Group A
Argentina
FIBA Ranking: 3rd
Head Coach: Julio Lamas
Key Players: Manu Ginobli, Luis Scola
Olympic Appearances: 6 (2 medals, - Gold in 2004, and Bronze in 2008)
Qualified: 2011 FIBA Americas champion
The Argentinians come to London in search of a third straight Olympic medal, having taken home the Bronze in Beijing four years ago, and stunned the United States at the semi-final stage, before going on to take gold, in Athens. Led by the San Antonio Spurs Manu Ginobli, and a solid supporting cast, look for the Argentines to be among the contenders once again. Luis Scola, now a member of the Phoenix Suns, will providing scoring for them at the four. His game translates very well to international, as one might expect, and he has become a dominant force in international play over the last decade. Argentina possess excellent depth at the swingman positions with Carlos Delfino and former Chicago Bull Andres Nocioni making up the positional rotation. They are also pretty solid at the point with new Knicks' signing Pablo Prigioni taking that role, though Ginobli will likely be given most of the ball-handling duties. Argentina's greatest weakness looks to be their interior defense. They have no real quality players to fill in at the center position, where they have lost Fabricio Oberto to retirement. Scola's scoring will help offset some of their defensive issues early on, but as the tournament progresses, the may struggle some, particularly against teams with big front-lines such as Spain and the USA.
Argentina's preparation for the tournament has gone well. They used the South American Championships in June, as somewhat of a try-out for fringe players looking to make the Olympic roster, and in doing so found some possibly valuable contributors in Marcos Mata and Leandro Gutierrez. They did this while winning five straight games to take the tournament title, and though the standard of opposition was poor, it will a confidence boost nonetheless. Their NBA veterans should also be well rested up heading into the Olympic tournament. Manu Ginobli was the only Argentine representative in the NBA Playoffs, but Spurs coach Greg Popovich has done an excellent job on managing his rotations all year, and this, combined with the fact that Manu missed a chunk of the season through injury, suggest that the San Antonio guard should be fresh and ready to go, when the tournament begins.
Depth Chart
Depth Chart
I think Argentina are likely to play Brazil or Russia at the quarter-final stage, in what would a fascinating contest. Argentina are a better all around team than Brazil, but I don't know how they'd deal with the size Brazil possess up-front. Argentina will need big games from Ginobili and Prigioni on the perimeter if they're to beat Brazil. As for Russia, again Argentina have more all-round talent, but they are an aging team, and the Russians have a very nice inside-outside balance about them. Their ability to stretch the floor and bang down low will cause Argentina problems. There will be very little between any of those three teams should they meet at these games, but I think the younger legs and interior presence might just trump the Argentines, on this occasion.
Tournament Prospects: Lithuania go into this tournament at the lowest ebb in recent years, and while I don't think they're a contender, I do expect them to surprise a few people, and get back closer to the level they played at two years ago. Despite their recent loss to Nigeria, they should be able to overturn that result and qualify for the quarter-finals easily. Where the finish in the group though is crucial, given that Spain will likely be lurking in the next round to play the fourth-place qualifier. That means Lithuania will need a big win, likely against either France of Argentina, to try get a better draw in the quarter-finals. If they can do that though, they're likely to face a beatable opponent like Russia or China in the next round, and give themselves a realistic shot at keeping alive their semi-final streak. Most likely though, the Lithuanians will struggle to be a medal contender. I just can't look past their lack of a quality perimeter player and ultimately this will their undoing. A quarter-final defeat looks their most likely outcome.
