Quotes >> Pre-Semifinal Game Quotes -- USA Men vs. Argentina

Kobe Bryant
Why did you want to play Argentina?
Because you know you always want to play the best.

Regarding tomorrow, do you think you've been playing well enough that 2004 won't happen again?
We hope not. They are champions for a reason. We understand they are going to be ready to play. We want to play a great game tomorrow, and we're preparing for their best shot.

On playing against Manu Ginobili:
We go way back. This is the first time playing him when he's representing his country. I love him as a basketball player. I think he's incredibly dangerous, incredibly skilled and I enjoy matching up with him.

Is he one of your toughest individual matchups?
Oh yeah. Myself and D-Wade and Manu … you're not going to find better two-guards than that.

What did you think of the Argentina-Greece game last night?
Great game. Physical. Gritty. Greece had a chance to steal it there but it just didn't happen for them.

Carmelo said last night that there is something personal between Kobe and Argentina … was that a joke or is there?
It's a joke. They know how hypercompetitive I am and it's just about playing against the best. You want that opportunity. You want to have that chance to play against the

Could Argentina be the best team here?
They easily could be. All of their players from Manu to Nocioni to Scola to Oberto and Quinteras, Prigioni, all of those guys are just extremely skilled and high basketball IQ, play hard, play tough. I have the utmost respect for them and their coaching staff. I just think the world of them.

How many times have you seen them before last night?
Many times. I've watched them many times. I'm a big fan of the way that they play and the style in which they play. I've followed them quite a bit.

Does it help that you haven't played them yet so it adds sort of a new challenge?
Whenever something's new, it's a little bit more exciting naturally because you get to go over things you haven't gone over and you're preparing for something new. For us, it's a little bit more exciting to face them than to face Greece who we just played.

You'll be 30 in a few days … does that feel old?
You know what's funny, man, I honestly feel younger now than I did last year or a couple of years ago. My legs feel great, and I feel good.

Chris Bosh
What challenges does Argentina bring?
They are the defending gold medalists so I think that speaks for itself.

They have a very, very good core of players. They play well together, and they're one of the better teams here. This is one of the teams that we were talking about seeing in the semifinals so we have to prepare the right way and get mentally focused.

Is there something special about playing the defending champions?
We talked about this. We're glad to be playing these guys because it puts more emphasis on the game. We don't want to look past anybody. We don't want to just automatically put ourselves in the gold medal game. We want to take things the right way, and we want to feel like we have to play our best basketball in order to move on to the next round..

What do you need to do best to beat Argentina?
We have to stop Ginobili. We have to really hassle him, play good defense on him and wear him down, and defend the 3-point shots. We know that they shoot a lot of 3's and they can really shoot it. We just have to do a good job on that on the perimeter and control their bigs on the inside because Luis Scola, he's a very good scorer.

Is the third quarter from last night the blueprint for how you want to play?
Oh yeah. We really try to focus in on the whole game now. We know we did a good job in that third quarter but we want to have the whole game like that. We're gonna look at that third quarter "we have already; we want to move the ball, continue to be talkative and just pat each other on the back when things are going a little bit slow.

Dwight Howard
How has it been playing with all of these great players?
It's fun. It makes you better as a player. Just playing with the best of the best. You get a change to gauge who you are. When the season comes next year, we'll all be ready. Playing with the best, I mean, what better workout can you get than playing with the top guys in the league.

Would you come back to play in 2012?
Yeah, I'd come back. Why wouldn't I? I'll always come back and play anywhere overseas. Why not? You get a chance to travel and see the world … be around other athletes.

On he and Chris Paul being the nucleus for future USA teams:
We'll be the nucleus. Being together the longest. I would just love to be in that situation again. Just representing my country is a big honor.

What challenges does Argentina bring?
They're a very smart team. They execute very well. We know that when we play those guys, we got to really be ready for everything. We can't relax.

Tomorrow is a big game for us. We know that they are going to come out, fired up. We kind of embarrassed, I think, when we played them in Vegas so we know they're going to be hyped and ready to go.

What are the two or three things you have to do to beat Argentina?
We got to really focus on team defense, trying to make sure we keep Ginobili out of the paint, and their 3-point shooting. If we do those things and keep our turnovers down, we should win.

LeBron James
Will you play in the London Games in 2012?
I don't know. I'm definitely open to it at this point.

You look around at your peers here and the future looks pretty bright doesn't it?
Absolutely, absolutely.

What about facing Argentina tomorrow night?
They're a very experienced team, they've been playing together for so many years. They're the defending Olympic champions, so in order to be the best you have to beat the best, so we're looking forward to the opportunity of going out there and going against those guys. They have some great individual basketball players and have a great team. They know to collectively come together and turn into one. It's going to be a big challenge for us.

