TheStar.com | Sports | Il Mago’s stoic, but he can play
As bad as he looked on defence now and then, he played with more abandon than he’s usually shown. And he confirmed why he’s going to be employed in the world’s best league for a long time, making a couple of three-pointers when the defence gave him the slightest space.

At one point Garnett glared at him – Garnett’s lips moving in rapid staccato that suggested the ongoing delivery of trash talk in Bargnani’s direction – and the young Italian didn’t shrink. He didn’t talk back. He didn’t change his expression from the usual blank. He did, on the contrary, look stronger than ever, convincingly holding off Garnett in the post more than once. Most important, when he touched the ball on his favoured end of the floor, he pulled Garnett out to the three-point line. He stretched the defence. He either created holes or filled one. He had 13 points on six shots.