Aug 24, 2008; Beijing, CHINA; Members of Argentina celebrate after defeating Lithuania in the mens basketball bronze medal game at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

Most of us who follow the men’s Olympic basketball games must remember just how intense the gold-medal game between the United States and Spain during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. For those of you who forgot, the bronze-medal game between Argentina and Lithuania was pretty intense and gritty that game was. Argentina ended up winning the game 87-75 which gave them the bronze medal and leaving Lithuania with no men’s basketball Olympic medal to bring back to their home country.

After four years, Lithuania will be able to get their revenge against Argentina after the bitter defeat. However, Lithuania has a different set of players this time. The two leading scorers for the Lithuanians in their bronze-medal game in Beijing is no longer on their roster. Lithuania has three players with some NBA experience and one who is still going to get some this coming NBA season. Former NBA players in forward Darius Songaila and point guard Sarunas Jasikevicius will both be coming off the bench for Lithuania. In 2008 Songaila didn’t play for the team, while Jasikevicius competed an was the third leading scorer on Lithuania with 9 points and also dished out 3 assists. Sarunas is no longer the starting guard for Lithuania due to his old age (36) and guard Maltias Kalnietis will be taking over his spot.

Maltias Kalnietis is a big point guard standing at 6 foot 5 and will be a solid match-up going up against Argentina’s starting point guard, 6 foot 3, Pablo Prigioni. Prigioni, now with the New York Knicks of the NBA, had 8 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds against world #1 USA in an exhibition match earlier this week. That match up of two big guards will certainly be one to look at when watching this game.

There will be a different look inside for Lithuania who will go alongside current Toronto Raptors forward, Linas Kleiza, who just had 5 points in Lithuania’s loss to Argentina four years ago. Center Jonas Valanciunas was the 5th overall pick by none other than Kleiza’s NBA team, the Raptors. Unfortunately for Raptors fans, Valanciunas hasn’t played even one minute in the NBA due to him wanting to stay in Lithuania for one more season. This season, the world and the NBA will be able to witness what this Lithuanian big man can really do. However, today and for the rest of the 2012 London Olympics, we’ll be able to see exactly how Valunciunas can do. The seven foot Valunciunas will be matched up against Juan Pedro Gutierrez who is one pesky big man to go up against. Against Lithuania in the 2008 games, Gutierrez didn’t play much and had zero points, but today, expect to see a lot from the Argentinian starting center.

Lithuania will definitely have it’s hands full against a team that almost stunned Team USA in during an exhibition match, but unfortunately fell due to big shots by the Americans. Argentina will obviously be led by Manu Ginobili who was inactive to play in the bronze-medal game. Argentina still took home the bronze-medal without their captain though. Against Team USA recently, Ginobili led the way with 23 points which included 3 three pointers. With Ginobili running the show together with Prigioni, Luis Scola will be taking care of business down low. Newly acquired by the Phoenix Suns, Scola will be doing some classic Scola-like hard work in the paint. Muscling through defenders and making a supposedly tough shot look easy as a layup. Valunciunas will be able to taste just how intense the paint will be in the NBA. Scola, however, will give up size to Lithuania and to that he has to work even much harder with Gutierrez.

Former NBA player Andres Nocioni will be Argentina’s wing man who will consistently knock down jumpers after jumpers much like 6th man, Carlos Delfino, who is currently an unrestricted free agent. In the bronze-medal game back in 2008, Delfino caught fire and led the way with 20 points including 3 three pointers and 10 rebounds as well. Delfino’s energy certainly can pumped up any team and that is one thing Lithunia has to control and try to match. Argentina’s energy is high when they get out and running, especially with Ginobili. Closing the half and opening the half were the bad quarters for Lithuania four years ago and if they are able to keep the game tight against Argentina who is looking for more than just bronze this year, Lithuania can pull off a victory. However, I won’t be shocked if they do because Lithuania isn’t that bad of a team themselves and with the height advantage and still enough legs to run, Lithuania will be a tough opponent.

My prediction: Argentina wins.

Lithuania vs Argentina tips-off at 4:15 PM ET 

For more NBA analysis and opinions, check out Theon’s general NBA blog, THEONBA!

