The New York Knicks are ready for the season to start, or at least, the Impact “lockout league”, where a handful of Knicks will be playing on the “A Team”:
Seventy NBA players will participate in the “Impact Basketball Competitive Training Series” because of the lockout. The Knicks team will feature Chauncey Billups, rookie Iman Shumpert, Shawne Williams, Roger Mason, rookie center Josh Harrellson and Jared Jeffries.
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In Europe, France was missing their stars in Joakim Noah and Tony Parker, making their European championship game against a Pau Gasol-powered Spain a losing effort. However, the move by Noah and Parker was strategic, as both teams have already advanced.
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Dirk Nowitski’s Germany team had less luck, as Dirk’s poor 4-for-17 shooting effort led to his team being bounced from the European Championship. The loss has even worse ramifications for Germany:
Germany not only missed a spot in the quarterfinals but also a chance to qualify for the London Olympics. Germany needed to win by 11 points to advance but didn’t come close. “It’s my fault,” said Nowitzki, who finished with 16 points.
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Finally, speaking of the Olympics, Argentina defeated Brazil behind Luis Scola’s 32 points in the Olympic qualifying championship for the Americas.