USA vs. France: Which Team Has the Advantage at Each Position?

Conventional wisdom suggests there isn't a roster in the 2012 London Summer Olympics that can rival Team USA's talent and depth.

And for once, the conventional wisdom is absolutely right.

Though the United States' machine lacks ideal size on the interior, it has everything else you could possibly want in a Dream Team. From superior passing to elite individual scoring abilities to top-shelf perimeter defense, these guys have it all.

The question isn't whether another squad compares. It's whether anyone can overachieve enough to give Team USA a run for its money.

That said, France is better than advertised. Like Spain and Argentina, the French roster is loaded with NBA talent and the chemistry you'd expect from a group that's played together somewhat extensively over the years.

As a team, France could certainly make some noise. 

Could they also get the better of an individual matchup? Let's take a look at the starting lineups and decide.

Center: Tyson Chandler (USA) vs. Ronny Turiaf (France)

Compared to other positions, this matchup is actually one of the less lopsided. Yes, Chandler is a much better defender, and he'll make it nearly impossible for Turiaf to make any kind of impact on the offensive end of the floor.

But, while Turiaf isn't an elite defender, he can hold his own against Chandler. It's not Chandler's role or disposition to look for his offensive, so Turiaf shouldn't find himself tested too often. The real difference between these two is that Chandler is far more capable of altering shots when slashers find some way to penetrate Team USA's perimeter defense.

Power Forward: LeBron James (USA) vs. Boris Diaw (France)

No disrespect to the very talented Boris Diaw, but this one obviously isn't close. James is the best player on the planet.

Diaw isn't even the best player on his team. 

At the very least, Diaw is mobile enough to more or less follow James around the perimeter. That's more than you can say for a lot of power forwards. Additionally, Diaw's ability to step out and hit the three will keep James honest on the defensive end. 

In other words, things could be a lot worse for France—for whatever that's worth.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant (USA) vs. Mickael Gelabale (France)

Gelabale actually played behind Durant briefly in 2007-08 before tearing his ACL and winding up overseas soon thereafter. Their two careers clearly took different paths.

Nevertheless, Gelabale is a solid athlete in his own right. The 29-year-old is a competent though certainly not elite scorer. But at 6'7", he'll struggle to match Durant's length like so many other forwards in this tournament. 

It wouldn't be surprising to see the longer Nic Batum check Durant on defense while Gelabale tries his hand at stopping Kobe Bryant. That probably won't be any easier.

Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant (USA) vs. Nic Batum (France)

Batum's name and star power may not hold a candle to Bryant's, but don't be surprised if Batum finishes with the better game. 

That certainly doesn't mean he'll have an advantage over Bryant. It just means he'll be more central to France's offense than Kobe will be to the Team USA's. Of course, we all know Bryant can take games over whenever he wants, but he's been content to pick his spots given the wealth of other scorers on his team.

Batum doesn't have that luxury. France will need him to hit the three-ball early and often if they want to keep this game even remotely close.

Point Guard: Chris Paul (USA) vs. Tony Parker (France)

Is Chris Paul the better player? Almost certainly. Will he have the advantage in this matchup?

Don't be so sure.

For one thing, Parker's life was changed by that stray bottle that nearly blinded him, and he's expressed an entirely new outlook on life (no pun intended). For a guy coming off the best season of his career, it's scary to think what he could do with renewed motivation and some patriotic fervor working for him.

Additionally, Paul has taken on a quiet, facilitating role with Team USA while forwards like James, Durant and Carmelo Anthony do most of the heavy lifting. Even Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook have looked more active.

If you take Team USA's depth into account, of course it will have the clear advantage. If you compare Paul and Parker alone, Parker may very well be the one having the more impressive outing.