Spain beat Nigeria to get their first win in three games in the Olympics, but had to fight for it until the last minute. Needless to say, that’s not what was expected from the European powerhouse, which entered the tournament as Team USA’s biggest threat in the eyes of many.
Olympic basketball schedule 2016: Spain’s men need to beat Lithuania to get back on track
Spain will battle Lithuania while Argentina will face Brazil on a key day for Group B.
Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
The only thing that could change the poor image Spain has created so far would be a decisive victory over Group B leader Lithuania on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.
Spain is still in control of its destiny. Win the next two games and they can finish third in their group and avoid the U.S. until the gold medal game. That's actually a real possibility because, at its best, Spain is still the second-best team in the world. The problem is, that version has barely showed up. There have been short stretches in which Pau Gasol has dominated and the defense has tightened up but those moments have been few and far between. There's also been a concerning lack of poise when it comes to closing down games, something that is not expected from such a grizzled roster.
That type of inconsistent effort and mediocre execution is not going to cut it against Lithuania. The leader of Group B is fresh off a hard-fought win against Argentina in which it showed depth and resilience. New Knicks player Mindaugas Kuzminskas went off for 23 points off the bench while everyone else played their role well. If Spain doesn't show up ready to play, Lithuania will be more than happy to secure the top spot in the group with a win, leaving the two-time silver medalist to face Argentina in the last game with a need to win to even make it to the knockout stage.
In the other games of the group on Saturday, Argentina and Brazil will add another chapter to a storied rivalry. With a win Argentina would clinch a spot in the quarterfinals, while the host nation needs the victory to keep its hopes alive. Croatia, meanwhile, should beat Nigeria to get its third win in four games.
On the women’s side, Australia has already secured the top spot in Group A and will look to end the group stage with a perfect record by beating Belarus. Turkey should beat Brazil handily, which will put a lot of pressure on Japan and France, as they go head-to-head. All three teams are trying to avoid finishing fourth in the group, which would mean facing the U.S. women’s national team in the quarterfinals.
Olympic basketball schedule for Saturday, Aug. 13
Women’s basketball
Australia vs. Belarus, 11:15 a.m. (TV: Basketball Specialty Channel | Streaming: NBC Sports Live)
Turkey vs. Brazil 2:30 p.m. (TV: Basketball Specialty Channel | Streaming: NBC Sports Live)
Japan vs. France, 4:45 p.m. (TV: Basketball Specialty Channel | Streaming: NBC Sports Live)
Men’s basketball
Argentina vs. Brazil 1:15 p.m. (TV: USA Network | Streaming: NBC Sports Live)
Spain vs. Lithuania 6 p.m. (TV: NBCSN, Basketball Specialty Channel | Streaming: NBC Sports Live)
Croatia vs. Nigeria, 9:30 p.m. (TV: Basketball Specialty Channel | Streaming: NBC Sports Live)
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