Men's basketball: Three takeaways from Canada vs. Spain

Canada maintained its unbeaten start to the Olympics with an 88-85 victory over Spain on Friday. Spain, on the other hand, is now 1-2 in the opening three games. Nevertheless, Spain certainly provided the sternest test yet for Canada, making it work on both sides of the ball throughout the contest.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

1. Andrew Nembhard is a wild card for Canada

Just as he is for the Indiana Pacers, Nembhard is a microwave scorer who can change the flow of a game in an instant. He recorded 18 points off the bench for Canada, leading their second unit in scoring. He also went 2-of-3 from deep, making him the most successful perimeter shooter within Canada's rotation throughout the contest.

Nembhard is behind Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and Jamal Murray in Canada's depth chart. However, performances like this prove that he will have an important role as his team challenges for a medal in the latter stages.

2. Spain failed to make their dominance on the glass count

Spain ended the game with a +11 advantage on the glass, yet somehow, only managed to register 14 second-chance points. When you control the boards, you own the tempo of the game. As such, Spain let a significant chance to secure a win slip through its fingers.

Furthermore, Canada should be worried about how handily it was beaten on the boards. If it comes up against a deeper, more talented team, that shortcoming could be a major concern for its chances of winning a medal in the later stages. Canada must tighten up its rebounding moving forward.

3. Canada's bench scoring is a concern

Not only did Spain out-rebound Canada, but its bench unit also finished the game with a +20 margin over Canada's second unit. Again, Spain must be concerned with this development. Outside of Nembhard, no one in its bench unit got close to sniffing double-digit scoring. Murray was the only other bench player that made an impact, dishing out six assists.

Canada has a lot to work on. Thankfully, the game tape from its win over Spain should serve as a good learning tool.