USA vs. Spain Basketball: Must-Win Exhibition for Team USA

When the United States and Spain tip off in an exhibition contest on Tuesday, Team USA must leave anything and everything it's got out on the court. 

Even though the game doesn't actually count in the Olympic standings, it's a must-win for the Americans. In fact, this non-counted game is more crucial than any of the group stage matches will be, seeing as Team USA is realistically all but guaranteed to advance to the elimination rounds. 

The Americans are coming off a disappointing and rather lackluster showing against Argentina, one in which Manu Ginobili and the rest of the Argentines used a late run to narrow the final margin. In fact, Argentina actually would have won the game if the first quarter didn't count. 

All of the Dream Team comparisons will be useless if the Americans can't get it together and start torching the opposition. Winning the first quarter and then allowing the competition to wrestle its way back into the game isn't going to be enough.

So first of all, there's the rebound factor.

I'm not talking about the team's ability to grab the ball after a missed shot—although that is indeed important—but rather the knack for bouncing back after a tough game.

The London Olympics aren't going to be a cakewalk through international competition. Despite Team USA's perceived dominance, they still must face the toughest gauntlet that the world has to offer in 2012.  

After the disappointing outing against Argentina, the Americans must show that they have what it takes to get back on track and face a tough team in the next game. 

"Tough team" might be an understatement when describing this Spanish squad though. That in itself is the other reason that this Tuesday competition becomes a must-win for Team USA. 

Many expect Spain and the USA to square off once more in the Olympics with a lot more on the line—namely international domination and the right to hang gold medals around the necks of the winning squad's players. 

Obviously that game will mean more, but winning the potential preview is quite important. 

The biggest knock against the Americans has been the collective lack of length. For all the greatness shown by LeBron James, Kevin Durant and the other "small" players, Tyson Chandler is the only true center on Team USA. While he's a defensive stalwart, he only possesses a limited ability to score the ball.

Kevin Love and Anthony Davis are the other big men on the roster, but each has limitations as well. Love isn't a great defender and doesn't offer the post presence necessary for Team USA, while The Unibrow hasn't actually played a single game at the NBA level yet. 

Spain, on the other hand, is a team chock full of big men.

Between Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, the Spanish team is the only squad with the arsenal of big options necessary to make Team USA pay for its challenges in the size department. 

Even though the exhibition is, well, just an exhibition, it's so much more than that.

Team USA has a chance to prove itself against the true upper echelon of the international teams, assert itself against superior length and size, and demonstrate that it can show a bit of resiliency after a tough, close win. 

As much as any exhibition match can be a must-win, this truly is one.