Olympic Basketball 2012: Updated Power Rankings for Men's Tournament

With each team playing two games on the men's side of the 2012 Summer Olympic basketball bracket, we're beginning to see which teams actually came to play in London.

Team USA has roared out to 27-point and 47-point victories against France and Tunisia respectively while their supposed biggest threat in Group A, Argentina, got upset by the Frenchmen. 

With just three games left in group play, how have the developments affected our Olympic power rankings? Follow through to find out. 

12. Tunisia (Record: 0-2)

Scoring Differential: Minus-51

Star Player: Forward Makrem Ben Romdhane (17.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG)

While the scrappy Tunisians gave Nigeria a run for their money and did their best "Miracle on Hardwood" impression in the first half against the United States, they remain London's weakest Olympic squad.

Regardless, Romdhane has been nothing short of a revelation for the Tunisian national team.

At just 23 years old, Romdhane has shone in his first Olympic experience. The 6'8" power forward has excelled in the post, backing down defenders with ease at just 230 pounds. Even against the United States, Romdhane's 22 points and 11 rebounds proves he at least belongs on the same court.

For Tunisia, a country playing in its first Olympic Games, coming out with a star like Romdhane should be enough.

11. Great Britain (Record: 0-2)

Scoring Differential: Minus-25

Star Player: Forward Luol Deng (19.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.5 SPG)

The host country came into these Olympic Games with just the 43rd-ranked team in the world, but have come out and put up a strong fight in both of their matchups thus far.

Great Britain hung with the Russians for the odd quarters in their opener, but got destroyed in quarters two and four. But the real heartbreak came in the team's second game, a 67-62 loss to Brazil.

Down just 65-59 with 31 seconds left in the game, British forward Luol Deng went to the free-throw line for three shots and a chance to make it a one possession game. But Deng, who has struggled with his shot in two Olympic Games, clanged the first two and crushed the adoring crowd.

Unfortunately, that nail-biter will probably serve as the Brits last chance to win their first Olympic contest since 1948.

10. Nigeria (Record: 1-1)

Scoring Differential: Minus-23

Star Player: Forward Ike Diogu (12.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 0.5 APG)

While Diogu has certainly been among the biggest individual disappointments in London, he was good enough to lead the Nigerians to their first Olympic victory, a 60-56 nail-biter against Tunisia.

Nigeria has also been the stingiest defensive squad thus far, allowing 64.0 points per contest.

But with the United States' powerhouse squad looming, the days of Nigeria being London's biggest defensive juggernaut are likely numbered.

9. China (Record: 0-2)

Scoring Differential: Minus-35

Star Player: Forward Yi Jianlian (23.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 2.5 BPG)

China's unlucky draw of Spain and Russia in its first two games has made the world's No. 10 team look worse than it actually is thus far in London.

Regardless, the Olympic Games have served as a renaissance game for the oft-derided NBA bust Jianlian.

The 7-footer has looked every bit the player that made him a lottery pick so far in London, dominating inside and out while showing flashes of jaw-dropping athleticism.

You just have to wonder how someone can be so brilliant in the biggest of international stages, but so horrible on the biggest professional stage.

8. Australia (Record: 0-2)

Scoring Differential: Minus-16

Star Player: Guard Patty Mills (16.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.0 APG)

With star center Andrew Bogut out for the 2012 London Games with an ankle injury, the Australians have yet to find a consistent leader.

Mills, the team's leading scorer, has tried to take the reins, but his poor shot selection has made him look like little more than an Australian Allen Iverson (the bad version) thus far.

For Australia to right the ship and get to the medal round, it will either need a more consistent performance from Mills or a player like forward Joe Ingles to step up in the team's last three Group games.

7. France (Record: 1-1)

Scoring Differential: Minus-20

Star Player: Guard Tony Parker (13.5 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.5 SPG)

After a soul-crushing 27-point defeat at the hands of the United States, almost no one would have blamed the Frenchmen for falling to world No. 3 Argentina on Tuesday.

