2019FIBA世界盃前瞻，預賽E組 by FIBA - 籃球

Group E: USA still the team to beat, looking for a three-peat
E組：美國隊仍是首要目標，瞄準三連霸


27/08/2019 PREVIEW 4 MIN TO READ

SHANGHAI (China) - Only one group can feature the defending champions and
this is it. In fact, the United States are the two-time defending
title-holders and on the hunt for an unprecedented third straight FIBA
Basketball World Cup trophy.

僅有一組能以衛冕冠軍為特色，那就是E組，事實上美國隊是兩屆的衛冕冠軍，並且準備
追尋史無前例的世界盃三連冠。


The team that takes the court when its campaign begins will be young with an
average age of 25.6 years old, and it will be relatively raw on the
international stage with only two players having previous World Cup or
Olympic experience. But until someone unseats them, the Americans still have
to be respected as favorites.

他們將以平均年齡25.6歲的年輕陣容出戰，在國際賽場上相對生澀，且只有兩名球員有過
世界盃或奧運經驗。但除非有人讓他們落馬，否則美國隊仍須受到尊重。


The competitiveness of the group is enhanced by Turkey, the country that fell
to the USA in the Final of the 2010 World Cup. Turkey also gave the USA one
of their harder games in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 the Group Phase
and eventually reached the Quarter-Finals.

土耳其加強了這個小組的競爭力，他們在2010世界盃與美國在決賽中對戰。土耳其在2014
的世界盃小組賽一場較為艱難的比賽，而最終以八強作收。


This will be the first World Cup for the Czech Republic, although
Czechoslovakia participated in four editions from 1970 to 1982. It will be
the first for Japan since 2006 and fourth overall (1963, 1967, 1998). As for
the Akatsuki Five, they will be looking to build some momentum for the
Olympics the country will host next year in Tokyo.

這是捷克共和國第一次參與世界盃，雖然捷克斯拉夫曾參加了從1970到1982年間的四屆。
而這是日本的第四度參賽(1963、1967、1998)。對日本隊來說，他們期待為明年度主辦的
東京奧運建立一些能量。



Team to beat: USA
目標球隊：美國

In three letters, the USA.
三個字，美國隊。


Though dominant over the years in the Olympics, the USA have won only 5 of
the 17 World Cups they have competed in. One reason for that might be that
more games in a longer tournament requires greater focus and determination.

雖然多年來在奧運稱霸，美國隊在他們參與的17屆世界盃只拿下5冠。原因之一可能是
較多的比賽與較長時間的賽期需要更多的專注與決心。


This team, led by NBA All Stars Kemba Walker and Khris Middleton, will be
similar to the 2010 squad that also featured only two current All Stars in
Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant yet had a future two-time MVP in Stephen Curry
and a budding star in Russell Westbrook. In his two NBA seasons, current team
member Donovan Mitchell has that same kind of promise, averaging 23.8 points
per game in the NBA last year.

由NBA全明星Kemba Walker和Khris Middleton領軍的這支美國隊，和2010年相似，當時也
只有兩位NBA全明星Derrick Rose及Kevin Durant，以及尚未獲得兩次MVP的Stephen Curry
和嶄露頭角的新星Russell Westbrook。同樣經歷兩季NBA的現役成員Donovan Mitchell也
獲得同樣的期待，上賽季他場均能拿下23.8分。


The 2010 team also featured impact players Eric Gordon, Rudy Gay, and Andre
Iguodala. Will Jayson Tatum, Myles Turner, Marcus Smart, or Jaylen Brown be
breakout stars from this team?

2010年具影響力的成員還有Eric Gordon、Rudy Gay和Andre Iguodala。Jayson Tatum、
Myles Turner、Marcus Smart或是Jaylen Brown會成為今年的爆發新星嗎？


The senior team experience will come from Mason Plumlee who has the 2014
World Cup trophy on his resume, and Harrison Barnes, who owns a gold medal
from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

有過成人國家隊經驗的有2014年世界盃奪冠陣容的Mason Plumlee，及2016里約奧運金牌
成員的Harrison Barnes。


Though they are indeed the two-time defending champions, it is the beginning
of a new era for the Americans as they will be led into battle by a new head
coach in a major tournament for the first time since Mike Krzyzewski took the
helm at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2006. (Krzyzewski had previously
coached the 1990 U.S. World Cup team.)

雖然他們是兩屆的衛冕軍，但對美國隊來說這是一個新的世代，因為自Mike Krzyzewski
2006年掌舵世界盃後，將是首次由一位新任總教練來領軍參與主要大賽(Mike Krzyzewski
更早曾執教1990世界盃美國隊)。


A man that many consider to be the best coach in the NBA, Gregg Popovich, is
now responsible for keeping the Americans on top.

被許多人認為是NBA最佳教練的Gregg Popovich，現在將負責把美國隊維持在頂尖。



FIBA World Ranking, presented by NIKE
WORLD RANK COUNTRY ZONE RANK IOC CURRENT POINTS
1. USA 1. USA 793.7
17. Turkey 11. TUR 444.1
24. Czech Republic 15. CZE 368.0
48. Japan 7. JPN 230.6



Key matchup: USA v Turkey
關鍵賽事：美國 對 土耳其

The USA-Turkey game on September 3 will be a rematch of the 2010 World Cup
final, an 81-64 American win, as well as a 2014 First Round matchup that the
USA won, 98-77.

