It wasn’t an overwhelming performance from France, whose 73-69 victory over Tunisia firmly entrenches them in the second slot in Pool A, but it was a win nonetheless.

***

Tony Parker, while he received extended rests in the second and fourth quarters, exhibited his full repertoire — whether that it was his patented floater, transition layup or 3-pointer. He finished with 22 points as Tunisia struggled to make any substantial run in his 28:38 minutes on the floor.

Tunisia totaled five turnovers compared to only one assist in the first quarter, entering the second period with a manageable five-point deficit. France converted on 57% of their shots while racking up five assists. Most impressively, five different players contributed to the assist total.

Parker, scoring five points in the first quarter, received a well deserved rest to open the second quarter — where, unsurprisingly, Tunisia cut the eight-point deficit to two points in six minutes.

Upon Parker’s return, France immediately jumped out to a mini 4-0 rally. Parker totaled four points and three assists in his brief stint as France exited the half with a 35-27 lead. They shot 52% from the field while creating nine turnovers. Tunisia remained close because they dominated handily on the boards, especially offensively, where they grabbed 11 boards alone.

The third quarter was a manifestation of the previous two quarters — Parker scored at will and Diaw, who finished with five assists, distributing to the other double-digit scorers in Nicolas Batum and Kevin Seraphin. Parker scored 13 points in the third. Tunisia was outscored, 25-16, in the quarter.

Tunisia manufactured a 14-2 run that spanned the third and fourth frames, respectively. The French lead, which was as highest as 17 points, was whittled down to 11 points, then nine and seven. They nearly got within five points before a turnover, one of their 19 turnovers on the night, spurred a Nando De Colo layup in transition and a 3-pointer from Batum.

Mohamed Hadidane, whose 20 points all came in the second half, was at the forefront of Tunisia’s second push, though it was a little late. The deficit was, however, a mere five points with 50 seconds to play.

After Parker drew a switch on the pick-and-roll, he lofted his third 3-pointer of the night that missed unceremoniously. De Colo, whose four turnovers led the team, grabbed the offensive board, allowing Les Bleus to kill more clock.

Hadidane’s 3-pointer at the buzzer cut the lead to four points but it was an inconsequential three points. France will look for their fourth preliminary victory Monday against Nigeria at 8:30 am CST.

France’s statistical leaders

    Tony Parker — 13.5 points
    Ali Traore — 60 FG%
    Yannick Bokolo — 50 3P%
    Boris Diaw, Ronny Turiaf — 6.0 rebounds
    Parker — 3.5 assists

Lithuania’s statistical leaders

    Linas Kleiza — 16.5 points
    Darrius Songaila — 75 FG%
    Paulius Jankunas — 50 3P%
    Kleiza — 6.5 rebounds
    Sarunas Jasikevicius — 6.5 assists

***

France and Lithuania are similar in the regard that they are both legitimate international threats though, through one way or another, they won’t compete for a medal unless they get the benefit of a little luck. France struggles to score from the perimeter, limiting their potential to string together a couple of upsets in the knockout round, and Lithuania doesn’t have enough elite talent.

For France, they rely on Tony Parker to create auspicious matchups through sheer attrition; by breaking the defense down from the point of attack, he allows the other French scorers to play off his speed. Nicolas Batum is an agile swingman that, offensively, is a double-edged sword that can create for himself and shoot from the perimeter. Boris Diaw is noticeably risk-adverse as a scorer though he compensates by providing Les Bleus with another playmaker.

The other NBA talent on the roster include Nando De Colo, Kevin Seraphin and Ronny Turiaf. Seraphin and Turiaf create a competent frontline, while not strikingly above-average, that can compete with the majority of international frontlines.

For Lithuania, they rely heavily on Toronto Raptor forward Linas Kleiza and Sarunas Jasikevicius to score and distribute. In a limited sample size, bear in mind it’s been a mere two games of preliminary action, Kleiza has posted a true shooting percentage of 68% in addition to stellar averages of 16.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. His efficiency suits Lithuania well as they are pretty efficient overall.

Jasikevicius, 36, has aged a bit since his last Olympic appearance. Still, he brings a good feel for the game and, along with Mantas Kalnietis, comprises a formidable backcourt. They have totaled 25 assists between them.

Perhaps Lithuania has a secret weapon waiting in the wings: Jonas Valanciunas. He’s averaged 13 minutes in two games and he played reasonably well in those limited minutes, shooting 62.5% from the field. Valanciunas has shown a proclivity to foul, though, limiting his ability to utilize his length.

Tomorrow’s game, scheduled for 3:00 am CST, will be pretty important for two teams vying for the second and third positions behind Team USA. This isn’t a trivial matter either; earning the second and third spots, respectively, will prolong a matchup against second-ranked Spain in the knockout stage. A win tomorrow could actually be conducive to their long-term success.