USA/ARG - Classic encounter yet was only a friendly

BARCELONA (Olympics) - USA Basketball wanted some tough opponents in the build-up to the London Games in order to be battle-hardened when the Olympics get underway.

Mission accomplished.

The United States struggled against Brazil in Washington, D.C., prevailing 80-69 on 16 July and on Sunday, the Americans had to dig deep against Argentina to win, 86-80.

If the Brazil game was hard, the clash with the Argentinians, who beat the United States in the Semi-Finals of the 2004 Olympics before capturing gold, was even harder.
                                                                                                                               
"It was a great game for us because we played against champions," USA coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

"The Argentine team played like champions for over a decade and to play in a game like, I thought it was really our first international.

"I thought our guys did a great job at the start of each half."

Kevin Durant, the MVP of the 2010 FIBA World Championship, had 27 points for the USA, who had led by double-digits but saw Argentina come back and get to within four.

Manu Ginobili led the fight-back with 23 points for Argentina, who were only out-rebounded 41-38.

Ginobili, the superstar of the San Antonio Spurs and MVP of the 2004 Olympics, felt like he and his teammates had taken a step forward in their preparations after being on the wrong end of a 105-85 defeat to Spain.

"We still have a lot of room for improvement," Ginobili said.

"We played much better on defensive rotations, gathered people in the paint and did well in rebounding.

"We're more satisfied than against Spain, feeling that we took a step forward and that always bodes well for the start of the championship."

Argentina beat the United States at the 2002 FIBA World Championship and in the Semi-Finals of the 2004 Olympics.

Since Krzyzewski took over the USA side, he has led the team past Argentina, now the number three team in the FIBA Rankings, in the bronze-medal game at the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

The Americans also knocked off Argentina in the Semi-Finals of the 2008 Olympics.

Krzyzewski and his players know the Argentinians are not a team that is going to be pushed around.

That was evident in the game against Spain on Friday and the USA on Sunday.

Scola had an altercation with Spain's Serge Ibaka and he also exchanged words with Chris Paul after the USA point guard fouled playmaker Facundo Campazzo on his drive to the basket.

Durant then intervened to protect Paul.

"Chris got a technical foul and Scola gave him a little bit extra," Durant said.

"I can't let anybody get in our point guard's face and I had to try to break it up.

"We're a team and we have to stick together.

"Unfortunately, we gave up six points in the stretch and we got to use our heads a little bit better, not let our emotions take over and be smart."

The United States and Argentina meet on 6 August in Group A of the Preliminary Round.

FIBA