Is Kobe ready? Olympic basketball schedule is set

4:33 PM, July 20, 2008

Last last month, USA Men's Basketball guard Kobe Bryant (10) and guard Jason Kidd (5) attended their first training session. This week, the team begins more intensive training before playing Canada on Friday. Now that the FIBA Olympic qualifying for men is over, we know the 12 teams and the schedule of play at the Beijing Games.

Germany, winner of tonight's final of the FIBA tournament, won the final Olympic berth. Croatia and Greece, winners of Saturday's semifinals, also qualified.

Here is the draw, followed by the complete event schedule for the basketball portion of the Olympics, released by FIBA. Games will be played Aug. 10-24 at China's new 18,000-seat Wukesong Indoor Stadium. China is 15 hours ahead of the West Coast. Start times noted below are for the Pacific time zone.

Groups

Group A: Argentina, Australia, Croatia, Iran, Lithuania and Russia.
Group B: Angola, China, Germany, Greece, Spain and U.S.

Preliminary round

Aug. 10

Game 7 (6 p.m., Aug. 9): Russia vs. Iran
Game 8 (8:15 p.m., Aug. 9): Germany vs. Angola
Game 9 (11:30 p.m., Aug. 9): Spain vs. Greece
Game 10 (1:45 a.m.): Lithuania vs. Argentina
Game 11 (5 a.m.): Australia vs. Croatia
Game 12 (7:15 a.m.): U.S. vs. China

Aug. 12

Game 19 (6 p.m., Aug. 11): Iran vs. Lithuania
Game 20 (8:15 p.m., Aug. 11): Croatia vs. Russia
Game 21 (11:30 p.m., Aug. 11): Greece vs. Germany
Game 22 (1:45 a.m.): China vs. Spain
Game 23 (5 a.m.): Angola vs. U.S.
Game 24 (7:15 a.m.): Argentina vs. Australia

Aug. 14

Game 31 (6 p.m., Aug. 13): Germany vs. Spain
Game 32 (8:15 p.m., Aug. 13): Australia vs. Iran
Game 33 (11:30 p.m., Aug. 13): Angola vs. China
Game 34 (1:45 a.m.): Lithuania vs. Russia
Game 35 (5 a.m.): U.S. vs. Greece
Game 36 (7:15 a.m.): Argentina vs. Croatia

Aug. 16

Game 43 (6 p.m., Aug. 15): Greece vs. Angola
Game 44 (8:15 p.m., Aug. 15): Russia vs. Australia
Game 45 (11:30 p.m., Aug. 15): Croatia vs. Lithuania
Game 46 (1:45 a.m.): Iran vs. Argentina
Game 47 (5 a.m.): China vs. Germany
Game 48 (7:15 a.m.): Spain vs. U.S.

Aug. 18

Game 55 (6 p.m., Aug. 17): Iran vs. Croatia
Game 56 (8:15 p.m., Aug. 17): Australia vs. Lithuania
Game 57 (11:30 p.m., Aug. 17): Greece vs. China
Game 58 (1:45 a.m.): Angola vs. Spain
Game 59 (5 a.m.): U.S. vs. Germany
Game 60 (7:15 a.m.): Argentina vs. Russia

Quarterfinals
The information below shows only who will be playing whom in accordance with the final standings for Groups A and B after the preliminary round.

Aug. 20

Game 65: B2 vs. A3
Game 66: A1 vs. B4
Game 67: A2 vs. B3
Game 68: B1 vs. A4

The exact game number and time for the four quarterfinal games will be known by the latest on the evening of Aug. 18. In the Pacific time zone, the quarterfinals will be played at: 11:30 p.m. Aug. 19, 1:45 a.m., 5 a.m. and 7:15 a.m.

Semifinals

Aug. 22

Game 71: Winner of Game 65 vs. Winner Game 66
Game 72: Winner of Game 67 vs. Winner of Game 68

The exact game number and time for the two semifinals will be known at the latest by the evening of Aug. 20. The semifinals will be played at 5 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. -- in the Pacific time zone. In Beijing, tipoff will be at 8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m.

Finals

Aug. 24

Game 75 (9 p.m., Aug. 23): Loser of Game 71 vs. Loser of Game 72 (3 - 4)
Game 76 (11:30 p.m., Aug. 23): Winner of Game 71 vs. Winner of 72 (1 - 2)

-- Debbie Goffa

Photo: U.S. men's basketball guard Kobe Bryant (10) and guard Jason Kidd (5) attend their first training session June 28. This week, the team begins more intensive training before playing Canada on Friday. Credit: Marlene Karas / US Presswire