FIBA Ranking: 21st
France
FIBA Ranking: 12th
Head Coach: Vincent Collet
Key Players: Tony Parker, Nicholas Batum
Olympic Appearances: 5 (no medals)
Qualified: 2011 FIBA EuroBasket runner-up
The French remain bullish about their medal hopes at these games, though realistically they've done well to be here, with of the top ten teams in FIBA's world rankings falling to make the cut (4th Greece, 6th Turkey, 7th Italy, and 8th Serbia). France do have a talented squad however with a lot of NBA talent. The French are led by their enigmatic point guard Tony Parker. Parker seemed in danger of missing these games after injuring his eye just weeks ago during the crossfire of the now infamous Drake/Chris Brown bar fight. Parker has been cleared to play which is a major boost to a French team which has already lost probably their second best player, in Joakim Noah. France will really miss Noah and the energy and defensive presence he provides. They do have other talents though. Look for Nicolas Batum to take on much of the scoring burden alongside Parker. The Blazers swingman is very gifted offensive player and he should really be able to light up the score board at these games. Up-front, the French have a very capable rotation of NBA talents - Kevin Seraphin (Washington Wizards), Ronny Turiaf (Miami Heat), and Boris Diaw (San Antonio Spurs). Diaw's game, in particular, translates excellently to international play. He can play any position on the floor and has a solid inside-outside game. His deft shooting touch and ball-handling skills make him an excellent international big man. It's a pity he won't be playing alongside Noah up-front, as they would have been an ideal pairing together on the floor. On the perimeter, look for new San Antonio Spurs signing Nando De Colo to show flashes of class of the bench. He will be asked to play a major role now, with Mikael Pietrus out. Pietrus will be another big loss for France and they'll miss his experience, though his older brother Florent is on the team.
Depth Chart
Tournament Prospects: The French surprised many in reaching last year's EuroBasket final, and thus assuring themselves of a place at these games. However, the injuries to Noah and Pietrus, strip them of two starters and extremely valuable players. The should still be competitive, and given that the top four teams qualify from each group, they'll only have to beat the two African nations to make the quarter-finals. They should do that with ease though I can't see them progressing any further, as they'll likely face Spain in the quarter-finals. France are interesting dark horse, who could pull off a shock or two, if things go their way but if they win a medal it would be a huge surprise. A brave quarter-final exit is my predication.
The French remain bullish about their medal hopes at these games, though realistically they've done well to be here, with of the top ten teams in FIBA's world rankings falling to make the cut (4th Greece, 6th Turkey, 7th Italy, and 8th Serbia). France do have a talented squad however with a lot of NBA talent. The French are led by their enigmatic point guard Tony Parker. Parker seemed in danger of missing these games after injuring his eye just weeks ago during the crossfire of the now infamous Drake/Chris Brown bar fight. Parker has been cleared to play which is a major boost to a French team which has already lost probably their second best player, in Joakim Noah. France will really miss Noah and the energy and defensive presence he provides. They do have other talents though. Look for Nicolas Batum to take on much of the scoring burden alongside Parker. The Blazers swingman is very gifted offensive player and he should really be able to light up the score board at these games. Up-front, the French have a very capable rotation of NBA talents - Kevin Seraphin (Washington Wizards), Ronny Turiaf (Miami Heat), and Boris Diaw (San Antonio Spurs). Diaw's game, in particular, translates excellently to international play. He can play any position on the floor and has a solid inside-outside game. His deft shooting touch and ball-handling skills make him an excellent international big man. It's a pity he won't be playing alongside Noah up-front, as they would have been an ideal pairing together on the floor. On the perimeter, look for new San Antonio Spurs signing Nando De Colo to show flashes of class of the bench. He will be asked to play a major role now, with Mikael Pietrus out. Pietrus will be another big loss for France and they'll miss his experience, though his older brother Florent is on the team.
Depth Chart
Tournament Prospects: The French surprised many in reaching last year's EuroBasket final, and thus assuring themselves of a place at these games. However, the injuries to Noah and Pietrus, strip them of two starters and extremely valuable players. The should still be competitive, and given that the top four teams qualify from each group, they'll only have to beat the two African nations to make the quarter-finals. They should do that with ease though I can't see them progressing any further, as they'll likely face Spain in the quarter-finals. France are interesting dark horse, who could pull off a shock or two, if things go their way but if they win a medal it would be a huge surprise. A brave quarter-final exit is my predication.
