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Before arriving on American soil three summers ago, center Tiago Splitter had been a Most Valuable Player and the centerpiece of championship teams in Spain. So when he joined the Spurs before the 2010-11 season, the big Brazilian naturally assumed eventually he’d be starting alongside Tim Duncan, one of his basketball idols. “You always want to play and do your best,” Splitter said. “So, yes, I expected one day to be a starter.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter 

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is a fun guy to talk to. His postgame press conference was in the hallway outside the locker room and Popovich was holding his sneakers and his suit jacket. He didn't want to loiter, but he dropped a few good quotes on his way out. On second-year guard Gary Neal scoring 12 points: "His job is to shoot the ball. Other than that he got no clue. He did what’s supposed to do." On occasional bricklayer Tiago Splitter going 5 for 5 from the foul line: "That amazes the free world, when he makes those free throws." Boston Globe

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Gregg Popovich, Gary Neal 

Jeff McDonald: Tiago Splitter (back) was a full participant in practice today. Appears he'll be good to go for Spurs' next exhibition Wed vs. ATL. Twitter @JMcDonald_SAEN

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Injuries 

Tiago Splitter: excited to go back home to Brasil and be part of @NBA 3X in Sao Paulo at Parque Villa-Lobos on Sept 14-16.Join me there facebook.com/#!/NBABrasil Twitter

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Brazil 

Tiago Splitter: Parabéns pra Nigeria, se classificram para as Olimpiadas! Congrats to Nigeria, they are qualified to London! Twitter

Tiago Splitter, Olympics, Nigeria 

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 

Manu Ginobili: The Spurs family just got a bit bigger. Congrats @Tiago Splitter & Amaia on the arrival of little Benjamin! Twitter

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Manu Ginobili 

Intentionally sent to the foul line for 12 free throws in Game 2 because he has developed a base of the free throw “yips” during the post-season, Spurs backup center Tiago Splitter has a simple solution for a tactic that helped the Thunder during Game 2 on Tuesday. “If that happens again I’ll just step to the line and make free throws,” he said after the Spurs shootaround on Thursday morning. “It’s simple as that. If I don’t make it, bad for me and bad for me, but it’s simple as that.” San Antonio Express-News

Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter 

Fran Blinebury: Tiago Splitter on intentional fouls: "Go up and make the shots. If not, too bad for me, too bad for the team." Twitter

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter 

Tiago Splitter was a 69 percent free-throw shooter during the regular season, hardly a scofflaw targeted by the scouting report for late-game fouls. But Splitter had shot only 37 percent in the playoffs, and as the Thunder tried to mount a rally from 22 points down, Splitter, the Brazilian backup to Tim Duncan, was fouled away from the ball. “If we have the opportunity to do it again, we will,” Brooks said. New York Times

Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Tim Duncan, Scott Brooks 

Jason Quick: Blazers dir. NBA scouting, Mike Born says Portland's former first-round pick, Joel Freeland, is like Spurs Tiago Splitter w/better offense Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Joel Freeland, Transactions, Mike Born 

Scott Brooks on the Hack-A-Splitter strategy: "It changed the tempo a bit. I mean, they were fast tonight. The ball was just all over the floor with quick passes, passes that were right in their shooting pockets, and it kind of threw their rhythm out a little. He stepped up and made [five] of them. He did better than his playoff percentage. But if on occasion we have an opportunity to do it again, we will." Sulia

Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Scott Brooks 

“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 

Tiago Splitter was not present for the second straight day during the team’s media session Tuesday morning and is questionable for Wednesday’s Game 2 against Utah. Splitter was wearing a cast on his sore left wrist during Monday’s practice, when he was seen only riding an exercise bicycle and not taking place in court activities. Splitter’s injury officially is listed as a bone bruise. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Injuries 

Now sporting a cast on his sore left wrist, Spurs center Tiago Splitter did not participate in the team’s Monday practice. Coach Gregg Popovich is not counting on the second-year center from Brazil to be available for Game 2 of the first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz. Splitter’s injury officially is listed as a bone bruise. “They’ve got him in some sort of a cast right now,” Popovich said of Splitter. “It’s something we won’t be able to tell very honestly until Wednesday. I’d say he’d probably be doubtful.” Should Splitter be unavailable, DeJuan Blair would move into the backup position behind starting center Boris Diaw. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Injuries 

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says reserve center Tiago Splitter (sprained left wrist) is wearing a cast and is doubtful for Game 2 against Utah on Wednesday night. Popovich plans to again start Boris Diaw at power forward, teaming him in the post with center Tim Duncan. Salt Lake Tribune

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Injuries 

Spurs reserve center Tiago Splitter will have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the wrist sprain he suffered early in the Spurs’ 106-91 victory over Utah in Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs. Splitter, who left the AT&T Center after Sunday’s game, said he injured the wrist while bracing his fall after tumbling early in the first quarter. He continued to play after the fall, scoring four points with one rebound in seven minutes of first-half action, but did not rejoin the team on the bench to start the second half. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Injuries 

Jerry Zgoda: NBA names Utah's Derrick Favors as injury replacement for Tiago Splitter in Friday's All-Star Rising Stars Challenge. Twitter

San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Tiago Splitter, Derrick Favors, All-Star 

Joe Alexander: The Spurs report that Manu Ginobili (oblique) and Tiago Splitter (calf) are both expected to miss two weeks each due to their injuries. Twitter

San Antonio Spurs, Tiago Splitter, Manu Ginobili, Injuries