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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Together, they helped shove the U.S. from the top of the world in mens basketball.Argentina and Spain produced their greatest generations at the same time, icons who were capable of beating the mighty Americans. They once did in the same tournament -- on U.S. soil.Two of the best teams of the last decade for sure, Argentinas Manu Ginobili said. Last 15 years, I would say.Argentina won an Olympic gold medal. Spain has a world basketball championship.They meet again Monday, maybe too old to be considered gold medal contenders but too proud to be counted out. They know people looking at the gray in their hair -- or in Ginobilis case, the ever-growing bald patch -- think their run is over, and even the Argentines themselves insist their only goal here was reaching the quarterfinals.Kind of like the same situation for them, Spains Jose Calderon said. Youre always saying, `Oh thats it, this is the last tournament and they play again. They play again, and they keep playing. And like I say, I think until you dont see us out there anymore, youve just got to play with everything youve got.They meet in a game with huge implications. Argentina (3-1) is tied with Lithuania atop Group B and Spain has clawed back from a 0-2 start with two straight wins, pounding Lithuania 109-59 on Saturday. But the silver medalists in the last two Olympics still face the prospects of meeting the U.S. in the quarterfinals -- or not advancing at all.Spain is supposed to be one of the best teams in the tournament and now theyre going to be facing elimination if we beat them, Argentinas Luis Scola said. Obviously nobody thought it was going to be like that. Theyve got a team full of talent and I think they were, we all were expecting them to fight for medals, which I think that they can still do.Both teams emerged after the U.S. had been untouchable for a decade following the debut of NBA players in international tournaments. Spain and Argentina knocked off the Americans in the 2002 world championships in Indianapolis, when Argentina became the first team to beat a U.S. squad with NBA players on its way to winning the silver medal.They beat the Americans again two years later in the semifinals of the Olympics before capturing gold, and reached No. 1 in the world. Spain then won gold in 2006 at the world championships, edging Argentina in the semifinals, and took home silver in 2008 and 2012 after falling to the U.S. in gold-medal game classics.It seemed over for Argentina after the latter, when it fell to Russia in the bronze-medal game. Age had set in for the Golden Generation and even Scola believed the Argentines time had passed after they went out weakly in the 2014 Basketball World Cup.But Ginobili returned this year at 39 with Andres Nocioni and Carlos Delfino, two other veterans from 2004, and suddenly theyre two wins from another medal. Nocioni carried the Argentines through much of their 111-107, double-overtime victory over Brazil on Saturday with 37 points.I know the talent of course, Brazil coach Ruben Magnano, who coached the Argentines to their Olympic gold, said through an interpreter. Im very curious this time because apart from their will to win, which is bigger than anything that you can even describe, they (want) to do great things. It doesnt matter if its old or young. They just know about basketball.Spain was considered a medal favorite after winning another European title last summer, but its a team in transition. Pau Gasol remains a force inside, but the longtime backcourt of Calderon, a four-time Olympian, and Juan Carlos Navarro, in his fifth Olympics, spends more time on the bench behind young guards Ricky Rubio, Sergio Rodriguez and Sergio Llull.Refusing to be written off after two losses, they can still write their own ending.I think people want really -- Im not saying really want us to lose, but its been too long for Spain to have this run, Calderon said. Thats why theyve been talking about this generation and all that stuff. We know every year passes by and its more difficult, but we know each other and we know what we can do together. Yes, were older, but were still a really good team.Same with the Argentines, who may have to readjust their goals for their final run -- unless this really isnt the end.Im 36. This is my fourth Olympics, Scola said. I never thought Id get this far and Im enjoying it. Its probably going to be the last. Ill try to make it for 40, but probably I wont make it.---Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney Tony Watson Jersey . It was hard for Luck to pull off another comeback, or even get into the end zone, while standing on the sideline. Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to give the Chargers a 19-9 victory against the Colts on Monday night. Barry Bonds Jersey . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season. http://www.cheapsanfranciscogiantsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-andrew-mccutchen-jersey . The injury bothered Bledsoe in the Suns victory over the Clippers on Monday and he sat out the teams home loss to Memphis on Thursday night. Willie Mays Jersey . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. Wholesale Giants Jerseys . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. Former Formula One driver Heikki Kovalainen has revealed he lost confidence during his time driving alongside Lewis Hamilton for McLaren in 2009.In a blog post for the official McLaren website, the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix winner opened up about his spell at the Woking-based outfit and admitted he was affected by a difficult 2009 campaign.As a team they were able to help me and guide me, Kovalainen said. I became a better driver, but I think I lost a bit of confidence during the second half of 2009.I had a great opportunity, and I felt it started very well. But quite often in motor sport and in life small things can change your direction and change the outcome.The Finn scored 22 points compared to Hamiltons 49 as McLaren struggled to adapt to significant new regulation changes brought in for 2009 and managed just two race victories -- both recorded by Hamilton.I just wasnt able to extract from the car as much as Lewis was. It was an important time, and I obviously needed some results at that point.I mentally wasnt sharp enough to really try to get more out of it. Also Lewis got some [new car] parts ahead of me, and maybe I let it affect me a little bit when he got slightly better service, if yoou like.ddddddddddddI felt I was the number two, but I should have ignored that and just got on with the job. I wasnt driving as well as I was before.Kovalainen also revealed that then-McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh had informed him from an early stage that his position at the team was under threat from the likes of Ferraris Kimi Raikkonen and eventual champion Jenson Button.Martin Whitmarsh kept me up to date. He told me early on that they will look for another driver, they will look for Kimi [Raikkonen], and they were also looking for Jenson Button. But both of those drivers might not be available, and Martin said to me if not, then youll be the third choice.I was in America and it was Thanksgiving Day when Martin called me to say, We have signed Jenson. My results werent good enough, and I was kind of expecting it.But I have good memories of McLaren, and it was the best team I ever worked with, a really great team and a powerful team. Sometimes nowadays when I see them struggling I feel sorry for them, and I hope they can come back to where they should be. ' ' '