Big Picture

With the World Cup done and the Test Championship underway, both sides now switch focus to the next big limited-overs prize: the T20 World Cup, which is set to be contested at the end of next year. As with just about everything in these team's cricket at present, it is New Zealand who have the more stable platform upon which to build. They are resting regular captain Kane Williamson as well as pace spearhead Trent Boult for this series, and while Sri Lanka have lost eight of their last nine T20 games, the visitors have won three of their last four, including a series against India. They have in their ranks several well-heeled performers - Tim Southee, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor, yes, but also the likes of opener Colin Munro, who have had success against Sri Lanka in the past.

You suspect that right now, though, both teams are more interested in their fringe cricketers than the established ones, as they attempt to identify talent ahead of next year's big event. New Zealand want to find out whether players like fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn, and wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Seifert can sustain decent starts to their international careers. They want to know if top-order batsman Tom Bruce or allrounder Daryl Mitchell are worth investing in. Sri Lanka, similarly, will be keen to place several of their own young cricketers on trial - legspinning allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga, and seam bowler Lahiru Madushanka both named in the squad.

Form guide

New Zealand WLWWL (completed matches, most recent first)
Sri LankaLLLLL

In the spotlight

Avishka Fernando, the aggressive 21-year-old batsman, had a breakout World Cup, hitting one of Sri Lanka's two centuries at the tournament, before also making 82 in an ODI against Bangladesh late in July. He has played three T20Is, but so far has a high score of 16. Given the talent he obviously possesses, Sri Lanka will hope he becomes a bankable batsman - something they are in short supply of - over the next year.

Few players were more exciting to watch during the World Cup than fast bowler Lockie Ferguson whose wicket haul of 21 at the event was second only to that of Mitchell Starc. He has only played five T20Is so far; in these, he has taken 10 wickets and maintained a good economy rate of 7.1. Almost certain to be the quickest bowler on show through this series, it is Ferguson that Sri Lanka's batsmen will fear most, as the bowler prepares to play his first overseas matches in the format.

Team news

Sri Lanka may toss up whether to put Kusal Mendis - who has been inconsistent across formats lately - into the XI, or whether to give that chance to a batsman coming in fresh. They have a few decisions to make on the bowling front, where they will likely have to pick between wristspinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Lakshan Sandakan.

Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 3 Avishka Fernando, 4 Kusal Perera, 5 Shehan Jayasuriya, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Lasith Malinga (capt.), 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Lahiru Kumara

New Zealand are a little more settled, though they too have decisions to make regarding their attack. Which of the legspinners - Ish Sodhi or Todd Astle - will they pick?

New Zealand (possible): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Tim Seifert (wk), 4 Tom Bruce, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Todd Astle, 9 Tim Southee (capt.), 10 Seth Rance, 11 Lockie Ferguson

Pitch and conditions

The Pallekele surface generally has some pace and carry, and also has a reputation for being especially seamer-friendly under lights. At this time of year, you can never count out bad weather blowing through either.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have lost each of their three most-recent games against New Zealand, all of which had been in New Zealand. They have beaten New Zealand in their two previous games in Pallekele that yielded results, however.

• Lasith Malinga is three wickets away from becoming the first ever bowler to 100 T20 international dismissals.

• Colin Munro has averaged 39.66 and struck at 180 in four innings against Sri Lanka. One of those knocks was a 14-ball 50 at Eden Park - the second-fastest fifty ever.

Quotes

"There are about 19 T20 matches before 2020 T20 World Cup. Whoever is captaining the team, we need to have a good, strong squad, so that we can go into that tournament with confidence. Starting with this series, I'm hoping to build a good T20 squad for Sri Lanka."
Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga

"Whenever you come to another country, you've got to respect the opposition and their conditions. Sri Lanka's got some young, talented players."
New Zealand stand-in captain Tim Southee

Lunch India 336 for 7 (Vihari 84*, Ishant 11*, Holder 4-62) v West Indies

Jason Holder struck off the day's first ball before Hanuma Vihari's unbeaten half-century took India past 300 by lunch on day two. Starting on an overnight score of 42, Vihari went into the break in the company of No. 9 Ishant Sharma.

