Serenaded jubilantly by their countrymen after a 80-75 gold medal victory over Brazil, Argentina’s national basketball team added another chapter in a story I haven’t the skill or depth of words to write.

But Argentina’s fascinating rise to basketball prominence is a story that should be told. One that would be best narrated in their own words, documented and enshrined in Springfield at their Hall of Fame induction speech.

Anything less for one of history’s greatest basketball teams would be unbecoming.

The 2011 FIBA Tournament of the Americas (forum), minus the United States, was as much a tribute to Argentina’s “Golden Generation” as it was an Olympic qualifying tournament. The core of Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola, Carlos Delfino, Andres Nocioni, Fabricio Oberto, and head coach Ruben Magnano—now with Brazil—burst on the international scene at the 2002 World Championships seemingly from nowhere, shocking the United States and finishing with a silver medal.

Sunday night’s championship marked another medal in a decade-long run of excellence, but it also signaled the beginning of its end.

In victory, against a watered down field that featured no United States, a depleted Brazil, and a streaky Puerto Rico team, victory was almost assured. But it hardly came easy. There were times, playing consecutive nights on aging legs, that Argentina looked old.

For the Golden Generation, athleticism was never what carried the day. But with an assortment of ailments, from ankles to hearts, their bodies struggle to handle the fearless grit and heart that once flowed so freely. It now comes in waves, ignited by sparks of brilliance from Manu Ginobili, nailing one step back three-pointer after another to put Puerto Rico Away. Or in Luis Scola’s mastery of fakes and midrange jumpers in a fourth quarter comeback against Brazil.

For one more tournament, at least, it was enough.

But even as a year from now is hardly promised to a team well into its 30’s, watching the Golden Generation celebrate in front of their home crowd hardly seemed like a farewell. The songs were not a goodbye, but a hero’s sendoff for what will be one final run next year at the London Olympics.

Whatever the outcome there, and regardless of where Argentine basketball goes from here, this is a team that deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame as one of the all-time greats—perhaps as the most important international team ever.

The Hall of Fame is not restricted to the NBA, it’s first and foremost a narrative of basketball in all its glory. And if the original 1992 Dream Team (inducted in 2010) gave rise to international basketball, then Argentina’s Golden Generation is their immediate legacy as the most impactful FIBA team since Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird joined forces.

There is the success that can be measured in the record books, medaling in every tournament from their arrival in 2002 until the World Championships in Turkey, highlighted by gold in Athens in 2004. And there are the factors harder to quantify.

It was assumed for some time that the rest of the world would eventually catch up to the United States in basketball. Teams improved exponentially every year since those 1992 Olympics inspired a young generation of foreign athletes. But no one could have pegged soccer rich Argentina as the country to finally break through.

It is inconceivable how a country with such little basketball foundations suddenly gave rise to a group of elite-to-solid players in the same age group that fit so cohesively. It is a formula that even Argentina itself is struggling to reproduce, having little depth outside of its 30-something year old stars. It would be akin to a group of friends, living in a small town without so much as a quality high school basketball team or basketball history, emerging as NBA All-Stars.

Yet there Argentina was in 2002, in a blur of movement and passing out of Magnano’s brilliant flex sets, implemented with individual moments of brilliant creativity from Ginobili and Scola, taking basketball back to its purest form. A team with a basketball IQ approaching that of the Dream Team with enough talent to turn it into something tangible.

And if the original Dream Team brought Argentine’s basketball to prominence, then it was Argentina that helped get the United States back on the right track. The current United States national program, comprised of a steady roster of America’s greatest talents, in a stable offensive and defensive system, can be traced back directly to the Americans’ losses to Argentina.

With a number of other great national teams having emerged around the world, and no depth behind their aging stars, London might not be so kind to Argentina. But for a group of friends that have accomplished so much, Argentina’s Golden Generation will never lose its shine.

Argentina clinched an Olympic spot after beating Puerto Rico in a breathtaking 81-79 match playing at home.

Luis Scola and Emanuel Ginóbili combined for 50 points to lead the 2004 Olympic Champion for another shot at the London Games.

Discuss the Tournament of the Americas in our forum.

Argentina played in great form during the first and third quarters but lost tempo in the other two to make it a 79-79 tie with 1:52 to play. Ginóbili poured in one of two free throws and Pablo Prigioni also added one of two to finally defeat Puerto Rico.

