How are the Pistons doing for the Playoffs? Who do you think is the team to beat?
I think the team is doing well, and while I wasn’t here last year, I think we can definitely repeat our win. I also think that Miami will be the team to beat. We have to work as a team to stop Shaquille. We have a strong player like Ben Wallace for this and we also have Elden Campbell, a strong physical player, who knows Shaquille and who last year played great during the playoffs.

Excluding Miami, what other team from the Eastern Conference do you think is strong?
Well, if we don’t include Miami, I think the rest of the teams are pretty equal. But two teams that I wouldn’t want to face in the playoffs are Indiana and Boston. They are teams to keep an eye on and I think could give us a surprise.

Carlos Delfino (Glenn James/NBAE/Getty Images)

You and Carlos Arroyo were players that shined during the Olympics and now form part of the same team — the Pistons. Do you think you could contribute more to the team if you had more playing time?
I could probably contribute more with more playing time. I think Carlos is doing it well too. During the last game he really showed a high playing level and with a bit more confidence he could probably do it even better. I personally just got back from an injury and I’m just now getting back into the rhythm. So every moment that I’m on the court is beneficial to me to gain more confidence and rhythm for the playoffs. I’m working really hard in all of our practices.

Are you going to play for the national Argentine team for the next pre-qualifiers to the world cup?
I personally always want to play for the national team and unless I have a physical impediment, I’d like to represent my country. It would be my second time playing with the national team, after a great first experience where we won the gold Olympic medal, so I really want to continue playing for my country. As for the other players, I know Manu won’t play and the rest, well, I don’t know, but the fact that we are already classified for the world cup gives some players the opportunity to take a break during the summer.

What do you do to make sure people forget the incident with the Pacers, especially with the possible face off in the playoffs?
I think that everything is a lot calmer now. I think people want to forget that incident and just go to the games to have fun. I think the playoffs are the most important part of the championship, where you see the teams playing at their best and putting on the best show.

What do you think about young players entering the NBA? Do you think there should be an age limit?
I think there have been a lot of players that have entered the league at a very young age and while they haven’t performed as well at the beginning, they eventually go on to perform exceptionally well. With time, most of them have demonstrated that they can play in the league. I think that players that came directly from high school used to be the minority, but we see more and more of these cases now and I really don’t know if this is good or not. I guess it still hasn’t been prohibited.

How can Basketball without Borders benefit basketball in Argentina, considering the progress that the sport has had in the last few years?
I think it not only benefits basketball in Argentina but in all of Latin America as well. The idea of uniting people from the NBA with kids from all over Latin America at a competitive level as well as on a friendship level — to get to know the game and share experiences — will be beneficial to everyone. The fact that it will be in Buenos Aires this year and will feature three Argentine players in the NBA will obviously generate a lot of local attention, so we’ll have to certainly contribute our own experiences of playing in the league to the community.

Who do you prefer as a rival in the Playoffs, Cleveland or Philadelphia?
I personally haven’t thought about a preferred rival for the first round of the playoffs, but I think Cleveland would be a more convenient opponent than Philadelphia, considering they are a younger team and don’t have as much experience. Teams like Philadelphia, New Jersey or Boston that have more experience and you might face on the way, can complicate things a bit, not just in one game, but for the entire series.

How do you feel about participating in an event like Basketball without Borders and acting as a role model to all the young campers that are participating?
It’s an honor for me to have the possibility to participate in an event and clinic like this one. It’s a beautiful thing. I remember when I was younger we didn’t have these types of opportunities and just having one of the players from the Argentina national team come talk to a group of kids was the biggest thing in the world — I would go crazy. I always wanted to be there to listen and learn. And well, now, being on the other side, reminds me of when I was younger. So I’ll try to talk a lot to these kids and share all of my experiences with them that I know can motivate them for when they’re ready to make it big.

What is your relationship like with Larry Brown?
The relationship is professional, I think we’re adults and it’s good this way. You don’t have to be friends with your colleagues; you just come here to work and maximize your potential. My relationship with him is good and as a matter of fact, he played me yesterday. I’ve also heard he likes my work and can give me more playing minutes, which is what I need to regain my rhythm.