FIBA World Cup Predictions: Spain To Beat USA? Gasol Brothers Too Skilled For USA Bigs! Vast International Experience, Homecourt Advantage Keys To Spanish Victory!

The FIBA World Cup has moved on to the Round of 16, and the predictions and odds have sprung all over the internet. All signs point to a final confrontation between hoops juggernaut and defending champions United States and host Spain.

This is Spain's golden opportunity to beat the seemingly invincible Team USA. The Americans lost too many players even before the tournament began. Their biggest stars like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have all but retired from international competition while others like Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul prefer to play in the Olympics.

From the players that did make a commitment to the FIBA World Cup, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge and Russell Westbrook all withdrew for various reasons. Paul George, who was supposed to play a pivotal albeit experimental role had a freak injury and the latest-probably biggest blow to the team, reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant quit on the team at the last minute.

Some observers even called this incarnation of Team USA as "USA Team C" and they're not entirely wrong. The team does not lack height or even talent. But as a whole, there are only five players with prior international experience: Derrick Rose, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Rudy Gay and Anthony Davis. When you talk of experience that means each of them has represented the country ONCE (data from USA Basketball website).

In contrast, the Spanish team is comprised of experienced players most of which are also active NBA players. Players like the Gasol brothers, Ricky Rubio and Rudy Fernandez have close to one hundred games under the Spanish flag. The addition of Serge Ibaka, an athletic, defensive juggernaut and they might cause trouble for the Americans.

The main advantage of the Team USA is they have tall, athletic wingmen like Kevin Durant and LeBron James. That should've been Paul George and Durant this year but both are now out of the team.

The USA will rely heavily on Derrick Rose and James Harden but these players don't have height advantages over their Spanish counterparts. It also won't help that the games will be held in Spain!

Still, the USA has too much pride to just roll over and play dead. Under sage coach Mike Krzyzewski, the Americans promise to fight to the finish.