USA vs Spain: 5 Reasons Why NBA Stars Will Cruise in Opening Game

It's time for Team USA to put their game face on. 

Their previous match against Argentina was a good game, but not a great one. 

Sure these are only exhibition games, but if Team USA Basketball wants to show the world that the gold will be theirs in London, the intensity needs to be picked up. 

With that being said, I still wholeheartedly believe that despite the U.S. close game against Argentina, their upcoming match will be a walk in the park. 

Star Power

Team Spain may have the Gasol brothers, but Team USA has nearly every MVP on the NBA's roster ready to show their dominance. 

The Barcelona crowd may be cheering for the home team, but the fact remains that stars on Team USA like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are still international favorites. 

Team USA's star power may not be as influential as the Dream Team's, but it is still there and in key matchups like this it could be an important factor. 

Mental Preparation

Mental preparation is half the battle when it comes to any sport, and although Team USA's mental preparation may have been lacking in the match against Argentina, it looks like things are changing. 

Both Team USA and Team Spain will treat this as an exhibition match—as they should, but when it comes to that mental edge, I think Team USA is more willing to put mind over matter. 

They Know Their Enemy

The Gasol brothers are the two most dominating forces on Team Spain, and while they share the paint with plenty of other great Spanish athletes, as the leaders of the team they are in a vulnerable position given how well acquainted the members of Team USA are with the Gasol brothers. 

In the words of Sun Tzu: 

"

If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles. (The Art of War) 

 

"

Leadership

Although not an official title, LeBron James has been the unofficial captain of Team USA every time he has been with the squad. 

He is one of the few players who can make the shift from NBA superstar to Olympic athlete and is an excellent leader on the court. 

Sure, Team Spain has to Pau Gasol leading them on, but Team USA has a king. 

Near Loss to Argentina

After almost losing to Argentina (86-80), Team USA now knows the subtle tweaks that it needs to in order to create their game winning strategy. 

With every match that this team plays together, they get better, and their match against Spain will be no different. 

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