Lithuania
FIBA Ranking: 5th
Head Coach: Kęstutis Kemzūra
Key Players: Jonas Valunciunas, Linas Kleiza
Olympic Appearances: 6 (3 medals - bronze in 1992, 1996, and 2000)
Qualified: 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying participant
Things were looking rosy for Lithuanian basketball a year ago. The were fresh off a third-place finish at the FIBA World Championships in 2010, and were one of the favourites heading into Eurobasket 2011 - a tournament they were hosting. However since then, they're fortunes have taken a turn for the worse. The were eliminated from EuroBasket by a Bo McCaleb inspired Macedonia, and have struggled to regain their confidence since. Lithuania qualified for these Olympic games through the FIBA qualifying tournament in Venezuela a few weeks ago, and though they were excellent in the crucial games there, the group stage loss they suffered at the hands of Nigeria, is very worrying. They'll have to face Nigeria again, here at the Olympic games, and most likely Lithuania will need to overcome them to have any realistic chance of progressing to the knockout rounds. The Lithuanians have a proud tradition to uphold, having been to the semi-final stages in every games, since the country gained independence from the USSR in 1991. To make the semi-finals again, will be a tough ask, though it is by no means impossible. Lithuania's strength lies inside with their bigs, notably the Toronto Raptors pair - Jonas Valanciunas and Linas Kleiza. Kleiza showed the basketball world what he was capable of doing in 2010 when he led his country to bronze at the World Championships, averaging 19.0 ppg. Lithuania will need more of the same from Kleiza if they're to be a force at these games. Alongside him up front, much will be expected from Raptors rookie center Valunciunas. The hype surrounding Valunciunas is building as he prepares to make his debut in the NBA next season. He went 5th in the 2011 Draft, though his stock has improved considerably since and most scouts believe he would have been the consensus No. 2 pick had he been in this year's draft instead. That said, Lithuania will be asking Valunciunas took on a very heavy load for a player who's just turned 20. They'll be depending on him to be their primary rebounder and banger. He's a nice fit alongside Kleiza as he'll be able to play in the post some and give the defense honest, while Kleiza plays more of an outside shooting European-power-forward kind of role. The Lithuanians have a very solid cast of role players all around but they lack star quality on the perimeter. Veteran point guard Šarūnas Jasikevičius, has been a magnificent servant to his country, but his best basketball is well behind him. Nonetheless, he'll be expected to make an impact off the bench and provide some added scoring.
Depth Chart
Things were looking rosy for Lithuanian basketball a year ago. The were fresh off a third-place finish at the FIBA World Championships in 2010, and were one of the favourites heading into Eurobasket 2011 - a tournament they were hosting. However since then, they're fortunes have taken a turn for the worse. The were eliminated from EuroBasket by a Bo McCaleb inspired Macedonia, and have struggled to regain their confidence since. Lithuania qualified for these Olympic games through the FIBA qualifying tournament in Venezuela a few weeks ago, and though they were excellent in the crucial games there, the group stage loss they suffered at the hands of Nigeria, is very worrying. They'll have to face Nigeria again, here at the Olympic games, and most likely Lithuania will need to overcome them to have any realistic chance of progressing to the knockout rounds. The Lithuanians have a proud tradition to uphold, having been to the semi-final stages in every games, since the country gained independence from the USSR in 1991. To make the semi-finals again, will be a tough ask, though it is by no means impossible. Lithuania's strength lies inside with their bigs, notably the Toronto Raptors pair - Jonas Valanciunas and Linas Kleiza. Kleiza showed the basketball world what he was capable of doing in 2010 when he led his country to bronze at the World Championships, averaging 19.0 ppg. Lithuania will need more of the same from Kleiza if they're to be a force at these games. Alongside him up front, much will be expected from Raptors rookie center Valunciunas. The hype surrounding Valunciunas is building as he prepares to make his debut in the NBA next season. He went 5th in the 2011 Draft, though his stock has improved considerably since and most scouts believe he would have been the consensus No. 2 pick had he been in this year's draft instead. That said, Lithuania will be asking Valunciunas took on a very heavy load for a player who's just turned 20. They'll be depending on him to be their primary rebounder and banger. He's a nice fit alongside Kleiza as he'll be able to play in the post some and give the defense honest, while Kleiza plays more of an outside shooting European-power-forward kind of role. The Lithuanians have a very solid cast of role players all around but they lack star quality on the perimeter. Veteran point guard Šarūnas Jasikevičius, has been a magnificent servant to his country, but his best basketball is well behind him. Nonetheless, he'll be expected to make an impact off the bench and provide some added scoring.
