USA-Spain headlines Olympic men's basketball quarter-finals
Rematch of London 2012 and Rio 2016 the highlight of the draw with the winners facing either Australia or Argentina. Read on to find out the rest of the last-eight meetings - find out where and how to watch.
The Olympic men's basketball finals from both 2008 and 2012 will be a quarter-final at Tokyo 2020.
The knockout rounds have arrived.
After dropping its opening game against France, Team USA has shifted into a higher gear and will look to carry that momentum from group play into Tuesday's (3 August) quarter-finals when they take on Spain.
With the late Kobe Bryant to the fore, USA defeated Spain to win gold in Beijing and London, but La Roja will be keen to exact revenge with Pau Gasol making his Olympic swansong.
The winner of that clash will face either Australia or Argentina in the bottom half of the draw.
In the top half, France face Italy with Luka Doncic and Slovenia up against Germany.
France, Australia and Slovenia are the three teams to emerge from group play having not lost a game, while Argentina and Germany slip through with 1-2 records.
U.S. aims to continue momentum after opening-game loss; meets powerhouse Spain
The alarm bells were ringing for Team USA after an opening-game loss to France, in which the Americans looked out of sorts and frustrated.
But after convincing wins over Iran and the Czech Republic, Team USA - led by gold medallists Kevin Durant and Draymond Green - are appearing more like the favourites they entered Tokyo as.
While the U.S. is going for a fourth consecutive men's basketball gold and seventh in the last eight Games, Spain stands in its way - the two teams are ranked No.1 and 2 in FIBA's current men's rankings with Spain the reigning FIBA World Cup champions, beating Argentina in the 2019 final.
Spain will have to bounce back from a 95-87 defeat at the hands of Doncic and Slovenia, however, the Spaniards letting a 12-point second-half advantage slip away.
"If you want to get that gold medal, you’ve got to beat everybody," said Spain's Marc Gasol before the brackets were revealed. "At that point, it doesn’t matter the order.”
Olympic newcomers Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum have led the U.S. with an offence managing triple digits in their last two games. Durant came alive in their final group game against the Czech and became the U.S. men's all-time points leader at the Olympic Games (359).
Spain, led by the Gasol brothers, has been led by Ricky Rubio on offence, the shooter specifically dangerous from three-point range.
Unbeaten Australia has eye on first Olympic medal in men's basketball
Australia opened its Olympic campaign with a convincing win over Nigeria, both teams having beaten the USA in pre-tournament warm-up games.
The Boomers then edged out Italy 86-83 before seeing off Germany in its final group game, 89-76.
The Australians are looking to get back to the semi-final round as they did at Rio 2016, where they finished in fourth place.
The men's team has never won an Olympic medal in basketball but with Patty Mills and Jock Landale leading them on the scoring front, they have a great chance to break that duck.
Argentina, meanwhile, will need to look to bring out its best in the knockout game, having lost by 18 to Slovenia, then by 10 to the Spaniards. They closed group play with a 97-77 victory over hosts Japan, a game where veteran Luis Scola scored 23 points - including five from eight from three-point range.
Outsiders no more, Slovenia fancied against Germany
Could Slovenia go all the way?
Led by NBA All-Star No.77 of the Dallas Mavericks, Doncic poured in 48 points in the team's opening group game, a statement win 118-100 over Argentina.
Since then, Slovenia's convincing efforts over Japan and Spain have highlighted them as genuine threats to any team they face.
"He doesn’t make many mistakes," Marc Gasol said of Doncic after Spain's group loss to Slovenia.
Germany has eight different players who have scored in the double digits this Olympics, but they will have to stop - or try to contain - arguably the most dominant player in Tokyo in Doncic.
While Slovenia has averaged a whopping 109 points per game, Germany will look to hold them under the century mark, their defence giving up an average of 91 points per game.
France carries unblemished record from group play
France started off the Games with a bang, coming back in the final moments to beat Team USA - and hasn't looked back.
It followed up that win with double-digit victories over Czech Republic and Iran, ending up with a 44-point differential over three games played.
The French defence, led by the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, aka 'The Stifle Tower', is a suffocating one, allowing just 76, 77 and 62 points, respectively.
Evan Fournier continues to be his squad's most dangerous offensive option, scoring 28 against the U.S. and 21 versus the Czechs.
France is trying to win its first medal in men's basketball since Sydney 2000.
Italy's lone loss came to Australia, a game which was tied entering the fourth quarter with the Boomers squeaking home by three points.
Their scoring comes from a variety of places - including Simone Fontecchio from the backcourt and fellow guard Nico Mannion.
When and what time are the men's Olympic quarter-finals?
When do these games take place?
Quarter-final action is all set for Tuesday, held inside the Saitama Super Arena:
1000 JST (0100 UTC) - Slovenia v Germany
1340 JST (0440 UTC) - USA. v Spain
1720 JST (0820 UTC) - Italy v France
2100 JST (1200 UTC) - Australia v Argentina