USA vs Argentina: 10 Keys to the Game for Team USA's Rematch with Ginobili & Co.

As unbeatable as the United States appears to be, a win against the Argentinians is anything but a forgone conclusion.

Argentina proved as much when losing by just six points in an exhibition game held in Barcelona prior to Olympic play. They did so again in the final game of the preliminary rounds, matching Team USA step for step through the first half.

After 20 minutes of play, Argentina trailed by just one point.

None of that will change the fact that the United States remains the undisputed favorite to win this game. The team's stars will rise to the occasion with the prospect of elimination on the line, and its depth of talent has proven insurmountable for opponents thus far.

Nevertheless, if any team has a real chance to pull out the highly improbable upset, it's Argentina. 

Here are the 10 most decisive factors to keep an eye on.

Who Makes Plays

LeBron James' triple-double against Australia was only the latest reminder that scoring isn't what the three-time MVP does best.

In addition to his defense and impact on the glass, he's one heck of a play-maker. He looks to create opportunities for his teammates, and he does so with incredible precision. For a guy who can play both forward positions, that kind of versatility is rare to say the least.

James won't be the only guy making things happen in this game, though.

Argentina has one of its own in Manu Ginobili. 

The 35-year-old is averaging 4.5 assists through six games of Olympic competition, and he's skilled at running the pick-and-roll or driving and kicking the ball to guys on the perimeter.

Whoever comes out ahead in the play-making department will have a head-start in this game.

Perimeter Pressure

Chris Paul is averaging 2.7 steals over the last six games, and that's only the most obvious example of Team USA's stifling perimeter defense.

The United States is at its best when pressuring ball handlers, jumping into passing lanes and otherwise disrupting the other team's half-court offense before it even has a chance to set a play in motion. It's enabled Team USA to push the tempo and break potentially close games wide open.

Chris Paul certainly isn't the only one making it happen, either.

Kobe Bryant is doing his part, and Russell Westbrook is playing an insanely energetic brand of on-ball defense for the second unit.

Argentina knows how to share the ball and run an offense, but it won't matter if they're struggling just to keep possession.

Bench Play

Team USA has gotten off to more than its share of slow starts, and it's allowed games to remain closer than you might expect.

More often than not, the second unit has changed all that. 

Other clubs just haven't had the depth to keep up. When the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love enter the game, the other side is forced to either keep its starters in or rely on a heavily out-matched bench unit of their own.

That's a lose-lose situation, even for a talented squad like Argentina. 

There's a reason the Argentinians fell apart in a 42-17 third quarter after keeping that fifth preliminary game so close. Team USA's depth simply allows it to be quicker and more aggressive as each game winds on.

When the other side is running out of gas, the United States' fresh legs are just getting started.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant has had an off-and-on Summer Olympics thus far.

At times, he's tried to force the action when there was never any need to. He's put up desperation shots and turned the ball over when he should have been looking to pass and keep the offense in sync.

That said, he absolutely went off in the second half against Australia.

For a brief moment in time, he couldn't miss from behind the arc. The United States could use some of that clutch magic should the contest against Argentina remain close.

It will also need him to play some All-Star defense against Manu Ginobili.

In fact, the team would probably be fine with Kobe not scoring a single point so long as he made life difficult for Manu on the defensive end.

Argentina's Third Option

We know what Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola can do, but it will take a team effort to keep things close against the United States.

That means someone else will need to step up, and that someone will likely be either Carlos Delfino or Andres Nocioni. Ideally, both of them would have big games.

Delfino is averaging over 15 points in these Summer Olympics, and he's one of the team's most dangerous perimeter threats. Though teams are dangerously opting to live and die by three-pointers against Team USA, they really don't have much of a choice.

That puts the pressure on Delfino to have the game of his life.

He's been making 37 percent of his three-point attempts through the last six games, but he'll need to be virtually perfect in this one.

Manu Ginobili

Manu Ginobili will need to do a lot more than make plays.

He'll also need to make a few baskets. He's one of the very few players not on Team USA who can take a game over and score from virtually anywhere. Manu can use his unconventional footwork and finishing ability to act like one of the game's best slashers.

He can hit off-balanced shots from the mid-range.

He can hit contested shots from the perimeter.

That's not to say he does those kinds of things from one game to the next, but this is no ordinary game. The United States will try to deny him the ball and pressure it out of his hands. They'll certainly make his life difficult.

Manu will still have a chance though.

He's as adept at splitting double-teams and drawing fouls as anyone in the NBA. Pressure him at your own risk.

The Post

Luis Scola is averaging nearly 20 points a game in Olympic play, and he's proven a difficult matchup even for teams with their share of talented big men (like Brazil).

It's no secret that Team USA is undersized relatively speaking, at least in the painted area. Anthony Davis hasn't been getting anything other than some garbage minutes, and that's put most of the pressure on Tyson Chandler and LeBron James to guard the post.

Needless to say, they've done pretty well. 

The United States' opponents haven't been able to exploit the perceived vulnerability just yet. 

That said, we saw Australia's David Anderson successfully post up a couple of times in the quarterfinal game, and that's not exactly his bread and butter. If Argentina can get Scola the ball, he might be able to slow the game's tempo and cause some damage.

Ball Movement

There's a reason Kevin Durant is averaging nearly 18 points through his six Olympic contests.

Yes, he's probably the best catch-and-shoot scorer alive, but he's also catching the ball wide open. That's thanks in large part to Team USA's ability to move the ball from side to side on the perimeter via crisp passes that keep defenders off balance.

It's also to do with the fact that guys like Chris Paul, Deron Williams and LeBron James are so well-adept at getting into the paint and kicking the ball to open shooters when the defense collapses.

At times, however, Team USA's ball movement has stalled, and its half-court offense looks nothing short of ordinary.

Meanwhile, Argentina shares the rock as well as any team in the tournament. If they can lull the United States into isolation offense while doing things the right way on the other end of the floor, they can stay in this game.

Getting Physical

These two teams share a dynamic that lies somewhere between mutual respect and flat-out animosity.

Argentina has a chip on its shoulder, and understandably. The United States' collection of talent makes most other squads look like the JV team.

On the other hand, Team USA probably fears Argentina, even if it's only at a secret, sub-conscious level. It may not be a roster littered with NBA All-Stars, but it's a talented group with plenty of heart. That can go a long way in a 40-minute game.

It will need to against the United States.

Team USA is at its best when bumping ball-handlers and scrapping for rebounds. The Argentinians will need to be the aggressors this time, and they'll have to do so without getting into foul trouble.

If they have enough heart to stay tough for the course of an entire game, the United States could find itself dazed and knocked out of its comfort zone.

Foul Trouble

With an allotment of only five personal fouls, players have to be extra-careful in the Summer Olympics.

That's especially true for Argentina.

Team USA has the depth to compensate for losing one or two of its stars to the bench. Argentina doesn't. If the officials call a tight game, Argentina could find itself short-handed and relying on second-unit guys who don't stand a chance.

If the refs let them play a little bit, Team USA could find itself frustrated by non-calls and lose some focus.

A lot hinges on how the whistles are blown in this one.