Inside strength v outside strength

PARIS (George Eddy's International Show) - Here's what each team needs to do in the Quarter-Finals to win and go through to the Semi-Finals at the London Olympics.

France have to conquer their inferiority complex against Spain after having been dominated by them the last few years, the same way Michael Jordan had to persevere to one day eliminate Detroit. The French guards and wings have to seriously outplay their Spanish counterparts to make up for the huge Spanish advantage inside due to the absence of Joakim Noah.

France must pressure the passer and front the bigs on defense and even double-team Pau Gasol the second he dribbles. If Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum and Nando De Colo go for about 50 points together with a decent shooting percentage, then France finally will get over the hump. Otherwise, a less serene Spanish team still might squeeze through.

We should note that Spain lost to Brazil despite big games from the Gasol brothers and Serge Ibaka. Spain's biggest need is to find some consistency which is complicated every time Pau takes a breather!

Australia can give the USA some problems if they catch fire from mid-range the way Lithuania did against the Americans.

The Aussies are big and strong inside and when Patrick Mills, David Andersen and Joe Ingles are clicking, they have a balanced attack but their drawback is that they are generally too slow afoot to keep up with the USA thouroughbreds!

The Team USA guards and wings are even more frightening than the ones on the 1992 Dream Team! I see Australia hanging around until the middle of the third quarter which is already pretty darn good.

Russia opposing Lithuania is a classic for many reasons and there certainly won't be any lack of motivation on either side.

Russia is so confident in its own talent and force that they have a tendency to play in spurts when they need to and fall asleep at other times.

They got burned by Australia because of this so they would be smart to build a lead and KEEP it to avoid any Lithuanian miracle comebacks.

The Russian roster consists of two top flight players at each position and coach David Blatt knows how to use them to wear down opponents. His psychological management of their mercurial team personality will be decisive.

Lithuania's roster is not so deep and they would have to play a perfect game using their experience, passing game and cunningness to go through.

Brazil v Argentina is a similar classic match-up from South America with Argentina needing to be cunning like Lithuania and Brazil needing to be consistently forceful like Russia!

In these elimination games, the cream should rise to the top the way it does in the NBA playoffs when it's often the superstars who take over.

Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola might have to go for 60 to push Argentina into the semis but with gems like these two players you never know!

It's interesting to note that in each Quarter-Final you have one team that is stronger inside (Spain, Russia, Brazil and Australia) against an opponent who is better from the outside.

In modern day basketball there is a definite tendency to play more small ball and to give quickness the priority over height.

Will this be confirmed in these quarters? Let the games begin!

George Eddy

FIBA

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