Depth Chart
Tournament Prospects: Lithuania go into this tournament at the lowest ebb in recent years, and while I don't think they're a contender, I do expect them to surprise a few people, and get back closer to the level they played at two years ago. Despite their recent loss to Nigeria, they should be able to overturn that result and qualify for the quarter-finals easily. Where the finish in the group though is crucial, given that Spain will likely be lurking in the next round to play the fourth-place qualifier. That means Lithuania will need a big win, likely against either France of Argentina, to try get a better draw in the quarter-finals. If they can do that though, they're likely to face a beatable opponent like Russia or China in the next round, and give themselves a realistic shot at keeping alive their semi-final streak. Most likely though, the Lithuanians will struggle to be a medal contender. I just can't look past their lack of a quality perimeter player and ultimately this will their undoing. A quarter-final defeat looks their most likely outcome.
Nigeria
FIBA Ranking: 21st
Head Coach: Ayo Bakare
Key Players: Ike Diogu, Al-Farouq Aminu
Olympic Appearances: 1 (This will be Nigeria's first appearance)
Qualified: 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying participant
Nigeria will make their first appearance in the Olympic basketball tournament when they take to the court in London. They surprised everybody by storming through the recent qualifying tournament, beating Lithuania, Greece and an Al Horford-led Dominican Republic along the way. The key to Nigeria's success in qualifying was the additions of Al-Farouq Aminu and Ike Diogu, two quality NBA players, who had not represnted Nigeria in last years AfroBasket tournament. Their presence has transformed this Nigerian team into an outfit that none of their Group A opponents will be able to take for granted. Nigeria will be hungry to build on their recent success, and though the won't be favoured, a quarter-final, is by no means out of the question. They beat Lithuania as recently as a month ago, and with France not at full strength, the Nigerians have a window, albeit a small one, of opportunity. The key though, will be their match-up with fellow Africans, Tunisia. Unless they can win that game, Nigeria can't dare to dream. The big question for Nigeria is where the help will come from, to support their two leading players. The unavailability of Ime Udoka is a major blow for Nigeria in this sense. He was their catalyst over the also number of years, and he could have really added something to this Nigerian team. That said, Udoka didn't play in the qualifying tournament and has never been part of this Nigerian team in its current incarnation, so how much they'll miss him is up for debate. Nigeria will need some of their role players to step up though and really make an impact if they're to have any shot of reaching the knockout rounds. They have a solid point guard rotation in Tony Skinn and Ade Daganduro, and Derrick Obasohan will be a big-time scorer, whether he starts or comes off the bench.
Depth Chart
Nigeria will make their first appearance in the Olympic basketball tournament when they take to the court in London. They surprised everybody by storming through the recent qualifying tournament, beating Lithuania, Greece and an Al Horford-led Dominican Republic along the way. The key to Nigeria's success in qualifying was the additions of Al-Farouq Aminu and Ike Diogu, two quality NBA players, who had not represnted Nigeria in last years AfroBasket tournament. Their presence has transformed this Nigerian team into an outfit that none of their Group A opponents will be able to take for granted. Nigeria will be hungry to build on their recent success, and though the won't be favoured, a quarter-final, is by no means out of the question. They beat Lithuania as recently as a month ago, and with France not at full strength, the Nigerians have a window, albeit a small one, of opportunity. The key though, will be their match-up with fellow Africans, Tunisia. Unless they can win that game, Nigeria can't dare to dream. The big question for Nigeria is where the help will come from, to support their two leading players. The unavailability of Ime Udoka is a major blow for Nigeria in this sense. He was their catalyst over the also number of years, and he could have really added something to this Nigerian team. That said, Udoka didn't play in the qualifying tournament and has never been part of this Nigerian team in its current incarnation, so how much they'll miss him is up for debate. Nigeria will need some of their role players to step up though and really make an impact if they're to have any shot of reaching the knockout rounds. They have a solid point guard rotation in Tony Skinn and Ade Daganduro, and Derrick Obasohan will be a big-time scorer, whether he starts or comes off the bench.
