank. 

 

[chrisinozParticipant]

 If they wanted to throw the game on purpose they could have brought me along I am more than happy to jack up 3’s and play no defence. I would even carry the bags throughout the tournament. It was so obvious that they were throwing the game they should be hit with a fine or something.

[chrisinozParticipant]

 If they wanted to throw the game on purpose they could have brought me along I am more than happy to jack up 3’s and play no defence. I would even carry the bags throughout the tournament. It was so obvious that they were throwing the game they should be hit with a fine or something.

[Rip255]

Before killing the Aussies, take a couple of factors into account.

The FIBA system encouraged them to lose.

They got a lot of rest for star players while giving exposure to guys that needed it. Note: 5 games in 6 days (ridiculous)

Other results still had to occur that were outside their control.

Does this make it any better?

[Rip255]

Before killing the Aussies, take a couple of factors into account.

The FIBA system encouraged them to lose.

They got a lot of rest for star players while giving exposure to guys that needed it. Note: 5 games in 6 days (ridiculous)

Other results still had to occur that were outside their control.

Does this make it any better?

[nick5354Participant]

It does look bad but there is another possibility.

As RIP255 stated, 5 matches in 6 days is crazy, so the most logical explanation is they won enough games, and wanted to save their stars for a more meaningful match and got red faced when they actually lost? Seems pretty obvious to me.

Anyway, the system needs to be changed, because you should never have incentive to lose and face an easier opponent.

[nick5354Participant]

It does look bad but there is another possibility.

As RIP255 stated, 5 matches in 6 days is crazy, so the most logical explanation is they won enough games, and wanted to save their stars for a more meaningful match and got red faced when they actually lost? Seems pretty obvious to me.

Anyway, the system needs to be changed, because you should never have incentive to lose and face an easier opponent.

[bobbybParticipant]

 2 words. Sour Grapes .

IF There was tanking, IT was SLOVENIA. They only scored 2 measly points in the 4th quarter. They had the group won.Dragic should worry about winning his own games.  IMO I don’t think Austrailia beating Turkey is an Automatic win. I think Domincan Rep would have been a lot easier. 

Typical Euro Athlete complaining about Seeding. 

They do this in Soccer all the time. Win your games!!

 

 

Resting players isnt tanking. They played 5 games in 6 days!! That is what he should be complaining about.

 

 

 

 

 

[bobbybParticipant]

 2 words. Sour Grapes .

IF There was tanking, IT was SLOVENIA. They only scored 2 measly points in the 4th quarter. They had the group won.Dragic should worry about winning his own games.  IMO I don’t think Austrailia beating Turkey is an Automatic win. I think Domincan Rep would have been a lot easier. 

Typical Euro Athlete complaining about Seeding. 

They do this in Soccer all the time. Win your games!!

 

 

Resting players isnt tanking. They played 5 games in 6 days!! That is what he should be complaining about.

 

 

 

 

 

[tblazer_NZParticipant]

Australia does things like this all the time. Fair play and Australia should not be put in the same sentence. My dad is an Aussie and he would agree with me saying this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpIkBTR2jao

The underarm cricket incident.

[bobbybParticipant]

In American football this goes on ALL the time. I remember when Peyton Manning was on the Colts, they never played him the last game of the season.  Does that mean they are throwing the game??

[bobbybParticipant]

In American football this goes on ALL the time. I remember when Peyton Manning was on the Colts, they never played him the last game of the season.  Does that mean they are throwing the game??

[Rip255]

LOL at the kiwi who posted the under-arm bowling incident.

They’ll never let us forget that. Muahaha

 

[Rip255]

LOL at the kiwi who posted the under-arm bowling incident.

They’ll never let us forget that. Muahaha

 

[bobbybParticipant]

In American football this goes on ALL the time. I remember when Peyton Manning was on the Colts, they never played him the last game of the season.  Does that mean they are throwing the game??

[bobbybParticipant]

In American football this goes on ALL the time. I remember when Peyton Manning was on the Colts, they never played him the last game of the season.  Does that mean they are throwing the game??

