Previewing Keys to Every Preliminary Round Team USA Basketball Olympics Matchup

With the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic games in London set for July 27, the Team USA men's basketball team is under immense pressure to bring back the gold.

Shooting guard Kobe Bryant even compared this squad to the original Dream Team, saying that this year's team could beat the hallowed 1992 squad.

But in order to even get into the conversation, Team USA has to get through the group stage, which starts on July 29.

Joining Team USA in Group A is Tunisia, Nigeria, France, Lithuania and Argentina.  What does the American squad need to do to escape group play unscathed?  Here's a look at the keys to every preliminary round matchup.  

Team USA Group Stage Schedule

July 29:  France at 2:30 p.m. BST

July 31:  Tunisia at 10:15 p.m. BST

August 2:  Nigeria at 10:15 p.m. BST 

August 4:  Lithuania at 2:30 p.m. BST

August 6:  Argentina at 10:15 p.m. BST

Tunisia (FIBA Ranking: 32)

Don't Be Overconfident

Tunisia is playing in their first Olympic games in London and are the only team in Group A without at least one NBA player on its roster.  

In other words, they're the equivalent of a "just happy to be here" 16-seed in the NCAA tournament.

That doesn't mean Team USA can sleepwalk through their matchup, though.

How a team plays against its lowest competition is often a reflection of how much effort they're willing to give throughout a tournament.  If Team USA comes out sluggish against an overmatched Tunisian squad, they might be in trouble.  

Any victory by fewer than 30 points is a disappointment here.  

Nigeria (FIBA Ranking: 21)

Stop Ike Diogu

The Nigerian team might have been the last to qualify for a spot in London, but their talent is nothing to be scoffed at.

After emphasizing recruitment of American players of Nigerian descent, the team has been on a meteoric rise up the FIBA rankings.

The squad they're taking to London is led by former NBA lottery pick Ike Diogu, now a member of Capitanes de Arecibo, a team in Puerto Rico's top basketball league.

The 28-year-old Diogu has thrived thus far in international competition, scoring 25 points in Nigeria's berth-clinching win over the Dominican Republic.  His strong lower body and NBA experience could make Diogu an interesting matchup for Team USA.

More than likely, he'll be overwhelmed by NBA talent once again. But playing against Diogu could be a barometer of how weak the American interior truly is.

France (FIBA Ranking: 12)

Stifle Tony Parker and the New Spurs Connection

Parker and forward Boris Diaw spent the May and June months in San Antonio competing for an NBA championship and will now carry over that connection to the quest for gold in London.

Additionally, the Spurs signed backup French guard Nando de Colo earlier this offseason, making things pretty interesting if the three teammates ever see the court together.  If you think Parker and Diaw aren't giving De Colo special practice attention in preparation for next season, you'd be mistaken.

No Joakim Noah?  Take It to the Hole

With the Chicago Bulls center pulling out of the games in London due to a lingering ankle injury, the French team is stuck without Noah's rim protecting presence.  In his place is Ronny Turiaf, who you might remember as the guy who scored 1.9 points per game in the playoffs for the NBA champion Miami Heat. 

To say that's a downgrade is an understatement on par with saying Kate Upton is cute.  

With the best slashers on the world fortifying the Team USA roster, Turiaf might be in store for a lot of ducking and covering in Group Stage matchup.  

Lithuania (FIBA Ranking: 5)

Play Committed Defense

Lithuania hasn't medaled since the 2000 Olympics in Sydney but has made it to the medal round in each of the country's five Olympic appearances prior to London.

The team is also coming off a dominating performance in the qualifying tournament in Venezuela, where the Lithuanians showed a capability to put on a scoring barrage at a moment's notice.

Heading up the Lithuanian squad is stud Jonas Valanciunas, who will make his NBA debut with the Toronto Raptors next season.  The 6'11" center is seen as a defensive rock for Lithuania and could give Team USA anchor Tyson Chandler some trouble.

Also leading the team is gunning forward Linas Kleiza, the team's leading scorer in all but one qualifying game.  His outside stroke and NBA experience could be vital against a USA squad that isn't the most adept from beyond the arc.

The key to victory for Team USA will be playing committed team defense.  If LeBron James can lock down Kleiza, the rest of the team should be able to focus on frustrating Valanciunas in the post and rotating against ball movement.  

The U.S. will be the favorite, but it's closer than you think.

Argentina (FIBA Ranking: 3)

Learn From the Upcoming Exhibition

Team USA plays Argentina in an exhibition game on July 22, giving both teams ample opportunity to scout one another.  

This gives Team USA a far bigger edge than it does Argentina.  

The Team USA squad is essentially a group of guys thrown together every two years to bring pride back to their country.  That both makes the American squad vulnerable early on and deadly as a tournament progresses and roles are more established.

On the other hand, Argentina's squad has seemingly been together forever.  The Argentinians have eight guys on the roster over the age of thirty, most of whom are playing in their third Olympic games.  In addition, the team has four members of the Peñarol club team 

What that means is the Argentinian team has a comfort level playing together unlike any other team in the tournament.  They have a set rotation, a feel for each other's games and a pecking order down the stretch.

Team USA will get to see that firsthand in their exhibition.  If Coach K and his coaching staff scout Argentina's strategy well, the Americans should have an easier time with the 2008 bronze medalists.