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European championship has distinct NBA flavor
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-16 09:29 BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro
(AP) -- The NBA will be well represented at the European Basketball
Championship, led by the host nation with five players.
More than 20 NBA players will be part of the 16-nation, 10-day tournament
that opens Friday in four cities.
Serbia-Montenegro is loaded with talent
even though its best player, Sacramento Kings All-Star Peja Stojakovic, decided
not to play. Coach Zeljko Obradovic even cut Sasa Pavlovic of the Cleveland
Cavaliers.
Still, the reigning world champion boasts Marko Jaric of the Minnesota
Timberwolves, Nenad Krstic of the New Jersey Nets, Zeljko Rebraca of the Los
Angeles Clippers, Vladimir Radmanovic of the Seattle SuperSonics and Darko
Milicic of the Detroit Pistons.
The hosts, who finished 11th at the Athens Olympics, have a tough opening
game against Spain in Novi Sad. Spain has won its last five games against the
Serbs, but will be without Pau Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies.
"Everyone says it's bad news to play them first and it probably is," said
Spain's big man, Jorge Garbajosa. "But if we are ambitious -- and we are -- we
have to get over it and think that the next time we play them it will be in the
final."
Serbia-Montenegro and Spain appear the favorites in Group D, which includes
Latvia and Israel, a late qualifier.
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