Instead, France put the clamps on the vaunted Argentinian offense and came away with an impressive 71-64 victory.

But if team leader Tony Parker, who has shot just 8-for-28 thus far in London, doesn't find his shot, the French will have a tough time pulling off a similar upset against Lithuania.

6. Brazil (Record: 2-0)

Scoring Differential: Plus-9

Star Player: Guard Marcelo Huertas (14.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 9.0 APG, 1.0 SPG)

Brazil is undefeated after two games in London, but will have to find a more consistent offensive identity to make a Cinderella run.

The Brazilians had to overcome a four-point first quarter to defeat Great Britain Tuesday and did so behind a 21-point performance from center Tiago Splitter. But Splitter's brilliance came after a seven-point, 2-for-10 from the field stinker against Australia.

The only bastion of consistency so far has been Huertas, whose distribution brilliance has kept the dormant Brazil offense off-tilt. If the team can get more consistent performances around Huertas, it could do some damage. But if not, Brazil will likely be a one-and-done come elimination time.

5. Lithuania (Record: 1-1)

Scoring Differential: Minus-4

Star Player: Forward Linas Kleiza (15.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.5 SPG)

After being throttled 102-79 at the hands of Argentina, it was beginning to look like disappointment was on the horizon for the Lithuanians.

But a 19-point romping of Nigeria will hopefully right the ship in time for the world's fifth-ranked team to challenge for a medal.

Key to that resurgence will be center Jonas Valanciunas, whose disappearing act through two games could not have come at a worse time. Lithuania will need a far better performance from the center to compete with Team USA in group play and Spain in a potential elimination matchup.

4. Argentina (Record: 1-1)

Scoring Differential: Plus-16

Star Player: Guard Manu Ginobili (23.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.5 APG, 3.0 SPG)

The Argentinians fell victim to quite possibly the biggest upset of group play, losing 71-64 to France on Tuesday.

And if the team is looking for people to blame, it can simply look everywhere except stars Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola. No one other than those two scored more than seven points against France, as Argentina shot a ghastly 37.1 percent from the field.

While that loss certainly puts a damper on Argentina's closing match against the United States, the team remains one of the best in the tournament and a likely medal contender.

3. Russia (Record: 2-0)

Scoring Differential: Plus-39

Star Player: Forward Andrei Kirilenko (25.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 3.0 SPG, 2.0 BPG)

Coming into London, most expected the Russian national team to be vastly improved from the squad that went 1-4 in Beijing.

But no one expected this level of play.

The Russians have yet to play Spain or Brazil, who look like their two fiercest competitors in Group B. Regardless, a 19-point beatdown of world No. 10 China proves their destruction of host Great Britain was no joke.

The Russians are a menacing defensive squad led by new Minnesota Timberwolves acquisitions Andrei Kirilenko and Alexey Shved. If those two can keep their level of play up, the Russians could wind up shocking the world.

2. Spain (Record: 2-0)

Scoring Differential: Plus-28

Star Player: Forward Pau Gasol (20.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG)

Thus far Spain has done nothing to disprove FIBA's No. 2 world ranking, dismantling China and Australia with relative ease.

No Spanish player is averaging even 25 minutes per contest, and the team's big men look every bit as formidable as advertised.

With lowly host Great Britain up next on the docket, Spain should exude dominance for a third straight game and en route to an undefeated record in group play.

1. United States (Record: 2-0)

Scoring Differential: Plus-74

Star Player: Forward Kevin Durant (17.5 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG)

Slow starts and dominant finishes have been the story for the Team USA basketball squad.

The overwhelming favorites in London outscored France and Tunisia by only a combined seven points in the first quarter, but an overwhelming 67 points in the remaining three.

Leading the pack in nearly every category for Team USA so far is Kevin Durant, who has not only overtaken Carmelo Anthony's starting role, but may replace LeBron James as the team's best player.

With Nigeria up next, the Americans are still a few days away from their first test versus Lithuania. But if their first two games are any indication, we likely won't see any fourth-quarter sweat until the medal round.