The United States and Argentina will play an exhibition match on Sunday afternoon before both squads travel to London in search of another gold medal.
Argentina won the 2004 gold medal in a surprising and exciting medal round in Athens, while the United States bounced back and won gold in 2008.
Let's look at the three Argentina players who must be defended well.
Carlos Delfino
Carlos Delfino, who currently plays for the Milwaukee Bucks, is Argentina's third best player, and is 6'6" and 230 pounds, he adds some nice size to their lineup. His ability to play shooting guard or small forward makes him a valuable member of the team.
He will likely be guarded by Kobe Bryant, who is the same height as Delfino and has similar quickness even though he's four years older.
If Bryant can shut down Delfino, who is Argentina's third option on offense, then Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola will be forced to raise their games.
Delfino's scoring and playmaking abilities are an integral part of the Argentina offense, so it's important for whoever is guarding him to frustrate him and be aggressive throughout the game.
Luis Scola
Luis Scola will likely start at power forward against the United States, and will probably be defended by LeBron James.
James' size and athleticism will help him defend Scola and prevent him from dominating inside. The former Houston Rockets forward is the best low-post scorer on the Argentina roster.
Manu Ginobili
Ginobili could be defended by Bryant and James Harden, who are both familiar with the star shooting guard from their many battles in the Western Conference over the years.
Ginobili is the team's best player, and if the United States can shut him down, it's going to be difficult for Argentina to win the game.
Juan Miranda Colin Curtis Kevin Russo Curtis Granderson Nick Johnson Javier Lopez
No comments:
Post a Comment