Ginobili's 33-points too much for Splitter, Brazil in pre-Olympic match
San Antonio Spurs players Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter shared the floor together for the first time
on Friday evening in Buenos Aries, Argentina since falling at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder in game six of the Western Conference Finals.
Though, Ginobili and Splitter weren't sporting the silver and black; instead each faced each other as Argentina defeated Brazil 80-74 to win the Super 4 Hopes Fun cup.
Splitter and Brazil had no answer for Ginobili as he led the game with 33-points for Argentina. Former NBA player Andres Nocioni helped Argentina with 11 points, while Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola chipped in with 10 points.
Indiana Pacers unrestricted free agent Leandro Barbosa led Brazil with 17 points, while Regal FCB point guard Marcelinho Huertas had 15 points for Brazil. In the frontcourt, Cleveland Cavaliers big man Anderson Varejao had 9 points, while Splitter contributed with 7 points.
It was a close game throughout as Brazil led after one, 22-20 and Brazil maintained the slim lead 40-39 going into halftime. Argentina began to pull away in the third quarter due to Ginobili as they led 60-57 after three, and finished the game at the free throw line to win 80-74.
Here are a couple of my in game comments via my twitter stream as I was live commenting the second half on twitter.
- Brazil is sporting the Yellow uni's, Manu just dished a nice behind-the-back pass, and "El Chapu" is driving.
#ARG #BRA - Don't worry
#Spurs fans, Tiago Splitter is missing free throws for Brazil as well, not just the silver and black.
- Manu is slicing and dicing through Brazil, at the free throw line after being fouled by
#Cavs' Anderson Varejao. Close game in 3Q
- One of my fav international point guards, Marcelo Huertas, just attacked the basket and finished at the rim. He'd be a nice
#Spursbackup
- Varejao still has it, just finished a potential and-1 off a screen-and-roll.
#Spurs could use a big man like him, quick, plays defense
- 3Q just ended,
#ARG leads #BRA 60-57. I can tell you Manu was involved in most of ARG's points in the 3Q
- Beautiful give-and-go from Scola in the post to Manu attacking the basket. They have fluid chemistry on the floor
- Manu just went Kobe on BRA, they had him iso'd in the post, he hit a fadeaway jumper in his defenders eye.
- Manu Ginobili is making this crowd go nuts right now, this crowd sounds like a futbol crowd after Manu finished with the and-1.
#ARG 75-73
Argentina will play Mexico on Sunday in another pre-Olympic qualifying game as they prepare for the 2012 London Games. From what I observed in the game, Washington Wizards center Nene did not play for Brazil.
(Photo: estadisticas.lavozdelinterior.net)
Manu is incredible, he's just behind Kobe and Wade as far as shooting guard goes. He's a legend.
If Manu suffered less injuries throughout his career, he seriously would've been a top 5 shooting guard in the NBA. I mean, he is certainly capable of scoring 30+ a night like Kobe or Durant, especially when he was younger. If Manu would have started in at least 60 games (all healthy) in all of his seasons as a spur instead of coming off the bench for most of his career, my goodness, we'd probably have at least one more ring. Here is Ginobili, at 34 posting up 33 points against another great national team, still penetrating hard to the basket, pulling off fadeaway jumpers, still playing young. At least one spurs player is still showing he is good. Tiago freakin splitter can only score 7 points and he is still missing his free throws. smh
@TitletownX4 Yeah, I don't like Tiago Splitter and you can't handle and all of a sudden I'm a fucking moron who is not a true spurs fan. Stop being a little pussy.
@WOW I actually made a typo, I meant to say he could score 20+ points a game not 30. Durant or Kobe couldn't score 30+ EVERY NIGHT. But seriously, Manu when healthy is capable of scoring 20 or more a night especially when he was younger, I don't think anyone can argue that,
@ajd21 There you go again Splitter hater. Varejao probably hit all his free throws and still could only muster 2 more points than Splitter. Then I guess Varejao sucks as well. Your a f#$kin broken record just shut the f#@Kup already loser.
@ajd21 There you go again Splitter hater. Varejao probably hit all his free throws and still could only muster 2 more points than Splitter. Then I guess Varejao sucks as well. Your a fuckin broken record just shut the fuck up already loser.
@TitletownX4 What's your deal? Tiago isn't performing well, that's the truth. He scored 7 points and apparently is still missing his free throws. Varejao isn't all that great either, he hasn't been relevant at all since Lebron was in Cleveland. Why, you think Varejao and Splitter are high class players??? Ha! If that's the case, give me a break. Varejao has been in the NBA 8 years and for his first 7 years, never averaged double digits in points per game. Seriously, 2011-2012 was his first season averaging double digits in scoring. He actually does suck you idiot. Take the tampon out of your ass, I'm not the only spurs fan who feels this way about Splitter, there are many of them out there who feel he is not performing up to expectations, you know it and I know it. You want to tell all of them who feel this way to shut the fuck up and call them Splitter haters?? There is no rule or law saying a fan has to like every player on the team. If a fan thinks a player isn't all that great, they are not allowed to express discontent? Get the fuck out of here, who are you? I don't think Splitter has been good at all, he's been DECENT but certainly not great. Yeah he doesn't get a ton of minutes, but why is that? You might say something like, "Oh Pop is stupid he doesn't know what he's doing, he should've started Splitter with Duncan and kept it that way, it would've been better than Blair and Duncan." Yeah, who should I believe, YOU or any of the spurs coaches? Pop doesn't play Tiago that much and I can see why. Nene apparently didn't even dress up for Brazil in this game against Argentina (which by logic means Tiago would get more minutes being an MVP and all), yet Tiago only had 7 points?? He either played very low minutes, which is surprising because he should be one of Brazil's best, or he just wasn't producing at all. He misses his free throws, doesn't perform well, I express my discontent on it and here you are saying, "You are just a splitter hater, you are a fucking broken record you fuckin loser." Yeah ok, keep talking bitch, that's not going to help improve Splitter's game.
@TitletownX4 Probably one of those idiots who wanted Varejao on this team?? Try NEVER WAS one of those people who wanted Varejao. I never liked him and he's never been that good. You accuse me of things that are utterly false and unfounded. Bandwagoner? What the fuck? How am I a bandwagoner? A bandwagoner is someone who only support teams who have success. I've been a spurs fan for 8 years you fucking retard, where the hell did you get the idea I was a bandwagoner? The majority of people who come to this website are SPURS fans you idiot. You clearly are showing hatred toward me for the simple fact that I don't like Tiago I air ball back to back free throws Splitter. You obviously like him and you couldn't handle the fact that I don't think he's that good, and because of the fact I don't like Tiago, that led to me being a bandwagoner, a fucking moron, not a spurs fan, and any other unfounded labels you have for me. That's YOUR fucking problem, not mine, deal with it.
@ajd21 You fuckin moron you were probably one of those idiots wanting Varejao on this team before he got hurt when trade talks were being thrown around. Wishy washy bastard. You are a typical off on bandwagoner who doesn't know shit about basketball. You must have many uses for tampons for bringing that up. Go play with your XBox nit wit.