The team will play a new Olympic Game after two consecutive medals, Gold in 2004 and Bronze in 2008.

Scola played all of them.

“This is something great because it will be my third Olympic Game. When I was a young kid and I was growing, I had a dream that was playing at least one but I thought it was impossible. It was crazy because we had never qualified. Now, I’m about to play my third Game, which is something great,” said Scola, who scored all of his first nine shots of the game en route to a game-high 27 points.

In the fourth quarter, Argentina missed five consecutive shots and suffered a turnover in three minutes before Ginóbili’s free throw.

“We’ve accomplished our goal, but, God, we suffered too much to achieve it,” said Manu. “It was one of the games in which I suffered the biggest pressure of all my career, only compared with Game 7 of the 2005 NBA finals. I couldn’t miss because we were playing for that Olympic spot at home, with 9,000 people cheering for us, including my family and friends.”

Manu Ginóbili also expressed his feelings when he saw José Barea shooting to win the game in the last second.

“When the ball was in the air, my heart stopped, I almost die. When I saw the ball bouncing on the basket, I thrilled, I felt a huge backpack falling off my back and I needed to hug my teammates and all the 9,000 fans.”

After the game ended, the Argentine players stayed for almost five minutes celebrating the Olympic spot with the crowd.

However, Scola and Carlos Delfino were already thinking on Sunday’s game.

“We had two goals. We’ve accomplished the first one that was making it to the Olympics, but we have another that is winning the tournament,” said the two players in different moments to FIBA.

The 2002 World runners-up won FIBA Americas in 2001, when the tournament was played in Chile.

José Juan Barea had a team-high 20 points and carried the team against their opponents and the crowd. Daniel Santiago added 16 points while Carlos Arroyo scored 15.

Argentina will play the 2012 London Olympic Games, while Puerto Rico will have a second chance on the Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year.

To read original article, go to FIBA.com.

With Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, and Dwight Howard, the NBA doesn’t lack for superstars in this year’s playoffs, but there’s one player that consistently gets no respect (or not enough) – Manu Ginóbili.

Discuss NBA Playoffs in our basketball forum

The Argentine superstar willed his San Antonio Spurs to a 110-103 overtime win over the Memphis Grizzles with 33 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals.

With the Spurs down three, Manu hit what looked like a game-tying three on a broken play (it was ruled a two).

The Spurs would eventually tie the game on a Gary Neal three, and ultimately pull out the win.

The win allowed the Spurs to extend their season another game against the upstart Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are up 3-2.

Hidden behind a reputation as a flopper, is an extremely talented and unique player with little to no weaknesses and who thrives in end-game scenarios.

Ginobili’s plus/minus was +10 in game five vs. the Grizzlies. Not a surprise as Ginobili ranked sixth in the NBA- behind only James, Chris Bosh, Paul Pierce, Wade, and Garnett – in the plus/minus category with a net +537 during the NBA regular season.

As evidenced by the black sleeve on his strained right elbow, it was clear that Manu Ginobili wasn’t the same – as the Argentine superstar returned to the San Antonio Spurs after missing game one.

(Discuss the 2011 NBA Playoffs in our basketball forum)

“It was uncomfortable,” Ginobili said of the sleeve “But I felt I did OK. I took some risk. I went for some steals and rebounds and it wasn’t that I played worried about getting hit or something.”

And that’s Manu. Taking risks on a somewhat predictable San Antonio team. Ginobili shot just 5-13 and had 5 turnovers, but as in most games, when the 6-6, 33-year old shooting guard is on the floor, the Spurs are at their best.

That was evident last night again, as Ginobili had a game-high +16 in the plus.minus category.  He finished with 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals in leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 93-87 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

“Manu’s Manu, come on,” Grizzlies forward Shane Battier said. “I don’t care if he’s in a body cast, he’s going to be out there and he’s going to be a handful to deal with. That’s why he’s a great player.”

According to a poll done by Sports Illustrated, 152 NBA players named three Argentinians as some of the biggest “floppers” in the NBA.

Manu Ginóbili, Luis Scola and Andres Nocioni, all from Argentina, made the top-ten in this infamous category. Fellow South American, Anderson Varejão of Brazil topped the list at #1 – really no surprise there.  I wonder who would be considered the biggest flopper by the end of his career?  Varejão, Vlade Divac, or Bill Laimbeer (am I missing anyone)?