Depth Chart
Tournament Prospects: Nigeria face an uphill battle to make it out the group stages, though the should be competitive for the most part. Their opening game, against Tunisia, on July 29th will set the tone for how the fare in the competition at large. If the lose that game, they'll likely end up with the Group A 'wooden spoon', but win that opening match-up, and Nigeria know they'll probably only need one more win from their remaining four games to sneak into the next round. The USA game is a write-off, and they'll be blown out, but the have a chance in each of the other match-ups, particularly against Lithuania. Ultimately, I think they'll come up just short, but I do expect them to beat Tunisia. All in all, just qualifying for this tournament has been a massive success story for Nigerian basketball, and if they can go home with just one win, or even six respectable defeats, they'll surely be satisfied with their participation.
Tunisia
FIBA Ranking: 32nd
Head Coach: Adel Tlatli
Key Players: Salah Mejri, Radhouane Slimane
Olympic Appearances: 1 (This will be Tunisia's first appearance)
Qualified: 2011 FIBA Afrobasket Champions
Easily the biggest surprise participant at these games, the Tunisians qualified by winning their first-ever AfroBasket title in Madagascar last summer. That alone was a stunning achievement in itself, as the broke Angola's magnificent run of six straight African championships. Competing at the Olympic games however, will be a whole other level of competition for Tunisian basketball. Their only previous appearance at worldwide international tournament came in the 2010 FIBA World Championships, where they were somewhat less that successful. The Tunisians endured a harsh welcome to international competition in losing all five of their pool games by double digits, while being eliminated with the tournament's worst record. Tunisia's ability to be competitive as this games will be very much dependent upon the performance of their big men Salah Mejri and Radhouane Slimane. Mejri was the tournament MVP for Tunisia at last year's afrobasket tournament, and he will provide them with scoring and rebounding from the center position. They'll need him to match last summer's performances, just to be competitive. Slimane, is a more devisive character. The enigmatic forward is arguably Tunisia's most talented player, possessing an excellent combination of size and skill, but his behaviour has often been called into question. Slimane's on-court demeanor can be very agressive, - excessively so, and often to the detriment of his game, and the team's overall performance. He left the national team in 2007, but has since returned and is showing some willingness to be more of a team player. His contributions were enormously important in Tunisia's AfroBasket success, and they will need more of the same from him if they are to make an impact on London 2012. Mejri and Slimane may be their standout players, but Tunisia is one of the nations at these games, who really lack a true star player, with the ability to carry their team. Thus, they'll need big performances all round, and will hope that some of their supporting cast can exceed expectations. They lack depth though, and will struggle to get those kind of contributions. One player who make be capable of taking on some of the scoring load at least is forward Makrem Ben Romdhane. Ben Romdhane is one of four team members who plays his club basketball with Étoile Sportive du Sahel in the Tunisian domestic league. He may be able to take some of attention away from Merji and Slimane, but Tunisia are still sorely lacking in talent, especially on the perimeter.
Tournament Prospects: Tunisia are the lowest ranked of all the competing nations, and in all honestly, look by far the weakest. Some will say that Nigeria are at a similar level, but the Nigerians proved in the qualifying competition, that they can compete with and beat top class teams. Tunisia have yet to prove that, though their ending of Angola's African dynasty last year was impressive. At these games, the opening game is the key one for Tunisia. There they'll face Nigeria. I do believe Nigeria are a vastly superior team, but realistically this is the one game that Tunisia will feel that have a legitimate shot at winning. If they can do so, that would constitute a successful tournament for them. Progressing beyond the opening group stage seems an impossibility, and given the strength of their opposition in Group A, I find it hard to see them winning even a solitary game.