It was No. 8 Ravindra Jadeja who had taken India past 300 but he was dismissed by Rahkeem Cornwall for 16 in the 111th over. With Vihari, Jadeja added 38 runs for the seventh wicket, but couldn't resist a slog once spin was introduced. His top edge to mid-on was the session's second wicket.

Vihari displayed patience early in the morning, happy to see off a tight opening spell from Holder and the other two seamers. After Pant's dismissal in the first over, he carefully collected the runs up to his half century. After that, he took on Cornwall to smack two boundaries in one over after surviving a dropped chance. He whipped a tossed up delivery to the midwicket fence before topping it up with a cut off the back foot two balls later.

The day had begun with Pant looking to drive off his very first delivery, and was found wanting against Holder's delivery that swings into the left-hander. Trying to play through the covers, the ball went into the bat-body gap and dislodged his middle stump.

After that Jadeja and Vihari saw off a searing fast-bowling spell, consolidating India's score in a period of attritional cricket, and it looked like India would've gone into the break only six down had Jadeja reined himself in. But searching for the wicket, Holder introduced the debutant Cornwall, and he found the breakthrough.

Thereafter, Ishant blocked through till lunch with Vihari unafraid to give the tailender the strike. Ishant was nearly run-out in the 114th over, but a throw from cover did not have anyone backing up, handing the batsman five runs to start his innings. Against Cornwall, Ishant looked more secure, even slog-sweeping the offspinner for a cracking boundary. At lunch, India ended up adding 72 runs for the loss of only two wickets.

The UFC has its first Chinese champion and a brand-new star in a crucial market.

Performing in her home country, Zhang Weili destroyed Jessica Andrade with a barrage of blows at the very outset and Andrade was not able to recover. The TKO finish came at just 42 seconds of the first round in the main event of UFC Shenzhen. Zhang became the first UFC champion from China and only the second UFC titleholder ever born in Asia. It was the second-fastest stoppage in UFC strawweight history.

"My name is Zhang Weili!" Zhang said afterward in English. "I'm from China. Remember me!"

Andrade crowded Zhang early and got hit with several nasty combinations for her efforts. Zhang landed a big right elbow in the clinch, then a huge right cross that wobbled Andrade.

When she saw Andrade in trouble, Zhang poured it on. She landed more elbows and multiple hard knees to the body in the clinch. When Andrade separated, Zhang followed up with more punches and referee Leon Roberts had to step in to stop it.

Zhang came in ranked No. 6 in the UFC's official strawweight rankings. She is the second-lowest-ranked women's fighter to win a UFC title after Holly Holm (No. 7) when she beat Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 in 2015.

Zhang (20-1) has won 20 straight fights, including all four of her UFC bouts. She has not lost since her pro MMA debut in 2013. Zhang, 30, has finished two of those four UFC victories and 17 of her 20 wins overall.

China has been a focal point as the UFC continues to expand internationally. In June, the promotion opened up a $13 million, 93,000-square-foot Performance Institute in Shanghai, where it hopes to develop talent in the region. Now, the UFC has a champion in Zhang who can help it secure a foothold in the country.

Andrade (20-7) had a four-fight winning streak snapped. The Brazilian slugger won the title by beating Rose Namajunas via slam knockout at UFC 237 in April. This was her first title defense. Andrade, 27, is 7-2 in the UFC strawweight division after moving down from bantamweight and is tied for the most wins among women in UFC history.

"I wasn't able to perform as I wish, but hopefully I get a chance to fight her again somewhere else or here in China," Andrade said through an interpreter.

Talks between the Dallas Cowboys and running back Ezekiel Elliott are intensifying, with both sides aiming to wrap up a new deal this weekend, league sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The momentum marks a change in the talks between the Cowboys and their star running back. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones had said after his team's final preseason game on Thursday that he was "operating as though right now he's going to miss regular-season games."

Jones said he does not have a deadline for getting a deal done with Elliott, quarterback Dak Prescott or wide receiver Amari Cooper.

