On a typical winter night in Rio de Janeiro, where the thermometer rarely dips below 60 degrees, Brazil's national basketball team trains in the moderately crowded gym of the Tijuca Club, 10 miles north of the world famous Copacabana Beach. It's 9 p.m. and the players have been practicing as if the coveted Olympic berth depended on it. Having just arrived from the Pan American Games with gold medals dangling from their necks, the Brazilian team is aiming for one of three tickets to the Olympic Games at stake in the Americas Olympic Qualifying tournament, which begins today in Puerto Rico.

"We need this spot at the Olympics," said Brazilian point guard Leandrinho Barbosa, picked in the first round of the 2003 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs, and then traded to the Phoenix Suns.

The Brazilians, featuring the Nuggets' Nene, open the qualifying competition against the United States, which once again is packed with top NBA players. In the Pan Am Games, Brazil defeated a U.S. team mostly made up of collegians. In Puerto Rico, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan and Jason Kidd will lead an all-star team also looking to secure a spot in Athens.

Karl Malone will not rejoin the U.S. team because of the death of his mother. Kenyon Martin of the New Jersey Nets was chosen Tuesday as his replacement.

"Of course they've got a much stronger team now," Barbosa said. "These guys are very experienced."

Via Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, General Basketball

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