1. Anderson Varejão
2. Manu Ginóbili
3. Luis Scola
4. Derek Fisher
5. Kevin Martin
6. Shane Battier
7. Jarron Collins
8. Raja Bell
9. Jose Barea
10. Andres Nocioni
11. Reggie Evans
12. Corey Maggette
13. Kobe Bryant
14. Paul Pierce
15. Sasha Vujacic

I doubt anyone is surprised to see Varejão, Derek Fisher, and Ginobili on the list, but it wasn’t just big time floppers and international players that made the list, several American-born players were called out for their floppitude. The flop list included superstar Kobe Bryant (“HEY!”), Corey Maggette, and Paul Pierce.

Check out the video of Manu Ginóbili putting out an April Fools joke on Kevin Garnett in the Spur’s 107-97 loss to the Boston Celtics.

Ginobili shot just 4-13 in the game and ended with just 9 points. The Spurs slide stretched to six straight games. Kevin Garnett finished the game with 20 points and 9 rebounds.

NBA All-Star Manu Ginobili slams down 2 of his 16 points on Carlos Boozer in last night’s loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Behind a career-high 42 points from Derrick Rose, the Bulls sent the Spurs into the all-star break with their 10th loss of the season – still the San Antonio Spurs hold the league’s best record by a few games.

The San Antonio Spur’s Manu Ginobili hit a buzzer-beating step back jumper to deeat the Milwaukee Bucks 92-90 last night.

The win put the Spur’s win streak at six and bolstered their at a league-leading record at 21-3.

(Follow the San Antonio Spurs in our NBA forum)

Against the Buck’s Luc Mbah a Moute, Ginobili drives to his left, takes a step back… he stumbles (or travels, depending on who you ask) and rains a high-arching jumper over the outstretched arms of the defender.

The shot splashes through the net as time runs out. Manu clenches his fists as teammates mob him.

The superstar guard from Argentina continues his amazing year as Tim Duncan has an off-year. Manu ends the night with a game-high 26 points on 9-13 shooting, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

Watch Manu’s game-winner vs Bucks:

Tony Parker had 19 points and nine assists as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Golden State Warriors 111-94 and improved to 18-3, setting a new franchise record for best start to a season.

(Discuss the NBA in our NBA basketball forum)

Parker spearheaded a 16-0 first quarter run that allowed the home side to pull away for a comfortable double-digit lead. The visitors fought back with 10 unanswered points to get within 46-43 with two minutes left in the half, but did not have enough fire power to stay close.

The French star guard made nine of his 14 attempts from the field and was one of six Spurs players in double-figures. Argentina’s Manu Ginobili added 12 and rookie Tiago Splitter of Brazil contributed 12 points and six rebounds off the bench.

The Warriors were dealt a blow as USA guard Stephen Curry had to leave the game in the second quarter with a sprained ankle.

To read the full article, please go to FIBA.com.

If you were to track and compare Manu Ginobili’s career numbers, you would have thought that the 32-year old Argentine star was on a downward trajectory.

(Discuss Manu in our Argentinian Basketball Forum)

However, Ginobili is having a career year; through 18 games, Manu is averaging career highs in points (21.5), assists (5), steals (1.9), and shooting career-best from the field (47.3%) and free throws (89.5%).

Ginobili’s has buoyed the San Antonio Spurs to the league’s best record at 15-2. In a recent New York Times article, Rob Mahoney goes deeper into Manu’s impact:

…Ginobili’s tremendous season that has elevated San Antonio to the league’s elite. He’s thrived in every offensive capacity; half-court, transition, secondary break –- Ginobili is a man for all paces. He’s best described not as a happy medium between Duncan and Parker, but as the understated piece that cam somehow complement both.

Don’t mistake that stylistic accommodation as some reflection of Ginobili’s worth or performance, though. His skill set may be more flexible than either of the Spurs’ other two stars, but Ginobili has been far and away the most effective of the trio. According to Synergy Sports Technology, Ginobili ranks 10th in the league with 1.13 points per possession (PPP) on offense, a fantastic mark emblematic of his production and efficiency. In fact, it’s hard to find an element of the offense in which Ginobili isn’t elite; he leads the league in PPP in isolation (1.25), ranks second in PPP in plays off screens (1.46), and is the N.B.A.’s fifth best scorer as the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll (1.03).

