Time quickly approaching for Magnano and Brazil's moment of truth

RIO DE JANEIRO (2016 Rio Olympics) - Ruben Magnano knows what it takes to win a medal at an Olympic Games. He did so as the coach of Argentina 12 years ago in Athens.

The coach pulled all the right strings and got terrific play from a number of players, including Manu Ginobili, and ended up having the greatest celebration of his life. Argentina beat the USA in the Semi-Finals and then Italy in the Gold Medal Game.

Ruben Magnano's (ARG) finest hour was coaching Argentina to Olympic gold at the 2004 Athens Games

What Magnano does not know is how Brazil, the team he has coached since the 2010 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Turkey, will cope with the pressure of being the home team at this year's Olympics. The fans can no doubt lift the players in difficult moments but also add stress. His expectation is that the supporters will be a plus.

"Playing in front of the home crowd is an advantage," he said in an interview published on cbb.com.br.

If you ask me what I prefer to play at home or away? Certainly, at home. It's a unique thing that few athletes, coaches, officials and fans have the privilege of seeing your national team at home. - Magnano

What is unclear for the Argentinian tactician is how good his team is going to be this summer. In 2012 at the London Games, Brazil had a very good side. Many of those who saw the Brazilians play in the Preliminary Round expected them to at least reach the Semi-Finals but Magnano's former team, Argentina, defeated them in the Last Eight.

Brazil experienced an even worse dip in form in the Quarter-Finals at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup when they lost to Serbia. The team had been very good in the Round of 16 against their nemesis, Argentina, but then fell apart at the seams against Aleksander Djordjevic's squad.

There are no guarantees that Brazil will even make it that far this time.

"We need to get there (Quarter-Finals) first," Magnano said. "After we get there, let's see what we have done in previous years and what we need to do differently to achieve a different result. Then we need to see to the psychological state of the players. But I have to confess that this game is already in my head."

Magnano knows that his center, Tiago Splitter, is now a huge doubt after having to end his season with the Atlanta Hawks to have hip surgery. He will wait for the veteran as long as he can, hoping that he can recover in time to play.

There is also the issue of minutes, or lack of them, for a couple of players that have been important to Brazil over the years. Point guard Marcelo Huertas is hardly playing for Los Angeles, while Anderson Varejao has recently been traded from Cleveland to Golden State and has averaged 12 minutes per game in the last couple of games. His challenge is to get into the rotation and to stay there. Leandro Barbosa (Golden State), Nene (Washington) and Raul Neto (Utah) have been getting a lot of time with their respective teams.

Magnano, meanwhile, says that he and his coaching staff will be keeping a close eye on events this July, when the three FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments are held in Italy, the Philippines and Serbia. Brazil could end up facing one, two or all three of the teams that win the OQTs.

Our idea is to have a scouts in each of the three (OQT) cities. We need all the information about the tactics of the teams that will compete in the competitions. - Magnano

FIBA