It now comes down to this: Six European nations, Team USA and Argentina remain in the hunt for the FIBA World Championship.

After Wednesday, only four teams will be in contention. The others will vie for the fifth- through eighth-place spots.

TUESDAY'S OUTLOOK

Spain vs. Lithuania (4:30 p.m.): Spain's 87-75 dismantling of a young but dangerous Serbia and Montenegro squad was further proof that it is one of the world's best clubs.

To earn the right to face Spain, Lithuania beat ('survived' might be a better word) a tough Italian squad, 71-68, on Saturday.

Italy's 6-for-19 showing from the charity stripe made the game closer than it should've been.

Why Spain could win: Big man Pau Gasol commands so much attention in the paint that the team's inside-outside game guarantees Rudy Fernandez, Juan Carlos Navarro, Jose Calderon and Jorge Garbajosa will get their fair share of good looks.

Why Spain could lose: The team has won 15 straight contests. Every team stumbles at some point.

Why Lithuania could win: Coach Antanas Sireika had two off-days to get his charges prepared for Spain -- time to work on the little things like ball handling (five assists, 13 turnovers vs. Italy). It's also a strong rebounding team at all positions.

Why Lithuania could lose: Spain -- or Greece and USA -- is arguably the hottest team in the world right now, and Sireika's team doesn't have a superstar to carry the load like Gasol.

Argentina vs. Turkey (7:30 p.m.): In Argentina's 79-62 second-round win Saturday over New Zealand, the Tall Blacks had no answer for Manu Ginobili, who scored 28 points.

His San Antonio Spurs teammate Fabricio Oberto poured in 23, and the team's get-everyone-involved offense worked well.

Turkey, meanwhile, opened a lot of eyes with its 90-84 triumph over Slovenia and is clearly playing its best basketball right now.

"We'll give everything because we have nothing to lose," Turkey power forward/center Kaya Peker told FIBA.com.

Why Argentina could win: Its deep bench, experience in big games, and proven leadership will carry it to the final four. And don't forget this: Ginobili steps up in big games.

Why Argentina could lose: If it repeats its 1-for-18 performance from 3-point range against Turkey, Sergio Hernandez's team could be in for a long night. Perhaps it was just a bad game, but point guard Juan Pepeh Sanchez's seven turnovers vs. New Zealand could be cause for concern.

Why Turkey could win: Solid role players like Engin Atsur, who had six points (all in the final four minutes on 3s) in the win over Slovenia and backup forward Kerem Gonlum (11 points, eight rebounds) give the team a needed spark.

Why Turkey could lose: Argentina has been there, done that. This is unchartered territory for Bogdan Tanjevic's men.

WEDNESDAY'S OUTLOOK

Greece vs. France (4:30 p.m.): The Greeks, using a stifling press (it forced 24 turnovers), thrashed China 95-64 to force its way into the round of eight. France held off underdog Angola in a difficult second-round clash, 68-62.

Why Greece could win: Defense wins championships, and the Greeks have a fellow named Dimitrios Diamantidis who has been selected as Euroleague's Best Defensive Player for two straight seasons.

The super guard also proved his knack for clutch shots in EuroBasket 2005, draining a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left against France in the semifinals. The rest of Greece's rotation thrives on team play and getting to the free-throw line.

Why Greece could lose: France is on a mission to return the favor. Greece is an adequate, but not super rebounding team.

Why France could win: Revenge can always fire up a team, and Les Bleus have not forgotten what happened in Belgrade last year. Federic Weis could be primed for a big-time showing, especially if France goes to him early and often in the lane.

Mr. Versatility aka Boris Diaw, one of the world's rising stars, could be primed for a breakout game.

Why France could lose: Against average teams, the loss of Tony Parker (injured finger) was not a big factor, but against a disciplined, consistent Greek team, his missing leadership could spell trouble.

USA vs. Germany (7:30 p.m.): Team USA rolled past Australia 113-73 on Sunday, coasting in the final three quarters after a slow start. Germany eked out a 78-77 win over Nigeria earlier in the day.

Why USA could win: This is an easy one: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Elton Brand, Chris Paul and others can overpower their foes. The team creates open looks and hits its shots. And its depth is exceptional, which keeps players fresh to step on the court and make an instant impact.

Why USA could lose: Who is Coach K's go-to player? If it comes down to one shot for the win, will the ball wind up in the right player's hands? Why Germany could win: Dirk Nowitzki elevated his game this season, leading the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals. The other Germans, namely Demond Greene, Ademola Okuloja and Patrick Femerling work well with Big Dirk and play balanced, smart basketball.

Why Germany could lose: Nigeria demonstrated in its near-upset that Germany is a good team, but not a great team. It'll take a perfect performance from Dirk Bauermann's 12 players to knock off Team USA.