2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup Semis Live Streaming Info: Lithuania vs. USA Preview, Starting Lineups and Prediction

Just two more wins and Team USA will be hanging the gold on their necks; the current team standing in their way - tall and mighty Lithuania. With the surprising upset of France of host Spain, the path the 2014 World Cup of Basketball became wider for the Americans.

Do not discount Jonas Valanciunas and the Lithuanians just yet. While they have over-performed in this tournament given the absence of leader and court general Mantas Kalnietis and former team leading scorer Linas Kleiza, the Lithuanians are still poised to give the United States a dog fight.

How they got here:

Team USA has been having trouble starting hot and putting away opponents early. They again struggled in their last game against Slovenia, mirroring their woes in the group game against Turkey. James Harden's touch left him in cold during the first half while Stephen Curry was sidelined early due to foul trouble. This paved the way for the best game of Derrick Rose in the tournament with 12 points while Kenneth Faried, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson kept the Americans in the game before the shooters waxed hot in the second half. Both Curry and Harden shot the lights half in the second half to put away the Dragic brothers and the Slovenians for good, 119-76.

Lithuania banked on their imposing frontline to negate the magical Turks in their other quarterfinal game. Toronto Raptors fans must be joyous watching Jonas Valanciunas blossom in this tournament, transforming from a complimentary piece in previous iterations of the Lithuanian basketball teams to the squad's go-to-guy. The Lithuanians used their vaunted defence to hold Turkey to one of its lowest scoring outputs in the tournament, 73-61. Valanciunas was again effective in the middle neutralizing fellow NBA player Omer Asik as he led both teams in rebounding for the sixth time in seven games.

What to Expect:

Inside scoring and defence will be the key factor in this game as Team USA will look to negate the bulkier big men of Lithuania in Valanciunas, Hosuton Rocket Donatas Montiejunas and Darjus Lavrinovic who all are good pick and roll players with Valanciunas and Lavrinovic posing some post-up threat. The Americans specifically loaded up with big men in Faried, Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond and Mason Plumlee to face Spain's imposing frontcourt. With the Spaniards, eliminated it is a blessing in disguise they still have full arsenal to negate the best weapons of the Lithuanians.

Prediction:

Team USA will still take this convincingly as Lithuania will be finding a hard time holding back the run and gun game of the Americans. With their best ball handler Kalnietis sidelines with an injury, Steph Curry, Harden and Rose will be pushing for those steals and transition baskets which will leave Adas Juskevicius pressured much of the game, though he has done a remarkable job at directing the team up to this point. The Americans advance, 105-89.

Starting Lineups:

USA:

Stephen Curry (Guard)

James Harden (Guard)

Rudy Gay (Forward)

Kenneth Faried (Forward)

Anthony Davis (Center)

Lithuania:

Adas Juskevicius (Guard)

Renaldas Seibutis (Guard)

Jonas Maciulis (Forward)

Donatas Monteijunas (Forward)

Jonas Valanciunas (Center)

You can watch the live streaming semifinal match of USA and Lithuania via ESPN3.