Rafa Martinez 19
¡Triples, triples, triples! Checking out the ACB’s new three-point line
With the ACB converting its courts to that with the new FIBA standard three-pointer and key, most fans will be closely watching the effects on the Spanish league’s many sharpshooters. And while one week’s worth of games is an awfully small sample size, the early numbers show that lovers of barnburners have nothing to worry […]
Official BallinEurope Euroleague Power Rankings: The preseason
Since BallinEurope’s Official Power Rankings were so, um, popular during the FIBA World Championships, today we’re kicking off the same schtick for the upcoming Euroleague campaign. The rules, again: These rankings are basically purely subjective (at this point; once the games are played, actual wins and losses will be figured in) but are based loosely […]
Team USA still favored in 2010 FIBA World Championship, but should they be?
Just a quick note (and link) for fans of the 2010 FIBA World Championship: Be sure to check out the excellent and extensive thoughts on Team USA by M. Haubs over at ESPN TrueHoop Network blog The Painted Area. In “Spain, Not Team USA, Should Be Considered Favorites To Win 2010 FIBA Worlds,” Haubs makes […]
Three games remain; records will fall in Spain
With three games left to play in what has been another truly great ACB season, some folks are thumbing through the league record books to see which bits of 2009-10 might be immortalized in statistics when it’s over. Over at the league’s official website, Daniel Barranquero takes a long look – no, a loooooooooooong look […]
Sound bites in advance of Copa del Rey tournament
The party’s already starting in Bilbao to be sure … after all, the Copa del Rey basketball tournament isn’t just a sporting event; heck, it’s not even just another national cup competition. Instead, the “King’s Cup” consumes much of the national population’s attention as determines the class of Europe’s top hoops superpower is confirmed. Concerts […]
Rafa Martinez sinks three, Barcelona, 25-game win streak
On Saturday night, powerhouse FC Barcelona suffered just its second defeat of 2009-10 with an away loss to Valencia, 60-59, breaking a 25-game winning streak. Rafa Martinez contributed 16 points, including the game-winning fallaway three-pointer (video below the break). Though at least one source claims the loss “proves that Barcelona is beatable,” fans may not […]
The Spanish league explained: Part one
The quality of a national league here in Europe is not given by the value of top teams – every league has a number of top teams – but is more appropriately determined by how good the medium-to-low range clubs are. Spain’s are good like no others are: This is why ACB is today the […]