Is this a payback game?
Every game we play is a payback game for us because we approach it like it's our last game. No matter who we're playing it's a payback game. We have to limit their outside shooting, they're a very good outside shooting team, and you have to limit Manu's penetration. When Manu gets in the lane he's a very good player at creating for his teammates. We have to do a great job of guarding pick and rolls.

Jason Kidd
On the USA's defense:
You look at every position. Defensive-minded. This might be the best defensive team that's ever been assembled in the sense that being able to do it for 40 minutes.

On where this team ranks with other USA teams:
Hopefully at the end of the day, it's going to one of the top. We know we can't get the number one spot. At the end of the time, hopefully we'll be regarded as one of the best ever put together.

When it comes to Deron and Chris, is this a passing of the baton at the point guard position?
These guys are young and understand how to play. So, for me to pass the baton, because at some point, it's always going to happen, and there are no better guys to give it to. You look at Chris and what he's accomplished, not just in the Olympics, but this past season in the NBA and also for Deron, the season he added and also the summer he's having. It's in good hands and I think the point guard position when you talk about it, there's always talent, but you got guys who are 23 years old who now how to play and know how to win, it's going to be a lot of fun to watch.

You're the only guy with a gold medal, do you approach this differently?
We're all hungry for that gold medal, and as a team that's why we signed up, to try to achieve it. Tomorrow night is another opponent that's in our way. So, we have to find a way to beat a very talented and well-coached Argentina team. We can't say we didn't get to play everybody because we're playing everybody and we'll see what happens.

How has your experience been at the Olympics?
It's been great. Having an opportunity to play with a great group of guys, to be around a great group of guys. To be able to go to different venues … this is what the Olympics is all about and I'm happy to be a part of it.

On playing Argentina:
They've got quite a few guys that are in the NBA. Ginobili is one of the best players in the world. Nocioni, Scola, big men, Oberto, all know how to play. They've been playing together for a while. This is going to be one of our toughest tests and hopefully we're up for that challenge

How has it been playing for the national team this year?
I know the world has gotten better. With that, each game has been tough for us. We're just trying to show that we can play, not only on the offensive end but that we can play both sides. And, also play the game the right way by sharing the ball and having fun doing it, and we've been doing that up to this point.

Chris Paul
What challenges does Argentina bring?
A lot. We got 12 NBA guys on this team … they've got five NBA guys on their team. So, they know us just like we know them. They're a very good team and they're defending champs so they know what it takes to win a gold medal here at the Olympics. So, it's up to us to dethrone them.

Do you plan on being at the Olympics in 2012 in London?
No question. As long as they want me back. I definitely want to play. That'll put me at 27, I feel like I'll still have some years left.

Dwyane Wade
Is the Olympic ball different from the NBA ball?
Totally different, but we make it work. Every ball has to go in the basket, so you just shoot it the same.

Can you talk about playing Argentina tomorrow?
It's going to be a tough game. This is a very solid team; they don't beat themselves. They don't make too many mistakes. They have great individual players who step up and play big for them. We've got history with them, so it's going to be a great battle.

It's a totally different team from the one you faced last summer, isn't it?
Yes it is. They didn't have a lot of key players--Manu, Nocioni, Oberto-- who weren't there. This is a team that has been playing better as the Games progress, and they are playing good. It's going to be a great test for us and I wouldn't want it any other way.

How does it feel to be fully healthy for the first time in three years?
It feels great. I worked hard and whenever you work hard at something and you see it come into play it makes you feel even better. I'm just glad I can help this team any way I can. Whether its scoring, rebounding, playing defense--whatever it is.

Deron Williams
Do you think a legacy of this team could be that you have made it cool to play for USA Basketball and the national team in the Olympics?
I hope so. I think in the past there's been a lot of guys who have turned it down. This year we had guys who wanted to be on the team, who are committed. I think the three year commitment is a good reason for our success so far. Barring injuries and things like that we have a good core. I can't speak for anyone else, but I know I plan on being back.

Is this a different Argentina team than the one you faced last summer?
Well they didn't have Ginobili or Nocioni or Oberto, so they're a completely different team. I expect a battle, a tough game. These guys are probably the toughest competitors in the Olympics so far if you ask me. They have great heart and determination. They aren't a team that lays down. We are going to have a great game offensively and defensively for us to have success against them.

What does Ginobili mean to that team?
He's the heart and soul of that team. He's the guy who makes them go. He's one of the top 20 players in the NBA if you ask me and he's even better for them, because he's The Man on that team. He's a tough guy to guard. He's one of the more crafty players in the NBA and he knows how to score.