Jul 21, 2012, Barcelona, SPAIN; USA player LeBron James (6) during practice in preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games at Palau Sant Jordi. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

In just a few hours, Team USA will be tipping off against Argentina, the national basketball team that won the Olympic gold medal in the previous Olympic games before USA took gold in 2008.

Team USA will have its hands full today as they will face an Argentinian team that features an NBA All-Star and 3-time NBA champion in Manu Ginobili from the San Antonio Spurs and two NBA starters on their respective NBA teams in Luis Scola from the Phoenix Suns and Carlos Delfino from the Milwaukee Bucks. Scola and Ginobili were both members of the 2004 Argentinian basketball team that struck gold in Athens and the 2008 team that won bronze in the most recent Olympic games.

Argentina will also feature a rookie NBA guard in Pablo Prigioni of the New York Knicks. Recently, Prigioni signed a one-year deal with the Knicks receiving a rookie minimum salary. Although Prigioni has 0 NBA experience under his belt, we can firmly say that Prigioni is an offensive weapon as the offensive-minded New York Knicks decided to sign an international unknown player like him. The Argentines will also have a former NBA forward and shooter in Andres Nocioni who last played with the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA for the 2011-2012 NBA season until he was waived in March 2012.

In recent games, Argentina has shown to have given Team USA a great challenge. With Manu Ginobili leading the way offensively and consistently driving into the lane, Team USA will have their problems. In the past exhibition games Team USA has played in, their inside presence has bewildered allowing opposing guards to slash and big men to make their imprint on the game. Luckily for the Americans, their opponents were never in full control of the game and Team USA easily adjusted their game to play in a way those teams had never seen before. For the Argentines on the other hand, they know how Team USA plays and they know how it feels to be dominated by them and also to win over them.

Carlos Delfino will be one player on Argentina to watch out for as his hot shooting might come out today and will heavily impact the final result of the game. Delfino has been known to get hot at some points of a game and Team USA must find a way to respond every time that happens. Argentina will go on runs and Team USA will have to adjust in a way Argentina will not expect what hit them. The coaching staff of Argentina pretty much knows how Team USA runs and they will do all they can to stop them from making the game into a classic Team USA blowout and keep the game as tight as possible. Ginobili, who is healthy as a horse now will be the focal point of Argentina’s offense. Plays will be ran through him and in my opinion, LeBron James should guard him at all times.

Luis Scola will be a key player in the low block for Argentina as he will most likely be matched up with either NBA small forwards like Kevin Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder and Carmelo Anthony from the New York Knicks. However, in my opinion, this is a game Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love must shine. Going up against one of the grittiest big men in the NBA and a player that he has stepped on before (literally), Love must be the guy inside for Team USA. However, Scola, who should remember being embarrassed and insulted after being kicked in the face by Kevin Love during an NBA game, will not back down easily. On the boards, Team USA has been struggling and haven’t been as dominant as they were in the past with Dwight Howard absent for the games.

Argentina’s starting center Juan Pedro Gutiérrez is someone also to watch for Team USA. Being only 6 foot 9 and Team USA starting center Tyson Chandler from the Knicks standing 7 feet tall, Team USA must take advantage of that by grabbing the boards and most of all playing solid defense inside. If Team USA is easily able to grab the rebound off a missed shot, the fast break will be an easy 2 points or even three. Overall with Team USA not much true big men aside from Love and Chandler, rebounding will be key for this team to dominate the game on both ends of the floor.

Kevin Love hasn’t exploded in the exhibition games thus far and is bound to have one tonight if he desires to or if the coach allows him to play more. Love will be helpful on the boards for the team as he has shown during the past NBA season. Although only averaging more than half of his 2011-2012 NBA season rebound average, K-Love will get back in rhythm sometime and will dominate. Today is the day for K-Love to do that and show his true worth on the roster that has been struggling where he does best.

The Argentinian National Basketball Team will be a challenge for Team USA as it will show if they are fully prepared for tough Olympic teams come the 2012 London Olympics in a couple of days. Team USA and everyone else knows that #2 world ranked Spain is waiting for an exhibition game on July 24 (Tuesday) but Team USA’s focus should be on Argentina alone today.

Argentina vs USA tips-off today (July 22) at 3:30 PM ET and can be viewed on NBA TV.  

For more NBA/basketball analysis and opinions, check out Theon’s general NBA blog, THEONBA!