During the remainder of the Olympic men's basketball tournament, FanHouse will give you 5 Things to watch for in each game.
Where's the heart of Argentina? There has been little news regarding the health of Andres Nocioni. One Argentine report (via HoopsHype) said he will not play, but based on Nocioni's record to date it is clear we should not count him out until we see him in blue jeans or John Paxson's invisible dungeon. (Paradox!) Noces was actually a bit terrible Wednesday against Greece, as he limped around on a bum wheel which relegated him to spot-up shooter status. But he's a stud player, maybe Argentina's third most valuable. Any team which loses a top threat will suffer; against an opponent as virile as Team USA, it's almost a pre-emptive death blow. Nocioni needs to be at his best for Argentina to compete diligently.
Another defensive test. Team USA's slashing defense got a test against quick Patrick Mills and the solid backcourt of Australia. Through the first half, Australia kept ahold of the ball and didn't allow Dwyane Wade and the American point guards to get their klepto on. But it fell apart in the third quarter. Can Argentina's Pablo Prigioni, Manu Ginobili and Carlos Delfino keep it up the entire game? Prigioni has been a marvelous protector of the ball, with only four Olympic turnovers in almost 200 minutes (and through 27 assists). Manu will also bring the ball up some, and Delfino took over those duties briefly in the fourth against Greece. The Americans might be able to pressure Manu and Delfino, and certainly bat about at Luis Scola and Fabricio Oberto. But Prigioni should be a tough pastry to smash.
