Men's semifinal preview: 3 things to watch for in USA-Spain
Team USA got some critics off its back with a convincing quarterfinal win over onetime scourge Argentina, but things are about to get a lot tougher. In the semis, the U.S. will have to wrangle with the foe that their team staffers reportedly fear more than any other in the Olympic tournament.
Spain got off to a rocky start in Rio, but after dropping their first two contests, they've responded with four straight resounding wins, by an average margin of 25.8 points. The 2015 EuroBasket champs completely dismantled a very good French team in the quarters, and appear to be peaking at the right time.
It's a rematch of the gold-medal games at each of the last two Olympics. Here are three things to watch for in USA-Spain:
Who'll stop Durant?
For all the hiccoughs, close calls, and stern tests the U.S. has dealt with in this tournament, no team has had an answer for Kevin Durant.
The sweet-shooting, 6-foot-11, multi-positional unicorn is shooting 62.1 percent from the field, and a preposterous 66.7 percent from 3-point range in the tournament, while busting out ungodly crossovers and Eurosteps that leave hapless defenders lunging at air.
No other country has a defender with enough size and speed to slow Durant down, and Spain is no different. Rudy Fernandez is too small, Victor Claver too slow-footed, Nikola Mirotic too unathletic, and Felipe Reyes too old. None of those guys is equipped to guard Durant both on the block and in space, and Spain's best approach will likely be to defend him by committee.
Irving's offense or Lowry's defense?
In the quarterfinals, for the first time all tournament, Kyle Lowry got more burn than Kyrie Irving at point guard. The advantages and disadvantages of playing one over the other are plain. Irving is a far more dynamic offensive player, while Lowry brings considerably more tenacity and intuition at the defensive end.
The trade-off has essentially been a wash throughout the Olympics, but given the offensive firepower the rest of the roster possesses (even accounting for the mystifying struggles of Klay Thompson and Draymond Green), it may make sense to turn to Lowry earlier and more often, and generally give him more time with the starters.
Irving has been picked apart by crafty opposing point guards in Rio, from Milos Teodosic to Nando de Colo to Thomas Heurtel to Facundo Campazzo. Ricky Rubio is as capable as any of those guys of breaking down a defense at the point of attack. Lowry's the best antidote the U.S. has.
Will Gasol and Mirotic be exposed?
Mirotic and Pau Gasol have formed the backbone of Spain's offense, and there's no reason to think they won't continue to have success scoring against a relatively porous U.S. frontcourt.
At the other end, though, the Americans can make things pretty tough on the duo by repeatedly attacking them in the pick-and-roll. For various reasons - Gasol for his lack of lateral quickness, Mirotic for his lack of awareness and instinct - both are exploitable on defense.
Gasol, who is apparently nursing a calf injury, should be particularly vulnerable, if he's even able to suit up.