RIO DE JANEIRO (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - You know what happened the last time the USA team stayed on a boat during the Olympics? They made it to the Semi-Finals but lost to Argentina.

It happened in 2004, when Larry Brown's side slipped up against Puerto Rico and Lithuania in the Preliminary Round and then Argentina.

If fans of Spain want to cling to the hope that perhaps a bad night's sleep on the Silver Cloud cruise ship that has been the digs for the Americans in Rio might have a ripple effect and sink the USA's bid of a winning a third straight gold medal, well, they're entitled to.

But they should remember that even during that disappointing year for USA Basketball in 2004, the Americans still beat Spain.

"We have to walk away feeling like we've left everything on the court, having done what we could." - Spain coach Sergio Scariolo

They won 102-94 in the Quarter-Finals to send a Spain team that had Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Jose Manuel Calderon, Felipe Reyes and Rudy Fernandez (yes, they were all playing in that team 12 years ago!) crashing out of medal contention despite the side having gone unbeaten in the Preliminary Round.

So in 2016, Spain and the USA face each other at an Olympic Games for the fourth time in row.

This time, it's the Americans that are undefeated while Spain are 4-2.

No seasickness for the unbeaten USA so far in Rio

Both teams appear to be in their stride because in the Quarter-Finals, the Spaniards destroyed an out-of-sorts France, 92-67, and the USA stormed to a 105-78 triumph over Argentina.

Spain coach Sergio Scariolo, who also coached the team in 2012 when the Americans beat them in the London Final, 107-100, has a clear idea about what he wants when his players go up against two-time defending champions.

"We have to walk away feeling like we've left everything on the court, having done what we could," he said on Thursday.

"Our commitment and our hope has to be knowing that we have done everything that was in our hands. We also have to think there will be another game."

That next game will be for gold for the winners and bronze for the losers.

Spain's players seem to be loose going into the crunch game. Nikola Mirotic, who ripped France to shreds with 23 points, took to the social media for some playful ribbing of his Chicago Bulls teammate, USA's Jimmy Butler.

For the USA, there are plenty of players that can step up and make plays against Spain. Klay Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins, Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan were on the American team that romped to the world title two days ago and 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup MVP Irving has been consistently excellent in Rio.

But the player that could be in the process of helping the USA realize their full potential is Kevin Durant. If the team had to grind out narrow triumphs over Australia, Serbia and France, Durant's return to form against Argentina suggests the USA are now going to be much tougher opposition in the knockout stages.

Durant was 7 of 9 from 3-point range and led all scorers with 27 points in the Quarter-Final win. The secret, he says, is that he has decided not to put pressure on himself. He is not burdened by expectations.

"It may be different for other players, but for me, I'm way more free, more aggressive and the game is way more fun for me if I don't care about the outcome," he said. "I know if I just go out there and be who I am, the outcome will dictate itself. I just try to play and be free."

USA v Spain, World No. 1 against World No. 2. It's the Semi-Finals, and it's going to be interesting.

FIBA