Semifinals: USA vs. Argentina

[JGX]

One more time for the matchup that made international basketball interesting for the last decade. Maybe one last time.

If Chandler is going to be a foul machine a "message" foul early in the game might not be a bad idea.

[GustavoGanso]

I will support Argentina, but I believe USA by 15-20 points. Hope not.. ahahah

[Dtown]

Lets be honest, forget geography for a second this is the real rivalry of the Americas. Third straight time these two will be playing each other in an Olympic Semifinal.

89-81 Argentina
101-81 United States

In the spirit of this for the tie breaker I'll say 95-81 United States.

[reamily]

Campazzo's nba audition continues...

[durden_tyler]

Cheering hard for Argentina. Very hard so it won't be a blowout.

[reamily]

The more US checked Luis Scola the slimmer the chances of an upset

[durden_tyler]

The more US checked Luis Scola the slimmer the chances of an upset

i doubt that it's a gauge. Better one would be Argentina's defense. Can they limit the Americans to say 80 points? 90 points?

[reamily]

i doubt that it's a gauge. Better one would be Argentina's defense. Can they limit the Americans to say 80 points? 90 points?

they cannot do that hahah..

if they think hard about it..

[durden_tyler]

they cannot do that hahah..

if they think hard about it..

True true. It's going to be very difficult. But if they allow a 25+ scoring per quarter from the US it's going to be even more difficult. This Olympics only Lithuania managed to hold 'em around 25 per quarter... The French actually allowed 98 only but that was already a blowout by the 2nd quarter...

For Argentina, just win the pace (a slower one) and you give yourself a chance.

[jonescupfan]

True true. It's going to be very difficult. But if they allow a 25+ scoring per quarter from the US it's going to be even more difficult. This Olympics only Lithuania managed to hold 'em around 25 per quarter... The French actually allowed 98 only but that was already a blowout by the 2nd quarter...

For Argentina, just win the pace (a slower one) and you give yourself a chance.

Clamp down team USA's outside shooting and grind it inside, just like Australia did for three quarters. Do this and we'll have a helluva game to watch.

[durden_tyler]

Clamp down team USA's outside shooting and grind it inside, just like Australia did for three quarters. Do this and we'll have a helluva game to watch.

And what Lithuania did as well... until Lebron took over of course.

[Federoy]

I believe this semifinal will proceed in one of two ways: Either the US learned something about how to breakdown Argentina over the past two meetings and will exploit them to their advantage or Argentina will be emboldened against a US team they know they can score on but need to make defensive adjustments to pull off an upset.

It ought to be an interesting match. Like the previous encounters, I expect a physical, foul-plagued game played at the US's tempo. In the end, I think the US manages to scave off the Argentines and the pressure to reach the GMG and beat their South American rivals by +10. I don't expect this victory to come easy, and trust me, the officiating won't allow it either. I have a feeling LeBron, Kobe, Kevin Durant, and most definitely Tyson Chandler will be early foul trouble.

[jonescupfan]

Booohhh to Batum for unsportsmanlike conduct....poor Parker, ran out of gas come crunch time. Can't penetrate and can't have an open look at the basket. Thought they could have won the game.

[Picek]

time for one last tango of this great argentinian generation?
God I hope it is..
go Manu, be a God one more time..

[Wayne White]

I have a feeling that at some point in the game expecily if its a blow out, there will be a fight between Scola and someone on the US. Past two games he seems to be center around none basketball altercations, things could esculate quickly if this game gets out of hand.