Olympic Basketball

The Olympic basketball was one of the major attractions that had the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The best teams in the world had their biggest stars playing in the NBA, so the level of the tournament was very high and were spectacular matches throughout the competition.

12 teams were involved in the Olympic basketball in his 2008 edition, which were divided into 2 series: - Series A: Argentina, Iran, Lithuania, Russia, Australia and Croatia. - Series B: United States, China, Angola, Spain, Greece and Germany.


The mode of competition was disputed by all-out fighting in each group, where the best located 4 of each series went to the quarterfinals.

Following the first phase, following the clashes took place in the quarter-finals:

- Spain vs Croatia
- China vs Lithuania
- Greece vs Argentina
- United States vs Australia

The 4 teams that followed in the race for medals were Spain's Olympic basketball, Lithuania, USA and Argentina, later moving to the final teams Spain and the U.S. dream team.

In the match for the bronze medal was a victory for those who had been champion in Athens 2004 Olympic basketball, the selection of Argentina, which defeated Lithuania in figures 87 to 75.

The Argentine team was unable to repeat the golden medal from the last edition but got the bronze beyond not being able to count on this match with his star Manu Ginobili, a triumph that was highly acclaimed throughout the campus Albiceleste.

Basketball Goals -What are Your Options?

Basketball Goals

Basketball is one of the most versatile, popular sports in America. It can be played by toddlers and senior citizens alike. Basketball gives you the option of one on one play, a game of HORSE, shooting hoops on your own, or a full on game. With so many options, learning the basic skills of basketball can give you the ability to participate in a fun activity for life.

When it comes to basketball goals, they may all look the same to the untrained eye. Just a rim and a net right? Wrong. There are different types of basketball goals depending on what type of play you are interested in and what level of play your basketball goal will be used for. The three most popular types of goal are fixed, flex, and competition breakaway goals.

A fixed goal does just what its name implies. It stays fixed. A fixed goal does not give when pulled or hit against and it is sure to last. This type of goal is for those who won't be attempting many slam dunks since it does not flex when it is pulled on or hit against. A fixed goal is durable and strong. It will last through many seasons of play. It is ideal for play that won't be aggressive.

A fixed goal is perfect for those who love practicing their shots through repetition. Whether you are practicing free throws, three pointers, jump shots or even the crazy backwards over your head shot, a fixed goal will give you the reliability you need. The durability of the goal and fixed mounting are great features to have in a basketball goal.

A flex goal is what is used in college and professional basketball. If you will be playing competitive games with aggressive, intense play, a flex goal is a good choice. Flex goals are durable, yet they flex slightly when pressure is applied. Most flex goals hold pressure up to 200 pounds. Your team can slam dunk as many times as they want with a long lasting flex goal.

A flex goal is important for competition play because it can reduce injury. It can reduce the amount of impact injuries when the playing gets intense, since it is build to flex when hit against. The flex goal is ideal of those who want to practice but also play some competitive games. This gives you a great goal for both practice and competition.

A competition style breakaway goal is the ultimate goal. This goal can handle a huge amount of pressure; up to 230 pounds. They are made to breakaway if needed and many can breakaway from any angle. This type of goal is build for the most aggressive team play. If you want to do more than practice or play some neighborhood pick-up games a competition style breakaway goal may be just for you.

As you can see, not all goals are the same. Choosing the right goal for the type of play and player is important. Choose the goal that is right for you today and start a great game of basketball today.

Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers
Conference	Western Conference
Division	Pacific Division
Founded	1946 in the NBL (Joined NBA in 1948)
History	Detroit Gems 1946-1947 Minneapolis Lakers 1947-1960 Los Angeles Lakers 1960-present
Arena	Staples Center
City	Los Angeles, California
Team colors	Purple, Gold and White
Owner(s)	Jerry Buss
General manager	Mitch Kupchak
Head coach	Phil Jackson
D-League affiliate	Los Angeles D-Fenders
Championships	NBL: 1 (1948) BAA/NBA: 14 (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002)
Conference titles	29 (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008)
Division titles	NBL: 1 (1948) NBA: 29 (1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008)
Retired numbers	7 (13, 22, 25, 32, 33, 42, 44, MIC)
Official website	lakers.com

The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA) team based in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center, which they share with their fellow NBA rival, the Los Angeles Clippers, and their sister team, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.

The Lakers' franchise was founded in 1946 in Detroit, Michigan before moving to Minneapolis, where the team got its official title from the state's nickname, "Land of 10,000 Lakes."^[2] The Lakers won five championships before relocating to Los Angeles in the 1960–61 NBA season. The Lakers lost all of their eight appearances in the NBA Finals in the 1960s, despite having help from Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. In 1972, the Lakers won their sixth title under coach Bill Sharman. The Lakers' popularity soared in the 1980s when they won five additional championships during a nine-year span with the leadership of Hall of Famers Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and coach Pat Riley, the franchise's all-time leader in both regular season and playoff games coached and wins. Two of those championships during that span were against their arch-rivals, the Boston Celtics. With the help of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson, the Lakers played in five of the nine NBA Finals in the 2000s, winning three of them consecutively from 2000 to 2002 and losing the last two in 2004 and, most recently, the 2008 NBA Finals without O'Neal.

The Lakers hold records for having (at the end of the 2007–08 season) the most wins (2,905), the highest winning percentage (61.5%), the most NBA Finals appearances (29), the fewest non-playoff seasons with five (tied with San Antonio Spurs), and the second-most NBA championships with 14, behind the Boston Celtics' 17. They also hold the record for compiling the longest consecutive win streak (33) in U.S. professional team sports (also an NBA record) in the 1971–72 season. 14 Hall of Famers have played for the Lakers, while four Hall of Famer (John Kundla, Bill Sharman, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson) have coached the team. Four Lakers (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant) have won the NBA Most Valuable Player award.

source from : www.wikipedia.org