Olympics: Argentina coach demands more of NBA stars

[urunobili]

http://sports.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20080805-152817/Olympics-Argentina-coach-demands-more-of-NBA-stars

BEIJING -- Defending champions Argentina are looking to their quartet of NBA stars to help inspire a second successive Olympics basketball gold.

Manu Ginobili, of the San Antonio Spurs, Luis Scola, a teammate of China's Yao Ming at the Houston Rockets, and Chicago Bulls' Andres Nocioni all star in the American league but the Spurs' Fabricio Oberto could be key.

Oberto, 33, who made an impact at the Athens Games on offense, is now an uncompromising defensive and rebound force with the Spurs.

"I need to play with the team. They are all expecting that I get back to my old role and they are helping me by passing me the ball," said Oberto who has shrugged off a leg injury which sidelined him for 10 days.

"Manu, Luis and 'Chapu' [Nocioni] will be our three key offensive players. Carlos Delfino and me as well as some others will have to help them score during some part of the matches."

Argentina will open their Group A campaign against Lithuania on August 10.

"They want to beat us and we are the defending champions. That motivates them but we will be ready," said Oberto.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Okay and where does the Argentine coach say anything? :lol

[Trainwreck2100]

Too bad they don't have a PG

[phyzik]

Oberto, 33, ...............is now an uncompromising defensive and rebound force with the Spurs. I couldnt stop myself from laughing at this.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

:lol

[Indazone]

Spain is still the favorite to upset Team USA. should be interesting.

F/C (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward-center) 4 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Gasol, Pau (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pau_Gasol) 84 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Los Angeles Lakers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Lakers)

G/F (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swingman) 5 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Fernández, Rudy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Fern%C3%A1ndez_%28basketball%29) 78 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Portland Trail Blazers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Trail_Blazers)*

PG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_guard) 6 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) López, Raúl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C3%BAl_L%C3%B3pez) 72 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Real Madrid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Madrid_Baloncesto)*

G (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard_%28basketball%29) 7 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Navarro, Juan Carlos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Carlos_Navarro_%28basketball%29) 76 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 175 lb (79 kg) FC Barcelona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Barcelona_Basquet)*

PG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_guard) 8 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Calderón, José (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Calder%C3%B3n_%28basketball%29) 75 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Toronto Raptors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Raptors)*

F/C (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward-center) 9 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Reyes, Felipe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felipe_Reyes) 81 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Real Madrid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Madrid_Baloncesto)*

SF (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_forward) 10 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Jiménez, Carlos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Jim%C3%A9nez) 81 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Unicaja Málaga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CB_M%C3%A1laga)*

PG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_guard) 11 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Rubio, Ricky (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Rubio) 76 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Joventut Badalona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joventut_Badalona)*

SG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_guard) 12 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Rodríguez, Berni (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berni_Rodr%C3%ADguez) 77 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Unicaja Málaga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CB_M%C3%A1laga)*

C (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_%28basketball%29) 13 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Gasol, Marc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Gasol) 85 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 280 lb (127 kg) Memphis Grizzlies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Grizzlies)*

SF (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_forward) 14 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Mumbrú, Álex (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81lex_Mumbr%C3%BA) 79 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Real Madrid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Madrid_Baloncesto)*

PF (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_forward_%28basketball%29) 15 Spain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_Spain.svg) Garbajosa, Jorge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Garbajosa) 81 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Khimki BC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khimki_BC)*

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

That Ricky Rubio is one crazy motherfucker. He's the next Iverson.

[urunobili]

if you have seen Argentina's last two Game's Oberto is now getting his mindset back to his "3rd scorer on the team" thing... these are his third Olympics.. and before Manu and Nocioni and Scola he was the main man... if Argentina is to advance to Semi's Oberto needs to average 7ppts + for them to make it without wearing out any of the other stars....