4 Heroes and 3 Zeroes from Team Canada's hard-fought Olympic win over Spain

Zero: Jamal Murray

One of the reasons that Andrew Nembhard looked so good is that Jamal Murray did not. Supposed to be the 1B to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 1A, Murray has instead looked a step slow and at times confused by what he is seeing, and he hasn't been able to get separation against any defenders. He went just 2-for-5 against Spain for four points; both the accuracy and the volume are concerning.

To Murray's credit he did dish out six assists and pull down four rebounds, both team-highs, but if Canada needs someone to get rebounds they will turn to someone much better on defense. Murray is on this team to drive offense, and he has not been able to do that through three games. Perhaps he is still recovering from an injury, or perhaps something more worrisome for the Denver Nuggets is going on, but Murray has been unable to elevate Canada's bench.

Hero: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Thankfully for Team Canada, their other high-octane point guard is holding up his end of the bargain. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander again led the team in scoting, dropping 20 points including nine free-throws, putting pressure on Spain's defense again and again and drawing a number of fouls. Without SGA, Canada likely loses this game, even with their overall talent advantage.

Gilgeous-Alexander only shot 5-for-11 from the field, but in a defensive battle he drove Canada's offense in positive directions, even if the Spanish defense focused on taking the ball out of his hands. More so, his speed and athleticism seemed to be channeled through his teammates, and his activity on both ends of the court was welcome. It wasn't his best game, nor was it statistically dominant, but it was enough to get the job done.