It’s no coincidence that that San Antonio is posting its highest offensive efficiency mark in franchise history while Ginobili is having a career year. Parker’s approach and performance may lend him a transitional importance, but Ginobili’s play grants the Spurs real, transformational power.

In a recent game against the Golden State Warriors, I watched as Ginobili score nine straight points for the Spurs simply using his on-court smarts and craftiness against the Warriors, in particular Monta Ellis.

By the end of the night, Ginobili had 27 points, 5 steals, 6 rebounds, and plus/minus of +31 in 20 point Spurs blowout.

It’s early we know, but we should know better. We should expect the unexpected from Manu.

After resting this summer, Manu Ginóbili hasn’t had the year we were expecting from him thus far, but last night in the San Antonio Spur’s 117-99 win over the the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 32-year old reminded us of his under-rated court vision and ability for the spectacular play.

“Tonight was one of his best all around games” said Gregg Popovich. “He played well defensively. He rebounded fantastically and offensively, he looked like ‘Manu.’ Everybody is excited to see him play that way.”

Manu ended the game with a near triple-double; 14 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds. He also had 3 steals in 27 minutes off the bench.

His near triple double is great, but it’s a few of his assists last night that inspired this post.

On two fast break situations, Ginobili received the ball at full speed, and in one motion threw amazing, pinpoint passes to a trailer – once to Richard Jefferson and a behind the back to Dejuan Blair.

“His ability to crash the boards, get steals, play defense, shoot the long shots, penetrate, find guys open. He’s an offense onto himself. [THe Spurs] let him out there and he creates things.” said Minnesota’s head coach Kurt Rambis.

“[Ginobili] plays an unorthodox style of basketball that makes it very difficult to cover him.“

Marko Jarić is returning to Europe and leaving the NBA behind him.

The 31-year-old Jarić signed with Spanish club Real Madrid to help shore up the playmaker position for Madrid with an injury to Sergio Llull.

(Talk Real Madrid and Spanish Basketball in our forum)

Jarić will be reunited with Italian coach Ettore Messina, his coach when he played alongside Manu Ginóbili for Kinder Bologna.

The trio helped the Italian club win the Euroleague and Italian league championships in 2001, nine years ago.

The 6-7 veteran guard from Serbia mutually agreed with Memphis that he would not attend training camp or any preseason games and Jarić had been granted permission to seek a new team.

Since leaving Italy in 2002 after being drafted 30th overall in the 2000 NBA Draft, Jarić has played for three NBA teams in eight seasons. He suited up for the Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Memphis.

He averaged 7.1 points and 3.6 assists in 447 career NBA games. Jarić is currently married to Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima.

Manu Ginóbili was supposed to come into the 2009-10 NBA season with a renewed vigor for the game after spending the entire summer away from basketball.

Instead, the 6-6 superstar shooting guard for the San Antonio Spurs is lacking confidence and not playing his game.

“I’m lacking a lot of stuff, mainly confidence,” he said. “I’m still hesitating, doing things I don’t usually do — passing up shots or not attacking the rim as hard. Maybe I’m thinking too hard, or worried because I already missed six games. I really don’t know.”

The 32-year old Ginóbili is averaging just 12.7 points on 36.8% from the field as the Spurs have stumbled out of the gate to a 9-9 record.

Ginóbili’s points average is at the lowest since his second year in the league six years ago, and his field goal percentage is far and away a career-low.

The positive is that the problem is all mental, as Manu feels healthy and there is no pain thus far this season.

“I felt great before the game,” Ginobili said after Saturday’s 106-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets. “The good thing is I’m feeling really good after the game, too.”

As long as he continues to remain healthy, we all know Manu will get eventually get it together this season, and with that the Spurs will improve.

• According to the San Antonio Express-News, Manu Ginóbili has a groin injury that will likely force the 6-6 Argentinian out for 3-5 games. His groin injury is unrelated to the hamstring troubles he has been battling the last couple of seasons.

• After suffering a shooting slump in early November, Rudy Fernández has been hitting a groove as of late, hitting 23-43 shots in the last six games (53.5%); and reaching double-figures in four of those contests. Portland has won four of their last six games.

• Without Hornet’s floor leader Chris Paul, Peja Stojakovic hit a season-high seven threes last night in a win over the Phoenix Suns Thursday night, who had the league’s best record. Stojakovic recorded 25 points and a season-high 13 rebounds.

