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The United States and Spain set to renew Olympic rivalry in Tokyo
Keep your foes familiar.
The United States and Spain are set to square off in the quarterfinals of the 2020 Olympics with identical 2-1 records.
This won't be the first time that both countries have faced one another in the Olympics however, considering they competed for the gold medal in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic finals.
The two sides also faced off in the semifinals of the 2016 Olympics. The United States has come out victorious in all three matchups on their way to gold medals in each of the last three Olympic Games.
But, two of the three matchups have been decided by single digits, which makes it worthwhile to take a look back at one of the most intense rivalries in recent FIBA men's basketball history.
2008 Beijing Olympics: USA 118, Spain 107
The United States "Redeem Team" entered the 2008 Olympics with a chip on their shoulder after the country failed to win gold in the 2004 Olympics for the first time since NBA players were sent to the Games in 1992.
USA breezed through their five preliminary-round games, as well as their quarterfinal and semifinal matchups with Australia and Argentina, respectively, a tight contest with Spain in the gold medal round.
The Spanish national team featured seven players who had NBA experience, led by Pau and Marc Gasol.
While Dwyane Wade led the team in scoring for the game with 27 points, Kobe Bryant was the catalyst in the fourth quarter, leading America back to the top of international basketball with a 20-point performance, 13 of which came in the fourth quarter.
When reminiscing on his international experience with USA basketball in a 2019 interview with SLAM, Bryant stated how the 2008 gold medal game was the most important of his international career.
"It’s right up there at the top because of what was at stake," said Bryant, who entered the Olympics as the reigning NBA MVP and left it as a gold medalist.
Outside of Wade and Bryant, three other USA superstars scored in double-figures, including LeBron James (14 points), Chris Paul (13 points) and Carmelo Anthony (13 points).
Rudy Fernandez scored 22 for Spain and Pau Gasol pitched in 21.
2012 London Olympics: USA 107, Spain 100
Once again in 2012, the United States and Spain entered the Olympics as the top two teams in the world on a collision course for the gold medal round.
Many of the familiar faces returned on both sides, including Bryant, James, Paul and Anthony for the United States, and the Gasol brothers and Fernandez for Spain.
But the leading scorer for the United States in 2012 was Kevin Durant, who exploded for 30 points in the gold medal game.
With that showing, Durant staked his claim as the future face of USA basketball with his performance in London, as outlined by Austin Green in a story for Bleacher Report.
"By the time the 2016 Olympics arrive, Durant will be even better, as he will be entering his physical prime at 27. Durant is already the second-best player on the planet, and it's downright frightening to think of how good he will become in four years time."
2016 Rio Olympics, USA 82, Spain 76
By 2016, Durant had proven to be the face of a new phase of USA basketball, with him being the lone member of the 2012 team to play in 2016.
And while the United States held the talent edge over Spain, Spain had continuity, with seven players who played for the country in either the 2008 or 2012 Olympics.
That continuity and chemistry gap manifested in the semifinal matchup between both countries, with the game being the only one of the entire Olympics that would be decided by single digits for the United States.
Durant scored 14 points, while Klay Thompson led the United States with 22 off of the bench.
For the third consecutive Olympic cycle, the United States was able to deny Spain the ultimate glory.
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