Talking Sports: Spain out, Lithuania is now Europe's top power; U.S. must be cautious

For the last five or so years, Spain has played second fiddle to the United States as the second-best international basketball team in the world. There have been some memorable dogfights between those two countries, including a couple of championship games.

For years, the Spaniards were the biggest threat to U.S. dominance – featuring the most NBA-star laden roster and the biggest matchup problems for an oft-cocky but superior American team. 

That all changed on Wednesday. France, playing without its top two players in San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker and bruising Chicago Bulls big man Joakim Noah, managed to pull off a stunning upset against a loaded Spanish team. The Gasols, Serge Ibaka, Jose Calderon, Ricky Rubio all played for Espana.

A French roster – headlined by the Spurs’ Boris Diaw, Denver Nuggets’ guard Evan Fournier and Portland Trailblazers forward Nicolas Batum – took it right to the old European kings with a convincing 13-point victory. They’ll now face off against Serbia for a spot in the gold medal game on Sunday. 

Take a breath, America. Relax a little. But let me emphasize the word “little.” Your road to a fifth FIBA gold just got easier—at least for the final game. But team USA had better brace itself for an opponent in the semifinal that is even ahead of France right now. And that’s Lithuania. 

Oh boy, the memories of that close call by the skin of our teeth in the 2012 Summer Olympics. We won 99-94 but needed LeBron James, the best player in the world, to pull out the victory with an outrageous fourth quarter. 

Some of the major differences in this year’s U.S.-Lithuania showdown: the Americans’ old big four of LeBron, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant aren’t playing. But Team USA has done well without them. 

On the Lithuanian side, there’s no Linas Kleiza. Thank goodness. He was an American killer with his deadly quick trigger outside shot. Former NBA point guard Serunas Jasikevicius also won’t play in this game. The Lithuanian version of Steve Nash, Jasikevicius’ on-court instincts and mistake-free play will be missed, especially against the the deepest rotation of guards the U.S. has ever had--well, maybe except for the Dream Team.

Still, the U.S. will have to control a sizable team in the paint. Lithuania boasts possibly the tournament’s best back-to-the-basket big man in third-year NBA vet Jonas Valanciunas of the Toronto Raptors. He’s an elite rebounder and the Americans have yet to deal with someone like him in this tournament.

Team USA has the size to contend though. Anthony Davis, Demarcus Cousins and Kenneth Faried will probably have to be the top 3 American players to win this game. Fortunately, Faried has lived up to his “Manimal” nickname over the past few games and Davis was the Americans’ best player over the first half of the tournament. He’s used to putting up big nights even in the last couple of weeks. 

Lithuania is a remarkably well-coached squad that won’t make many mistakes and scores efficiently using great teamwork and high-percentage shots. They don’t have the Americans’ individual ability at each position, but they’ll make the U.S. work defensively with that extra pass to get a shot five feet closer to the rim.

For a young and relatively inexperienced U.S. squad in international play – that’s evident when you watch guys who are used to NBA officiating styles repeatedly looking stunned when fouls or violations are called – Lithuania presents a much tougher test than France would in the final.

If the Americans want to wear that gold around their necks, they’ll have to play their best game of the tournament against the Lithuanians. A U.S. roster that lacks a true leader and standout superstar – Durant would have been it this year – must play for each other, put egos aside and realize this job must be completed by committee.

If the U.S. can get by the Lithuanians, it will very likely play the French in the final. Without Parker and Noah though, the Americans will have massive advantages both on the perimeter and in the post. Parker and Noah are two guys who would give the U.S. nightmares in their respective roles.

Batum is sneaky and is an all-around scorer who’s athleticism can match that of almost any wing player on the American roster.

Diaw is also crafty vet who played a huge part in the Spurs’ fifth NBA championship victory over the Miami Heat in June. You can bet that if he can perform as well as he did on that level, he can do some damage on the international stage too.

But again, the U.S. needs to focus on the team standing immediately in its way.