Near the start of training camp the Cowboys made Elliott an offer that would make him the second-highest-paid running back in the NFL behind Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams ($14.375 million average salary). The New York Jets' Le'Veon Bell has the second-highest average annual value at $13.125 million.

Elliott has held out of training camp in the contract dispute and has been training in Cabo with Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk, who told ESPN's Ed Werder that he is trying to get the running back in game shape.

Elliott has led the NFL in rushing in two of his first three seasons, including 1,434 yards last season. He missed six games in 2017 because of a suspension but still managed 983 rushing yards.

ESPN's Todd Archer contributed to this report.

The Buffalo Bills have released veteran running back LeSean McCoy.

McCoy, 31, ran for a career-low 514 yards in 2018, sparking outside conversation about whether the two-time All-Pro could still be productive. He has played 10 years in the league and his 10,606 yards rushing rank 25th on the career list and fourth among active players.

McCoy was entering the final year of a five-year contract he signed after his acquisition in a trade with Philadelphia, where he led the NFL in rushing yards in 2013.

McCoy had an inconsistent four seasons with the Bills. He struggled in his first year, finishing with 895 yards rushing. McCoy attributed that to being unfocused as a result of being traded. McCoy responded by topping 1,100 yards rushing in each of his next two seasons. But he struggled last year when he finished with a career-worst 752 yards from scrimmage.

Bills general manager Brandon Beane focused on bolstering the team's backfield this offseason, adding veterans Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon via free agency and rookie Devin Singletary via the draft.

Gore, 36, was still effective in 2018, recording the fifth-highest yards-per-carry mark (4.6) of his 14-year career, albeit on his second-fewest attempts per game. He has been remarkably healthy, playing in 210 of 224 possible regular-season games.

Singletary, the team's 2019 third-round pick, was a prolific runner in three seasons at Florida Atlantic, rushing for 4,287 yards and 66 touchdowns. He also caught 51 passes, 26 of which came during his freshman season.

Beane said the decision to release McCoy came at "the last minute" but became a more realistic option as Singletary developed during the preseason.

Beane confirmed he explored the idea of trading McCoy once he made the decision to release him, but ultimately never received -- or sent -- an official offer.

"We did look around to see if there was a right fit but we didn't find one," Beane said. "This kind of gives him a chance to choose his destination, as well, and he's earned that."

Buffalo was prepared to operate with a "running back by committee" approach during the 2019 season and factored McCoy's potential response into the decision to part ways with him, according to a source.

McCoy was reportedly not expecting the news and Beane said the running back was "frustrated" by his release. A source told ESPN that the Bills value the relationship between Singletary and Gore and felt comfortable with the rookie learning from Gore without McCoy.

Information from ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Jadeveon Clowney is in Seattle and about to sign his franchise tender, which will enable the Houston Texans to trade him to the Seattle Seahawks, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

In exchange for Clowney, the Texans are receiving a 2020 third-round pick, DE/OLB Barkevious Mingo and LB Jacob Martin, ESPN has confirmed.

The Seahawks were still in need of pass-rush help after signing Ezekiel Ansah in May to help account for the loss of Frank Clark, who was traded to Kansas City. Defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who had a career-best 10.5 sacks last season, is suspended for the first six games. Ansah returned to practice last week and is on track to play in Seattle's opener.

The Seahawks were projected to have two third-round picks in 2020, including a compensatory selection for letting Earl Thomas walk in free agency, and 10 picks in all. They also got an extra second-rounder in the Clark trade, meaning they still have four picks in the first three rounds after sending one of their third-rounders to Houston.

Fox Sports first reported that a deal had been agreed to.

Clowney, 26, who was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl last season, finished 2018 with 47 tackles, nine sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He also had 16 tackles for loss, which tied for ninth in the NFL last season, and he now has 53 tackles for loss over the past three seasons, which ranks third in the league.

Clowney, the first overall pick of the 2014 draft, struggled with knee injuries early in his career, missing 15 games in his first two seasons. In 2016, he played through wrist and elbow injuries, appearing in 14 games and making the Pro Bowl for the first time. Since then, he has missed just one game over two seasons.

