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Canada at the Paris 2024 Olympics


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Guess we've found an even bigger disappointment than the Canadian women's basketball team in Paris. And this comes as a capper in a really disappointing Olympic day yesterday for Canada save for Richmond, BC native Camryn Rogers' hammer throw win (more on that later). Debatable in the disappointment considering the overall talent in the basketball competition, Canada's depth of NBA-caliber talent and their lofty medal aspirations and expectations and World Championship success last summer, how undersized Canada is in comparison against France for example, and how it's not really shocking or unforeseen at all. Actually, when I saw who the Canadians were being matched up against, I had a bad feeling about this game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would say later postgame, to famously quote Mike Tyson, that Canada "got punched in the mouth". Well said. SGA was brilliant but the rest of the team was inconsistent, save for RJ Barrett.

What went wrong for the Canadian men against France? Jamal Murray didn't look right and didn't look like himself all tournament long. France had quality size to counter them and more aggressive in the paint and played physical and unrelenting--outclassed, outplayed, and outworked. No urgency or valuing possessions. First Olympic men's basketball berth in 24 years and showing it inopportunely. Intimidating, full-throated, and loud pro-France crowd that their team feed off of. Poor shooting, ball movement, and rebounding. Not enough in serious non-NBA experience but having FIBA rules, Euroleague players who were more aggressive and can be NBA-caliber. No cohesion. You hope this won't end up emulating of that post-Sydney 2000 period for Canadian basketball with this acting as a catalyst for an international downturn--France was involved in Canada's quarterfinal ouster back then en route to a silver after the latter's promising start. Deja vu all over again? Not adjusting and adapting to their opponents even when sacrificing their perceived strengths. Halfcourt offense was shaky. Psychologically crumbled under pressure in its recent past with qualification on the line, resulting in missed opportunities, coming back to haunt them. This all matters when none of the Canadians had Olympic experience--only a handful of them were barely around when Canada last was in Olympic basketball with Sydney 2000, men and women.    

 

Now all of Canada's promising basketball squads, 3x3 included, will leave Paris medal-less, disappointingly falling short of expectations. What's Canada Basketball going to do in response, and how, for the next cycle with Los Angeles on the horizon will matter and determine their fate and legacy. Still it feels like this was their chance with all that improvement. Been said sky's still the limit and the "future is still bright for a well-funded, well-prepared, star-studded, organized, and deep with a solid pipeline of young players coming for Canada Basketball, and yet still; sports can be cruel and unforgiving." Still room for doom and gloom with uncertainty all rearing its ugly head like here while hope still exists:

https://www.tsn.ca/talent/olympics/canada-s-olympic-run-ends-with-heartbreaking-quarterfinals-loss-1.2158947?collectionId=TSN/RELATED/ARTICLES/MORELIKETHIS

https://www.tsn.ca/nba/canada-out-of-men-s-olympic-basketball-tournament-with-loss-to-france-1.2158737?collectionId=TSN/RELATED/ARTICLES/MORELIKETHIS

https://www.sportsnet.ca/olympics/article/nightmare-fans-react-to-canadas-disappointing-olympic-loss-to-france/

https://www.sportsnet.ca/olympics/article/canadas-olympic-dream-remains-just-that-after-excruciating-loss/

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5684900/2024/08/06/canada-basketball-paris-olympics-2024-loss-france/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/esfandiarbaraheni/2024/08/06/five-takeaways-from-canada-basketballs-disappointing-olympic-summer/

https://nationalpost.com/sports/olympics/canada-france-basketball-out-olympics-victor-wembanyama

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/olympics/2024/08/06/canada-basketball-score-vs-france-2024-paris-olympics-shai-gilgeous-alexander/74692143007/

https://lastwordonsports.com/basketball/2024/08/07/nba-champion-struggles-on-international-stage/

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/basketball/olympics-basketball-canada-france-loss-grunwald-1.7286731

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/article-canadas-mens-basketball-team-loses-against-france-in-olympic/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2024/08/04/team-canada-mens-basketball-olympic-expectations/74664316007/

https://olympic.ca/2024/08/06/canada-stunned-by-france-exits-in-quarterfinal-round-of-mens-basketball-tournament/

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On 8/9/2024 at 1:57 PM, krow said:

well i am shocked by today's race. 

I was in a bar in good ole 'Murica during that race. And I was very obviously a Canadian for the last 10 seconds or so of it.

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