GRAN CANARIA (Paulo Kennedy's View from Downunder) - It is Augustus Caesar who is attributed with the timeless quote 'Hasten slowly'.

It was reportedly the Tibetan poet Milarepa who expanded that to 'Hasten slowly and ye shall soon arrive'.

Whichever the Australian Boomers and New Zealand Tall Blacks choose to hang on their locker room wall, that message will hold the key to their success.

It's that time, just hours from the start of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, to quote poets and try to become a prophet.

After a dismal attempt at picking winners in 2010, the London Olympics provided me a greater return, so here I am once again guessing how it will all end.

Firstly though, a quick look at the two teams from Downunder and how they have built towards Saturday's massive openers - the Aussies against Slovenia and Tall Blacks v Turkey.

A win in those games will open the door for a top two pool finish.

Daring to be different
Both teams have adopted a fast-paced style that is consistent with how basketball is played in this part of the world.

For New Zealand coach Nenad Vucinic it was by necessity given the withdrawals of centres Steve Adams and Alex Pledger, but in truth he has been heading in that direction.

The ultra-astute Vucinic recognised the type of young players New Zealand is developing and worked hard to marry their instinctive style with his disciplined approach.

This year though, he has pushed his team to take more risks to get the ball moving early and often to keep less mobile defences off balance.

In the Boomers camp, coach Andrej Lemanis came to the job with a clear vision, but his faster game starts more from smart aggression at the defensive end, followed by aggressive run-out in transition. Both teams have impressed in lead-up games.

The Tall Blacks have been consistent, shot at an impressive rate and successfully kept opponents off the offensive boards.

The Boomers have been up-and-down. At times they have forced opposition teams into uncomfortable situations and speeds, at others they look like a team still getting to know each other.

Both line-ups have looked tough to guard when they use their angled ball-screens in transition and/or or get early post-catches, making the defence play from the first second of the shot clock and moving the ball until an open look appears.

The downside of this attacking style, of course, is turnovers, and that is the dirtiest of words in cut-throat international games.

Augustus Caesar is considered by some as the man who built Rome. But he didn't do it in a day, and neither the Boomers nor Tall Blacks will win big games in a play.

If Australia pick the right moments to trap aggressively and others to just slow the ball down, their disruptive defence becomes more difficult to deal with.

If both teams hasten slowly, pushing the ball but picking when to be aggressive at the rim and when to move the ball with caution, their multi-faceted players will be tough to guard.

Predictions:
8 France
Things have crashed back to earth for the French after last year’s triumph. No Tony Parker, Joakim Noah, Alexi Ajinca, Nando De Colo and now Ian Mahinmi for this tournament. That makes it tough.

Mind you, Nicolas Batum, Mickael Gelabale and Boris Diaw are no mugs, and this team's athletic defence will win them tough games, and there are plenty of those on their side of the draw.

7 Australia
When Aron Baynes and Nathan Jawai get good service around the rim they are near impossible to stop. When Chris Goulding and Ryan Broekhoff get open shots you can put your glasses down.

The big question is can Matthew Dellavedova and Joe Ingles rediscover the consistent playmaking form they showed at London 2012 to create these looks for their teammates? If they can the top eight beckons.

6 Lithuania
Post-Mantas Kalnietis, a medal looks a lot harder for the Green Machine, but Lithuania still have the bigs, shooters and aggressive defence to make noise.

The lack of playmaking could hurt them in a big game, but funnily enough, four years ago Kalnietis wasn’t considered ready for the starting point guard role, so maybe Sarunas Vasiliauskas will take this opportunity with two hands as Mantas did?

5 Greece
No Vasilis Spanoulis leaves a hole because all the other pieces appear in place. Their pre-tournament form has been impressive, reminding many of the ruthless Greek teams of the previous decade.

I can't help but feel the big-game experience so many of these players have from year upon year in the Euroleague playoffs will help them through some tough spots.

4 Slovenia
Without Erazem Lorbek, Mirza Begic, Gaspar Vidmar and Bostjan Nachbar the frontcourt is undoubtedly thin, but the Slovenian's side of the draw has opened up, Goran Dragic is that good and his teammates know their roles.

If they can still get their fair share of offensive boards without being exposed the other way in transition, their ability to execute in the halfcourt could sneak them into the top four.

3 Brazil
The South Americans’ time is now. With 11 players aged 28 or over this group - which was mostly together way back at the 2006 version of this event - will not get another chance to medal at this tournament.

Their talent is unquestionable, but their three-point shooting is. A final four berth could be theirs if they can punish the sagging defences, although another knockout date with nemesis Argentina looms.

2 USA
I suspect Coach K loves this challenge more than helping LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Co to gold. He excels at keeping the game simple and putting his players in positions where they excel.

The young talent at his disposal is exceptional, and what a privilege it will be to watch Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins and Co find their groove internationally.

They appear destined for another classic date with the Spaniards.

1 Spain
Pau Gasol 34, Juan Carlos Navarro 34, Jose Calderon 32, home-court advantage, an inexperienced US team - there will not be another opportunity like this for Spain for a long, long time.

There are plenty of danger games in pool play, but the Spaniards know better than anyone how to navigate their way through that and still bump into the US on the final day.

Will their stars produce on that day? I suspect they might, but it shapes as another classic.

Paulo Kennedy

FIBA

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