Brazil vs. Argentina: 3 Things to Expect from Both Teams

When Brazil and Argentina square off in the quarterfinals of the London Olympics, the latest chapter of this South American rivalry will unfold. 

Each team has plenty of great players—Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola, Carlos Delfino and Andres Nocioni for Argentina and Nene Hilario, Anderson Varejao, Tiago Splitter, Leandro Barbosa and Marcelo Huertas for Brazil—and they'll need to show up for this match. 

Here's what you can expect from each team. 

Brazil: Shutting Down Luis Scola

The Brazilian team's strength lies in the frontcourt, as a trio of NBA players line up at power forward and center (assuming Nene Hilario, who sat out last game with plantar fasciitis, is healthy).

Between Tiago Splitter, Anderson Varejao and Nene, Brazil is more than capable of taking out the Argentinian big men.

Luis Scola has averaged a team-high 20.2 points per game throughout the Olympics, but don't expect him to get out of the low teens, as the defensive attention will be focused on him from the opening tip-off until the final buzzer.

Varejao won't be leaving his hip at any point during the game.  

Argentina: A Scoring Outburst from Manu Ginobili

If Luis Scola isn't going to be impressive as normal, someone else is going to have to take over. 

That man will be Manu Ginobili, who will exceed his average of 20.0 points per game with at least a 30-spot. 

Throughout the London Olympics, Manu has been able to create his own shots seemingly at will. He can get into the lane and knock down tough runners, or score from the perimeter. 

The southpaw will take whatever he's given by Leandro Barbosa and Marcelo Huertas and capitalize on it. 

Brazil: Great Passing from Marcelo Huertas

Marcelo Huertas can sometimes look like a wizard with the ball, and he'll be up to his old tricks against Argentina. 

The point guard will have to get each and every one of his teammates involved if the underdogs are going to hang with their biggest rivals. 

Through five games, Huertas is averaging 6.2 assists and 1.8 turnovers per contest. 

You can expect a passing display once more, as Pablo Prigioni struggles to contain the talented Brazilian floor general. 

Argentina: Physical Play

Argentina has drawn headlines not only for winning games, but also for its physical play. 

According to the Associated Press, Facundo Campazzo took that to a bit of an extreme against the United States:

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While Argentina is widely known for its physical play, Facundo Campazzo took it a bit too far Monday. He admitted to hitting Carmelo Anthony in the groin following a 3-point attempt at the end of the third quarter.

"That was uncalled for and I let him know. To his credit, he acknowledged it," the United States' Kobe Bryant said of Campazzo's actions. "He said, 'My fault, I know.' And that was it."

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I'm by no means going to predict any more low blows, but I will expect to see a lot more physical play from the Argentinians. 

Luis Scola and the rest of Argentina's game is predicated on toughness, and they'll let Brazil know it early and often whenever Leandro Barbosa or someone else decides to drive into the paint. 

Brazil: Continued Emergence of Tiago Splitter

Tiago Splitter has been one of the emerging stars for Brazil, taking advantage of Nene Hilario's plantar fasciitis to establish himself as a top option in the frontcourt. 

In addition to his solid defensive efforts, the San Antonio Spur has averaged 11.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, second and third on the team, respectively. 

The 7'0" center won't have as much attention focused on him if Nene returns and is nearly at full strength, which will allow Splitter to continue his emergence. 

R.C. Buford has to be sitting back in San Antonio and chuckling as Splitter and Australia's Patty Mills show off their skills in London. 

Argentina: A Semifinal Appearance

When the final buzzer sounds, Manu Ginobili and the toughness of Argentina are going to have been too much for Brazil to handle. 

The lefty shooting guard's sensational play is going to continue now that we're into the elimination rounds and the pressure cooker is turned up another notch. 

Moreover, Luis Scola, Carlos Delfino and Andres Nocioni have too much experience working in their favor. 

The talented Brazilian front-line will keep this game close, but expect a scoring explosion from Manu down the stretch and a five-point win for the Argentinians.