Clowney chose not to sign his franchise tender this offseason, which is worth $15.967 million for the 2019 season. Clowney will have to sign the tender in order to complete the trade.

He is not eligible to sign a long-term contract with the Seahawks until after the 2019 season because the deadline to sign franchised players to long-term contracts passed on July 15.

The Texans tagged Clowney as a linebacker ($15.443 million) rather than as a defensive end ($17.128 million). However, because players receive the higher amount between the tag value or 120% of last year's salary, Clowney is poised to get an additional $524,000 this season. He made $13.306 million, including a $1 million bonus, while playing on his fifth-year option in 2018.

Despite being tagged as a linebacker, Clowney played most of his snaps at defensive end in 2018, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He logged 729 at defensive end, 101 at defensive tackle and 33 at linebacker last season.

It's the second major trade the Seahawks and Texans have pulled off in less than two years. Seattle acquired left tackle Duane Brown at the trade deadline in 2017 for what turned out to be a return of draft picks after cornerback Jeremy Lane failed his physical and went back to the Seahawks.

"It's a big move for us," Brown told ESPN's Josina Anderson. "He is a game-changer in my opinion. Just spending time with him in Houston, I know he is respected by offensive coordinators, guys that have to prepare for him. I think he will really thrive for us. I know Clowney has to get a physical, but he's excited. I've been telling him it's a reputable organization here. I'm not sure why it all fell apart in Houston. I know how he works. I'm looking forward to getting him out there with us now."

Mingo was seemingly on Seattle's roster bubble. He had been underwhelming in his move from strongside linebacker, where he started in 2018, to defensive end and carried a $5.2 million cap charge in the final year of his deal. Seattle will save $4.1 million against its cap by trading Mingo while incurring $1.1 million in dead money.

Martin was a sixth-round pick in 2018 who had three sacks as a rookie. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll had repeatedly talked up Martin as a player the Seahawks expected to take a significant jump in his second season, noting the strong pressure rates he had as a rotational pass-rusher. Martin played only 225 defensive snaps and was second in special-teams snaps behind Mingo with 279, according to Pro Football Reference.

Information from ESPN's Brady Henderson and Sarah Barshop was used in this report.

For all of their starry absences, the United States will be the favorite to retain their FIBA World Cup when the 2019 edition tips off on Saturday in China. But an alternative victor isn't that difficult to imagine.

Within the competition's largest-ever field of 32, there are a clutch of potential contenders including 2006 winners Spain, the experienced and talented Australia and formidable Serbia.

Over 1 billion expecting eyes will be on the hosts. Even lower-ranked challengers like Jordan and Tunisia will have goals to fulfill, with the sub-plot of seven berths at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo also up for grabs.

The World Cup may lack some of the stardust of those Games but it still promises to deliver 16 days of fascinating top-quality basketball -- until the winner is crowned in Beijing on Sept. 15.

Here's ESPN.com's look at the eight opening-round groups -- and some analysis and predictions of how the tournament might unfold, including a champion that's not you-know-who...

GROUP A (Beijing): Cote d'Ivoire, Poland, Venezuela, China

COTE D'IVOIRE

Key player: Souleyman Diabete
Head coach: Paolo Povia
How they qualified: third in Africa group
Previous World Cup best: 13th (twice)
FIBA ranking (as of Feb. 26, 2019): 64

Outlook: The Elephants have struggled in the build-up despite naturalizing American forward Deon Thompson and delivering occasionally solid defense. Rows with the federation have been a distraction for the players with a threat to go on strike over missed payments. Rank outsiders for a good reason.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

POLAND

Key player: Mateusz Ponitka
Head coach: Mike Taylor
How they qualified: third in European group
Previous World Cup best: fifth (1967)
FIBA ranking: 15

Outlook: Great continuity hasn't boosted results ahead of China for a roster missing the retired Marcin Gortat. One-time New York Knicks ball boy Mike Taylor needs to work some coaching magic although his team can pile up points behind EuroLeague vet AJ Slaughter.

