Oh-lympics: Basketball

Highlights of the exhibition match between Argentina and Team USA.

Teamwork Argentina Style!

Argentina has just made it to the semifinal round of the FIBA Americas tournament. They are led by their NBA contingent namely Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni, Carlos Delfino and Fabricio Oberto.

In this clip, you can see the kind of unselfish basketball the Argentinians espouse. Look closely starting at 0:38 mark.

MONSTER BLOCK ON THE WAY!

This is why I'm an Andres Nocioni fan.

WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL IS A LIGER?

Too bad Andres Nocioni didn't pick that animal.

NBA OPENING DAY!

Tomorrow we start another season of the NBA. Here are three key things you can expect to see tomorrow.

1) WHO IS REALLY THE BEAST IN THE EAST? Cleveland goes to Boston in a bid to kick start their championship campaign. The Cavs need to go back to the Finals to have any hopes of keeping LBJ. If they don't, expect the King to start listing down which players he wants to play with in NJ. For Boston, it's all about hunger. Many have said age and the satisfaction of finally winning a ring have dulled the edge of the Celtics' desire. Now, their mission is to prove they can do it again.

2) WHO IS THE BIG MAN OF THE FUTURE? Dwight Howard and Chris bosh reign supreme today. In 3 or four more years, either Greg Oden or Andrew Bynum will be the Hulk of the NBA. That road starts tomorrow, as post surgery Bynum takes on post surgery Oden. Oh yeah, they might also break their brittle knees (again!) in the next two  or three years which would make LaMarcus Aldrige and Marc Gasol the big men of the future.

3) BULLISH OR BUCK-ISH? Maybe we should call the game the Bulls versus Skiles. Bucks coach Scott Skiles brought the Bulls back to playoff respectability after years of futility. He also drafted, recruited and traded for 90% of the current Bulls lineup. But last year's team imploded, set off by the selfishness of key players (yes, I'm talking about Deng, Gordon and Ben Wallace). Now, Skiles is back, trying to resurrect a Bucks team that has offensive firepower but has more holes that a cheese grater. The Bulls players are trying to prove that last year was Skiles' fault and not theirs. Motivation on both sides to one up the other is at an all time high.

PROPS TO: Andres Nocioni. Goes up to Skiles and assistant coach Jim Boylan and gives them a hug. Plasters Richard Jefferson for knocking super rookie Derrick Rose out of the game.

BOOS TO: Deng, Gordon. Deng and Gordon are out with toe injuries. Toe injuries, fer Gawd's sake! Gordon's toe injury has kept him sidelined for more than 2 weeks now. Cut it off, Ben, and start shooting. That way, we can trade you by January.

ARGENTINA HEATS UP!

After losing their first game against a supremely confident and sharpshooting Lithuanian side, the Argentinians seem to have found their rhythm, shellacking Australia and Croatia in convincing fashion.

In both wins (and even in the earlier loss), NBA superstar Manu Ginobili and NBA stalwarts Andres Nocioni, Luis Scola, Carlos Delfino and Fabricio Oberto have proven to be the difference between a middle-of-the-pack Olympic club and a legitimate gold medal threat.

Against the previously undefeated Croatia, Nocioni led Argentina with 18pts on 50% shooting (with 2 3pointers thrown in for good measure) and the others followed up with double digit scoring games.

Their remaining games are against Russia and Iran, two extremely winnable games, despite the fact that Andrei Kirilenko and JR Holden are in great shape for this Olympic Games.

If they keep second place, it just might be enough to keep them from meeting the USA Team until the semifinal round. 

SO YOU WANNA TAKE MY SUPERSTAR?

When you go after someone else's star player, you always say it's just business, nothing personal.

I'm guessing the Warriors won't be so believable saying this after they offered 90Million over 5 years to the Clippers' star forward (for now, anyway) Elton Brand.

This happened a little less than a day after the Clippers lured away the Warriors' (formerly, anyway) star point guard Baron Davis with an offer of 65Million dollars over 5 years. This puts the Clippers in a pickle as they can only offer Brand around 75Million over 5 years.

Of course, part of the Clippers' appeal to Davis was the fact that the LA star could play at home with 2 dominant big men, Brand and Magette plus a workman-like center in Kaman and a somewhat big guard in orehabbing Shaun Livingston.

Now, Brand has the option to play with high powered guards in Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson(instead of the oft injured Livingston), a legit inside-outside threat in Al Harrington and a Kaman-like white center in Andris Biedrins.

Makes more sense for Brand to go to the Warriors, without even talking about the extra 15million he'll be earning to change into the Warriors colors.

What do I think he will do? The last time an NBA player showed loyalty was when Andres Nocioni spurned the Grizzlies fatter contract offer to remain with the Bulls. A month later, the Bulls tried to trade him to the Grizzlies for Pau Gasol.

So I say Brand jumps ship. Aside from the manic Nocioni, there really isn't anyone else in today's NBA who can claim complete loyalty to the teams.