• Dirk Nowitzki has led the Dallas Mavericks to a 10-3 record, under the radar it seems. the 7-0 German has scored at least 20 points in all but one game this season, and is averaging 26.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and blocking shots at a career-high pace with 1.6 a game.

• It’s been a frustrating season for Ronny Turiaf, who has spent nearly the entire season injured with a sprained right knee suffered on October 30th. The prognosis may say day-to-day, but it looks as if the 6-11 French shot-blocker will likely not see action until December.

• Danilo Gallinari recorded his first scoreless game of the season after scoring in double-figures in eight of the Knick’s first ten games.  The 6-10 Gallinari missed both his shot attempts in a season-low 16 minutes. The good news? The Knicks won their second game of the season,  110-103 over the Indiana Pacers. Gallinari had double figures in just six of the 28 games he played during his rookie season.

• Andrew Bogut will miss up to four weeks of action after suffering a lower left leg sprain and contusion. The injury is similar to the one the 7-0 Aussie suffered two seasons ago. Bogut was having his best NBA season with 16.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 blocked shots in 9 games.

• Even if Anderson Varejão goes on to average 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Cleveland Cavs, the 6-10 Brazilian’s season will still be remembered for being Dwyane Wade‘s dunk prop.

• The almost 37-year old Steve Nash has been revitalized in the early season. Nash tallied 21 points and 20 assists in a Phoenix win against the the Sixers last night. Without Shaq holding down the offense, Nash is averaging 12.9 assists through 8 games and has had games of 14, 17, 20, and 20 assists, all wins. The Suns are off to a 7-1 start.

• Tony Parker rolled his ankle during a drive to the basket in the second quarter against Portland and missed last night’s game against Toronto. Parker is listed as as day-to-day and will likely play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.

• It took a little longer than I expected, but Manu Ginóbili has finally showed how dynamic a player he can be. With Tony Parker nursing an injury and Tim Duncan out, Manu scored 36 points in 32 bench minutes in a uncharacteristic high-scoring 131-124 Spurs win over Toronto. The 6-6 small forward from Argentina shot 8-15 from the field, 6-8 from three, and 14-15 from the free-throw line. He also added 8 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

• Toronto Raptors guard José Calderón had 9 assists vs. San Antonio and passed the 2,000-assist mark in his 298th NBA game. The Spanish guard is Toronto’s all-time assist leader.

• In the Mav’s 114-107 loss to the Hornets, French rookie Rodrigue Beaubois made his only start of the season and scored Dallas’ first 9 points, but the 21-year old, 6-0 speedster would end the game with those 9 points in 13 minutes of play – both career highs thus far.

• Maybe it’s the 10 pounds of extra muscle, but we just don’t see Andrei Kirilenko flying around and swatting shots from the weakside anymore. I checked his career stats and the last few seasons has seen AK-47′s block totals significantly decrease, from six straight seasons of roughly 2-3 blocks a game, to about 1.5 the last few seasons. What gives?

• Jonas Jerebko, the first Swedish NBA player, has started the last four games for the Detroit Pistons, and has increasingly shown improvement in averaging roughly 22 minutes, 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks during that span.

• After coming out blazing, Danilo Gallinari has slowed his long distance roll. Gallinari had started the season by hoisting 36 three-pointers in his first three games on his way of easily shattering the record for attempts AND makes, but the last five games has seen Gallinari shoot just 25 threes, and converting at a lower percentage; hitting 40% or 10-25. Gallinari is on pace to set the NBA record for most threes made in an NBA season with 287 , which would break Ray Allen’s record of 269 made threes in a season.

• Omri Casspi is looking like the steal of the draft thus far. Though he has been inconsistent, the 6-8 Israeli has shown flashes of brilliance; most recently in a win over Golden State. Casspi put up 12 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals in career-high 36 minutes of play. For the season he is shooting 57.1% from the field, 53.3% from distance, but just 16.7% or 2-12 from the free throw line?

• Speaking of Casspi, last week we reported on the first meeting of an Israeli player and an Iranian player, Hamed Haddadi, in an NBA game. It never happened as Haddadi was deactivated before the game. There was speculation that the Iranian center was kept out because of politics, but the 7-2 center hasn’t played in the last 4 games for Memphis, squashing any likelihood of international drama.