USA
FIBA Ranking: 1st
Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski
Key Players: LeBron James, Chris Paul
Olympic Appearances: 16 (13 gold medals, 1 silver medal, and 2 bronze medals)
Qualified: 2010 FIBA World Champions
The defending World and Olympic champions, come into these games, unsurprisingly, as the raging hot favourites for the gold medal. That's the way it is with Team USA. Expectations are always high, and anything less than the gold, would be viewed as a catastrophic failure. This USA team though, seems to possess all the right pieces to win their fourteenth Olympic gold medal. In LeBron James, they have a leader who can effect the game without dominating the ball. James won't need 20 shots a night, and will be quite happy to have Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant carry the bulk of the scoring load. Durant will likely start at power forward for the US, as they lack power forward options, but he's well up to the task and his shooting game will fit nicely into a stretch four role. Look for LeBron to take of much of the power forward match-ups defensively against the better teams, as Durant doesn't have the strength on the block to handle Gasol on that end. The beauty of this version of Team USA is that the each player brings something unique to the table and then pieces look like they'll really fit together. Kevin Love will bring rebounding of the bench, and is another guy with the ability to knock down threes. Tyson Chandler and Anthony Davis provide shot blocking and interior presence, and on the wings, the US possess an abundance of elite scorers. Carmelo Anthony, who likely won't start, will surely make an impression. He'll stil rack up 20-25 ppg coming of the bench. Having a guy like 'Melo who can score so many different ways leaves opponents wondering where to look. It's amazing how good this team is, because when you think about it, they're missing two of their best 5 players - Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose.
Tournament Propects: This USA team will take home the gold. It won't be as easy as many expect, and both Spain and Argentina could put it up to them, but USA are simply to talented and too experience. The presence of so many of the players who won gold in Beijing four years ago will be a major benefit, and should some of the younger players to keep focus at their first Olympic games. USA should win this group, though they may be tested at some point. After that they'll likely face the fourth (and weakest) qualifier from Group B in the quarter-finals. The only worry I would have about team USA is up front. If one of their big men gets injured, they could struggle a little. Anthony Davis is young, and they don't want to have to rely on him for huge minutes. They'll need Chandler to stay healthy, and hope that LeBron's all round game can make up for some of the deficiencies.
The defending World and Olympic champions, come into these games, unsurprisingly, as the raging hot favourites for the gold medal. That's the way it is with Team USA. Expectations are always high, and anything less than the gold, would be viewed as a catastrophic failure. This USA team though, seems to possess all the right pieces to win their fourteenth Olympic gold medal. In LeBron James, they have a leader who can effect the game without dominating the ball. James won't need 20 shots a night, and will be quite happy to have Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant carry the bulk of the scoring load. Durant will likely start at power forward for the US, as they lack power forward options, but he's well up to the task and his shooting game will fit nicely into a stretch four role. Look for LeBron to take of much of the power forward match-ups defensively against the better teams, as Durant doesn't have the strength on the block to handle Gasol on that end. The beauty of this version of Team USA is that the each player brings something unique to the table and then pieces look like they'll really fit together. Kevin Love will bring rebounding of the bench, and is another guy with the ability to knock down threes. Tyson Chandler and Anthony Davis provide shot blocking and interior presence, and on the wings, the US possess an abundance of elite scorers. Carmelo Anthony, who likely won't start, will surely make an impression. He'll stil rack up 20-25 ppg coming of the bench. Having a guy like 'Melo who can score so many different ways leaves opponents wondering where to look. It's amazing how good this team is, because when you think about it, they're missing two of their best 5 players - Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose.
Tournament Propects: This USA team will take home the gold. It won't be as easy as many expect, and both Spain and Argentina could put it up to them, but USA are simply to talented and too experience. The presence of so many of the players who won gold in Beijing four years ago will be a major benefit, and should some of the younger players to keep focus at their first Olympic games. USA should win this group, though they may be tested at some point. After that they'll likely face the fourth (and weakest) qualifier from Group B in the quarter-finals. The only worry I would have about team USA is up front. If one of their big men gets injured, they could struggle a little. Anthony Davis is young, and they don't want to have to rely on him for huge minutes. They'll need Chandler to stay healthy, and hope that LeBron's all round game can make up for some of the deficiencies.
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