在9/3進行的美國-土耳其之戰將重現2010年世界盃決賽戲碼，當時由美國隊以81比64獲勝
，而在2014年第一輪的這個對戰組合，美國隊以98比77獲勝。


This could determine which team tops the group. Turkey opens with Japan,
which could be a trap game. Japan served notice of this with an 86-83
exhibition win over Germany last weekend, although they also endured a
last-second defeat to Tunisia at home. The Americans will be battle-tested
after splitting a pair of games with Australia Down Under.

這場比賽可能決定小組龍頭。土耳其首戰面對日本可能是一場陷阱。日本隊在上週以86比
83取勝德國引起注意，雖然他們也在主場最後一刻被突尼西亞擊敗。美國隊將在與澳洲的
兩場比賽後接受考驗。


Perhaps the key matchup No. 2 will be on September 5 when Turkey and the
Czech Republic square off, especially if they go into that game with 1-1
records. It could be a game to determine second place in the group.

也許第二場關鍵賽事是9/5土耳其對上捷克，尤其他們帶著一勝一敗來面對這場比賽的話。
可能是一場決定小組第二的比賽。



Star of the group: Kemba Walker
本組球星：Kemba Walker

Simply put, Kemba Walker is a winner. In the NBA he blossomed into one of the
league's top players with the Charlotte Hornets, earning three selections to
the Eastern Conference All Star team and this past season, he was All-NBA
Third Team. Walker has joined the Boston Celtics for the upcoming season. In
2011, he lifted all those around him to lead UConn to the NCAA title and he
was named the Final Four MVP.

簡言之，Kemba Walker是個溫拿。他在夏洛特黃蜂蛻變成為NBA頂級球員之一，拿下三次
東區全明星票選，而過去這個球季，獲選為聯盟第三隊。Walker將在下季加入波士頓賽爾
蒂克。2011年，他擊敗了所有對手，帶領康乃狄克大學拿下NCAA冠軍並獲選Final Four
MVP。


In his only previous FIBA competition, Walker led the USA to the silver medal
in the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2008 against hosts Argentina. Despite
finishing second, Walker was still recognized as the tournament MVP.

在他之前僅一次的FIBA賽事，Walker在2008的U18美青帶領美國隊抗地主阿根廷拿下銀牌。
除了拿下第二外，Walker還獲選為MVP。



Top prospect: Rui Hachimura
最佳新秀：八村壘

Japan's Rui Hachimura will play his first World Cup before he plays his first
NBA game. A consensus All-American at Gonzaga last year, the 6ft 8in (2.03 m)
Hachimura was the ninth pick in the NBA draft by the Washington Wizards.

日本隊的八村壘將在他的第一場NBA賽事前先參與第一次的世界盃。上季在Gonzaga獲得
全美第一隊，6呎8吋(2.03公尺)的八村在NBA選秀第九順位被華盛頓巫師挑中。


Hachimura averaged a double-double in his three FIBA junior events. He
finished third with Japan at the FIBA Asia U16 Championship in 2013, leading
the team with 22.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. At the FIBA U17
Basketball World Cup 2014 in Dubai, he averaged 22.6 points and 6.6 rebounds
per game. He was equally impressive at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017
where he tallied 20.6 points and 11 rebounds per game.

八村壘在三次的FIBA青年級賽事中平均是雙十的表現。日本隊2013年U16亞青拿下季軍，他
以場均22.8分及12.6個籃板的表現皆是全隊最佳。2014的杜拜U17世青賽，則拿下場均22.6
分及6.6個籃板。而同樣令人印象深刻的，他在2017年U19世青賽場均是20.6分及11籃板。



Familiar face: Ersan Ilyasova
熟悉的面孔：Ersan Ilyasova


It will be the third World Cup for the erstwhile Ersan Ilyasova, 32, who
suited up for the 12 Giant Men in 2006 and 2010. An ankle injury during the
2014 NBA season kept him off the World Cup squad that year.

這將是32歲的Ersan Ilyasova第三屆的世界盃，過去2006及2010年的同樣在12人名單中。
2014年在NBA季中腳踝的傷勢，讓他退出上屆世界盃的陣容。


At the 2010 World Cup, the 6ft9in (2.05m) Ilyasova was instrumental in
leading Turkey to the championship game in front of an adoring home crowd,
averaging 13.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

在2010年世界盃，6呎9吋(2.05公尺)的Ilyasova帶領土耳其在滿場地主球迷面前進行冠軍
戰起了關鍵作用，場均有13.5分及7.6個籃板。


"We lost in the Final in 2010 but it still remains as one of the best
memories I've had in my career," Ilyasova told FIBA. "It's the best team in
the world and I've been living in the country (United States) for so long
now, so it’s always special to play against the Americans."

"我們雖然輸掉2010年的決賽，但仍是我生涯中最美好的回憶之一。"Ilyasova這樣告訴
FIBA。"那是世上最好的球隊，而且我長時間住在美國，每次對戰美國隊都很特別。"


Also in his third World Cup is 6ft 11in (2.10m) center Semih Erden, 33, who
also missed 2014 after playing the two previous tournaments. And, like
Ilyasova, he was also an integral piece of the second-place run, averaging
9.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

6呎11吋(2.10公尺)的Semih Erden也是第三屆的世界盃，33歲他同樣在參與前兩屆後錯過
了2014年的比賽。和Ilyasova一樣，他也是土耳其拿下第二的重要份子，場均有9.1分及
4.6個籃板。



FIBA https://tinyurl.com/FIBAWC-E

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