FIBA World Cup semifinals preview

The FIBA World Cup final four looks a little bit different than many envisioned.

The top-ranked Americans and No. 4 Serbia won't compete for a medal after being knocked out of contention in the quarterfinals. Those nations met for gold at the 2016 Olympics and were both legitimate threats to win it all, but were relegated to a meaningless classification matchup.

Instead, No. 3 France will meet No. 5 Argentina in the semis. French big man Rudy Gobert feasted against the United States with a 21-point, 16-rebound, three-block performance, while Argentina's Luis Scola continued turning back the clock with a team-high 20 points and five boards against Serbia.

On the other side of the bracket, second-ranked Spain and No. 11 Australia took care of business with 12-point victories against underdogs Poland and Czech Republic, respectively, and will face each other in the other semifinal.

Before the next round tips off, here's a look at some key factors that could decide Friday's games.

Australia vs. Spain

Australia has never finished better than fifth at the World Cup, but the country is no stranger to the late stages of a major international competition. Friday's matchup will be a chance at redemption, as six members of this roster competed at the 2016 Olympics, where Australia finished fourth after losing to Spain by one point in the bronze-medal game.

Patty Mills scored 30 points in Australia's heartbreaking loss three years ago and has continued to pace the Boomers with 22.2 points per contest at the World Cup. The veteran guard is among a handful of dual threats on a deep Australia squad, as he, Joe Ingles, and Matthew Dellavedova can all knock down threes and create offense for their big men. Andrew Bogut and Aron Baynes have been the main beneficiaries, often getting high-percentage looks via the pick-and-roll.

However, Spain's stingy defense could be up to the task, having surrendered only 66.2 points per contest, which included shutting down the high-powered Serbian offense. The second-ranked nation is disciplined and thrives by forcing turnovers, scoring 17 points per contest off their opponents' miscues. Spain has also averaged 8.5 steals per game, with four different players tallying at least one per contest.

It helps that the Spaniards boast one of the NBA's premier post defenders in Toronto Raptors center Marc Gasol, who's aided by the increased physicality permitted by FIBA rules. And along with guard Ricky Rubio, the former Defensive Player of the Year also plays a significant role in the Spanish offense. While Gasol is no longer blowing anyone away with his scoring, the 34-year-old's court vision and screen setting is an essential part of Sergio Scariolo's system. With Spain lacking the offensive firepower of years past, the performances of Rubio and Gasol are more important than ever.

France vs. Argentina

The pick-and-roll tandem of Gobert and Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier has packed quite the potent one-two punch for France, as opposing teams have been forced to pick their poison in such situations. When big men are switched onto Fournier, he usually has the speed to blow by them in open space. The mere threat of Fournier turning on the burners often keeps opposing centers at bay, providing ample space for the 6-foot-7 guard to pull up for jumpers or floaters.

The 26-year-old is one of the tournament's top scorers and is shooting a scorching 44.8% from downtown. Fournier does a great job of leveraging his outside stroke to draw extra defenders, which creates scoring opportunities for Gobert and others - directly or indirectly via the hockey assist.

Argentina's Facundo Campazzo will provide a similar challenge for the French defense. The 5-foot-10 guard has been one of the best playmakers at the World Cup, ranking third with eight assists per contest. Campazzo can distribute the ball from just about anywhere on the floor, and from all types of angles.

The Real Madrid star knows he has the quickness to penetrate into the paint and uses that ability to keep defenders off-balance. Campazzo is shooting 43.8% from beyond the arc and has a step-back 3-pointer in his arsenal that the opposition must be mindful of.

Scola has developed a nice rapport with the 28-year-old, particularly in screening actions. The veteran big man remains a lethal pick-and-pop threat, which could put Gobert in some tough situations if Scola is able to get going from distance.