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Jeff Zillgitt: Official word from France basketball PR guy: France will not file a protest over result of Spain-Brazil game. Twitter

Spain, France, Brazil, Olympics 

Nene sat out the final game of pool play for Brazil on Monday with soreness in his left foot, but the Wizards have been monitoring the injury and remain optimistic that it will not be a problem when training camp begins on Oct. 2, according to a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Injuries, Nene, Brazil, Olympics 

Nene is expected to be available on Wednesday when Brazil (4-1) plays Argentina in the quarterfinals. Brazilian Coach Ruben Magnano rested Nene against Spain, but his team still won, 88-82, in a game that it didn’t need to win and possibly set up a more difficult path for a medal. Brazil is seeking its first Olympic medal since 1964. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Injuries, Nene, Brazil, Olympics 

Guilherme Giovannoni said Brazil coach Ruben Magnano made it clear in the locker room before the game that such thinking would not be tolerated. "We played to win the game," Giovannoni said. "I don't care what they did. We played to win. That was our mission always." GMANetwork.com

Brazil, Olympics, Guilherme Giovannoni, Ruben Magnano 

Michael Lee: Nene isn't playing for Brazil vs Spain because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Injury has flared up again. He apparently needs rest Twitter

Washington Wizards, Injuries, Nene, Brazil, Olympics 

The United States and Argentina are ready to rekindle one of the fiercest rivalries in international basketball. But no game will be scrutinized more than Monday's Spain-Brazil contest, which precedes Team USA's Group A finale. That's because Spain and Brazil both appear to have great incentive to lose in their final installment of men's Olympic basketball pool play. The winner of the Spain-Brazil encounter would finish second in Group B and advance to a likely quarterfinal matchup with Argentina, with Team USA looming in the semifinals. ESPN.com

Spain, Brazil, Olympics 

FIBA, basketball's international governing body, does not speak to national federations beforehand in such instances and has no plans, in the wake of the badminton scandal, to issue any sort of pregame warnings to Spain or Brazil, according to a tournament source. ESPN.com

Spain, Brazil, Olympics 

Even with multiple Spanish newspapers running polls that suggest a majority of fans support the idea of letting Brazil win, Spanish Basketball Federation president Jose Luis Saez tweeted Sunday that the reigning European Champions will do no such thing. In Spanish, Saez tweeted Sunday that he "can't identify myself" with the idea of losing a game on purpose and admonished fans for promoting the idea by saying "you can't sell your principles." ESPN.com

Spain, Brazil, Olympics, Jose Luis Saez 

Marc Stein: Question is how much Lakers, w/only 13 contracts but WELL into tax territory, have to spend. Brazil also worried Barbosa might be pressing Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Brazil, Olympics, Leandrinho Barbosa 

Alvaro Martin: Brazil beats Greece in SaoPaulo in an exhibition 78-71 with Varejao and Nene as starting frontcourt; Splitter (9 pts, 8 reb) off the bench. Twitter

Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards, Tiago Splitter, FIBA, Greece, Anderson Varejao, Nene, Brazil 

It isn’t out of the realm of possibilities the Bucks could then choose Fab Melo of Syracuse. A native of Brazil , Melo has seen his stock steadily rise through the draft process after averaging a pedestrian 7.8 points and 5.8 rebounds at Syracuse last season. Melo is unquestionably a project but an intriguing one. He was measured at 6-foot-11 at the recent pre-draft camp in Chicago , has a 7-3 wing span and a standing reach of 9-2. Some NBA scouts believe Melo could eventually develop into a solid starting center, especially considering he’s only played basketball six years. Racine Journal-Times

Milwaukee Bucks, Draft, Brazil, Fab Melo 

Basketball star Oscar Schmidt will carry the Olympic flame into Warrington town centre on Thursday. The 54-year-old, 6ft 8in star, is the leading points scorer in Olympic history and was inducted into the world basketball hall of fame in 2010. He is widely considered to be the best basketball player never to have competed in the NBA. He will hand the torch to John Paul Smith, aged 25, from Rainhill, at the fountain by the skittle in the centre of town. This Is Cheshire

Brazil, Olympics, Oscar Schmidt 

“It’s going to be amazing, big. The national team is going to be here, but I don’t know if I’m going to be on the list,” Nene said, while shrugging his shoulders. Now he knows. Brazil Coach Ruben Magnano announced on Thursday that Nene, Indiana Pacers guard Leandro Barbosa, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao and Tiago Splitter of the San Antonio Spurs would be on his 15-player list for the national team. Only 12 players will be in London. Washington Post

Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards, Tiago Splitter, Leandro Barbosa, Anderson Varejao, Nene, Brazil, Olympics 

Nene had asked to be released from the team before the FIBA Americas championship last summer, citing “personal” and “contractual” reasons. Fans and other Brazilain players were critical of the decision, but Nene was a free agent and likely didn’t want to risk injury. He eventually signed a five-year, $65-million contract with the Denver Nuggets before getting traded to the Wizards for JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf at the deadline. Barbosa also backed out of the tournament, but Brazil advanced without either player. Magnano said in a news conference that he added both players with the hope of fielding the best team. “I decided to give them another chance after personally talking to them,” Magnano said. “I wouldn’t call up a player if I didn’t have any trust in him.” Washington Post

Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards, Tiago Splitter, Leandro Barbosa, Anderson Varejao, Nene, Brazil, Olympics 

Jorge Sierra: Wizards big man Nenê and Pacers guard Leandro Barbosa are among the players in Brazil's list for the Olympics. The Brazilian National Team did great at the FIBA Americas tournament without them last year and there was some backlash in the country against both Nenê and Barbosa, who passed on playing. In the end, pragmatism kicked in. Brazil needs to be at full force to compete for the medals. Sulia

Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, Leandro Barbosa, Nene, Brazil, Olympics 

Tom Withers: #Cavs GM Chris Grant says he will not discourage Anderson Varejao from playing for Brazil in London Olympics. Twitter

Cleveland Cavaliers, FIBA, Chris Grant, Anderson Varejao, Brazil 

Tom Withers: #Cavaliers C Anderson Varejao still wants to play again this season and intends to play for Brazil in London Olympics as long as healthy. Twitter

Cleveland Cavaliers, Injuries, Anderson Varejao, Brazil 

Varejao has been out of the lineup since Feb. 10. According to the latest medical update supplied by the team, he won't begin to practice until early April. With the team falling out of the playoff race and the season ending on April 26, he was asked, why rush back? "Because I am part of the team and I want to help even if we don't have any more chance at the playoffs," Varejao said. "I want to play, that's what I get paid for. "Last year, I was hurt [torn tendon in ankle] and this season I got hurt too. I want to play. This is what I love to do." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Cleveland Cavaliers, Injuries, Anderson Varejao, Brazil 

“We have again scheduled an extremely challenging lineup of exhibition opponents for our USA Men’s National Team. In addition to playing world powers Spain and Argentina, the team will also face FIBA Americas powers Brazil and the Dominican Republic. Add in what I’m sure will be a very competitive game in Manchester versus Great Britain, and we have an exciting tour schedule we believe will help get our team as best prepared as possible for the summer,” Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball chairman and national team managing director, said in a statement. Washington Post

USA Basketball, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Dominican Republic 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: In Salvador, Brazil today on my first Cultural Ambassador trip with @statedept and the key themes are #education and to #engageyouth. Twitter

Brazil, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar