Film Session (Sans Film): Argentina 85, Australia 68

• I love complaining about how Team USA never gets off to a good start, but Australia's taken that tendancy and turned it into an art in this one. They're no 1992 Angola, but Argentina takes an early 16-3 lead. They're going to Bogut early offensively and he's not converting well. Sigh.
• Early on, Argentina looks solid. Manu and Scola are impressive as always and Oberto is putting his imprint on this game by hitting the boards and providing some offense on second-chance opportunities. Fabricio has 9 points in the first 11 minutes of the game (not sure about his PT) -- you can always count on Chris Anstey to make you look good!
• I'm going to miss Carlos Delfino. I thought he was solid for Toronto after being a decent contributor in Detroit, but I felt he could be a full-time starter for a decent team. The only problem with Carlos is that he thinks he's Manu Ginobili...and part of me can't blame him because I got a little confused when they were both on the floor. Ginobili, Delfino, and Pablo Prigioni need to dye their hair different colors or something because they look similar and move similarly as well.
• The thing about Argentina's defense though is that it has major lapses. Australia's guards are no wizards with the ball and yet every time Australia does score early it's off a nearly uncontested layup. Other than these easy buckets though, it seems like the Argentines are playing good D -- although you could argue that those lapses are what defines a bad defensive team.
• Noc wants to punch someone in the nose. It might be Bogut, or it could be anyone who looks at him funny, but the guy is pretty insane. I've watched my fair share of Bulls games and read enough of him being described as bullish but he takes on a new level of intensity when he plays for this team. Although it just makes him look like a jackass; he's racking up the fouls and turnovers while not really creating anything tangible from being hyperaggressive.
  
• The Argentine guards do the exact same thing whenever someone tries to post on them: they go around the post player away from the pass and try to poke the ball away. The help rotation isn't bad, but this was definitely a predictable move.
• The Australians are using a bit of the "headbutt" close-out. Anyone who's played pick-up basketball knows what I mean: when an opponent has a wide open shot (usually a three), instead of running at them with your hands up to block the shot you run at them and then lower your head like you're about to headbutt them. As a shooter, you're either thinking that this crazy guy is about to go Deep Impact all over your nads or that he's going to clip you and end your career. It's either a dirty move or Bill Russell-like psychological warfare, I haven't decided which one yet.
• Everybody Dance Now (some alternate version), Men in Black, Pump it Up by the Black Eyed Peas, and some strange Spanish half-rock. Welcome to the Olympics.
• Scola is pretty great with the bank. Just throwing that out there.
• I think Bogut finally put things together defensively this last season, and it definitely shows. He's getting some nice, transition-creating blocks that are helping his team and stopping easy looks for Argentina.
• Nocioni just got an intentional foul after flopping while sitting on the floor. The effort's admirable, but somebody please get this cat a ritalin.
  
• As the Americans found out in the exhibition against Australia, Patrick Mills is pretty good. He did a great job in this one of finishing if he was right at the rim, regardless of contact or shot blockers. But -- and this is a pretty big one -- if he was just a step or two removed from a layup he couldn't hit anything. Runners, floaters, jumpers, whatevers all hit the side or the back of the rim. He also doesn't seem to be that great of a playmaker. So while Mills has definitely improved his draft prospects and visibility by playing in the Games, he still has plenty to work on.
• Rather than the 101 Reasons I Love Kobe Show that Doug Collins secretes every time a mic is within ten feet of him, whoever was calling this game decided to verbally felate Manu Ginobili. Not a minute went by without mention of his finishing ability, his creativity, or his boyish charms.
• Timeout, cue the eurotrance. Again, welcome to the Olympics.
• Dropping a tidbit of knowledge that I was unaware of: Argentina went just 3-2 in group play en route to the 2004 gold. I'm just sayin'.
• The Boomers actually manage to make it close towards the end, going off on a 12-1 run that allowed Mills to pad his points total. Manu was having none of that, subbed back into the game and hit a three before Prigioni hit another to finish the finger wag. WHO WANTS TO SEX PRIGIONI???
• The major advantage that the US, Spain, and even Greece and Lithuania have over Argentina is depth. Six players (Ginobili, Delfino, Oberto, Nocioni, Gutierrez, and Prigioni) totaled about 179 out of the 200 possible minutes. The top six Americans (in terms of minutes) logged 117 minutes against Angola today.