[tblazer_NZParticipant]

Australia does things like this all the time. Fair play and Australia should not be put in the same sentence. My dad is an Aussie and he would agree with me saying this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpIkBTR2jao

The underarm cricket incident.

[omphalosParticipant]

 Am I missing something or would Slovenia have finished second regardless of whether we won or lost? Didn’t they have a tiebreaker over us?

Also, Dragic is being a hypocrit complaining that another team finished below him isn’t he?

If Slovenia had handled its business against Lithuania it would be 1st, so really, just deal with it dude.

And thats before you get to the part where resting starters before the knockout range is a no-brainer if the game is meaningless.

Aussies copping way too much heat for something a LOT of teams do.

[omphalosParticipant]

 Am I missing something or would Slovenia have finished second regardless of whether we won or lost? Didn’t they have a tiebreaker over us?

Also, Dragic is being a hypocrit complaining that another team finished below him isn’t he?

If Slovenia had handled its business against Lithuania it would be 1st, so really, just deal with it dude.

And thats before you get to the part where resting starters before the knockout range is a no-brainer if the game is meaningless.

Aussies copping way too much heat for something a LOT of teams do.

[ChoppyParticipant]

 We just sat through the 76ers season of abject futility (aka Tanking 101) and we’re getting heat for playing our bench against Angola? 

Every year we see this in the NBA. Teams rest players down the stretch to get better draft position or to avoid unfavourable match ups in the playoffs. 

The difference is, Australia didn’t play trying to lose, we just did things that put us in a difficult position to win. That is the fine line between cheating and tanking. Tanking is just high level gamesmanship and we see it in the NBA all the time. Is it right? Is it ethical? Probably not, but it’s in the rules and it is encouraged by the seedings so until things change we will see more of it.

Just ask Philly.

[ChoppyParticipant]

 We just sat through the 76ers season of abject futility (aka Tanking 101) and we’re getting heat for playing our bench against Angola? 

Every year we see this in the NBA. Teams rest players down the stretch to get better draft position or to avoid unfavourable match ups in the playoffs. 

The difference is, Australia didn’t play trying to lose, we just did things that put us in a difficult position to win. That is the fine line between cheating and tanking. Tanking is just high level gamesmanship and we see it in the NBA all the time. Is it right? Is it ethical? Probably not, but it’s in the rules and it is encouraged by the seedings so until things change we will see more of it.

Just ask Philly.

[ThenilonatorParticipant]

 I’ve watched every Aussie game and as a fan I am completely comfortable that they lost this game on purpose! It’s a ridiculous system that encourages tanking. The kiwi banging on about under arm….. 2 words for you pal…. Lou Vincent!

[ThenilonatorParticipant]

 I’ve watched every Aussie game and as a fan I am completely comfortable that they lost this game on purpose! It’s a ridiculous system that encourages tanking. The kiwi banging on about under arm….. 2 words for you pal…. Lou Vincent!

[stepback3Participant]

Lou Vincent is a disgraceful cheat who matched fixed for money while playing for domestic teams in India and England.

The COMMISSIONER OF THE LEAGUE was caught for MATCH FIXING.

It was for PERSONAL GAIN. Nothing to do with NZ

The underarm incident was the captain of the National team not wanting to lose ( there was only about 0.1 percent chance of losing). THEY NEVER CHEATED BUT IT WAS VERY UNSPORTSMANS LIKE.

[stepback3Participant]

Lou Vincent is a disgraceful cheat who matched fixed for money while playing for domestic teams in India and England.

The COMMISSIONER OF THE LEAGUE was caught for MATCH FIXING.

It was for PERSONAL GAIN. Nothing to do with NZ

The underarm incident was the captain of the National team not wanting to lose ( there was only about 0.1 percent chance of losing). THEY NEVER CHEATED BUT IT WAS VERY UNSPORTSMANS LIKE.

[ThenilonatorParticipant]

 Yeah and you’ve never beaten us since…. Grow a backbone and get over it

[ThenilonatorParticipant]

 Yeah and you’ve never beaten us since…. Grow a backbone and get over it

[Author]

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