Prediction: Second Round

VENEZUELA

Key player: Nestor Colmenares
Head coach: Fernando Duro
How they qualified: second in Americas group
Previous World Cup best: 11th (1990)
FIBA ranking: 20

Outlook: An aging roster has been diverted by logistical issues, in addition to reported discontent between Duro and his players. More down than up offensively, Venezuela will kick off their World Cup bid following a heavy loss in its final friendly game with Greece. Their opener against the Poles is pivotal.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

CHINA

Key player: Yi Jianlian
Head coach: Li Nan
How they qualified: Hosts
Previous World Cup best: eighth (1994)
FIBA ranking: 30

Outlook: The hosts have had the longest preparation of any team, with 17 games including a shot at NBA Summer League. Size and an easier draw gets China out of this group. In a tough bracket, progress beyond the second round might hinge on Yi shaking off an ankle injury and playmaker Guo Ailun's tenacity.

Prediction: Second Round

Group A Forecast: 1. China, 2. Poland, 3. Angola, 4. Venezuela.

GROUP B (Wuhan): Russia, Argentina, South Korea, Nigeria

RUSSIA

Key player: Sergey Karasev
Head coach: Sergey Bazarevich
How they qualified: second in European group
Previous World Cup best: second (twice)
FIBA ranking: 10

Outlook: Respectability has been restored to Mother Russia following a few lean years even if the potency of old has yet to return and injuries have altered their roster. Ex-Nets forward Karasev needs to be an offensive fulcrum to ensure there's no early stumble but a large warm-up loss to Argentina lengthened their odds.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

ARGENTINA

Key player: Facundo Campazzo
Head coach: Sergio Hernandez
How they qualified: second in Americas group
Previous World Cup best: Champions (1950)
FIBA ranking: 5

Outlook: Even at 39, Luis Scola is a key threat but Hernandez will turn to Real Madrid pair Gabriel Deck and Campazzo to ignite a new post-Ginobili era of success. In 13 prep games, Argentina was 9-4. Rebuilding, yes, but still immensely potent.

Prediction: Quarterfinal

SOUTH KOREA

Key player: Ricardo Ratliffe
Head coach: Hur Jae
How they qualified: second in Asian group
Previous World Cup best: 11th (1970)
FIBA ranking: 32

Outlook: A largely home-based roster lacks experience and their small-ball crew will lean on muscle brought by longtime American-born KBL star Ricardo Ratliffe. Just three official tune-up games leaves the Koreans short of game time in a group where they are utter long shots.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

NIGERIA

Key player: Al-Farouq Aminu
Head coach: Alex Nwora
How they qualified: first in African group
Previous World Cup best: 13 (1998)
FIBA ranking: 33

Outlook: Solid wins over Canada and Montenegro this month proved their potential amid arguments over finances with Nigeria's federation. D'Tigers possess players capable of individual dominance and a real toughness, providing them with a real shot at becoming the first African team to reach the last eight since 1950.

Prediction: Quarterfinal

Group B Forecast: 1. Argentina, 2. Nigeria, 3. Russia, 4. South Korea

GROUP C (Guangzhou): Spain, Iran, Puerto Rico, Tunisia

SPAIN

Key player: Marc Gasol
Head coach: Sergio Scariolo
How they qualified: first in European group
Previous World Cup best: Champions (2006)
FIBA ranking: 2

Outlook: With notable absences including Pau Gasol and Sergio Rodriquez, Scariolo has been forced to bring in new talent. No bad thing with Willy and Juan Hernangomez poised for lead roles and a system that's always quickly assimilated fresh faces. As ever, the Spanish will expect to go deep into the tournament.

Prediction: Semifinal

IRAN

Key player: Hamed Haddadi
Head coach: Mehran Shahintab
How they qualified: third in Asia group
Previous World Cup best: 19th (2010)
FIBA ranking: 27

Outlook: With second place in the group very much a three-way fight, Iran will look to capitalize on the lessons from a tough prep schedule in which a 6-4 record was compiled. Haddadi is central to everything they do.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

PUERTO RICO

Key player: Isaiah Pineiro
Head coach: Eddie Casiano
How they qualified: third in Americas group
Previous World Cup best: fourth (1990)
FIBA ranking: 16

Outlook: Stripped of JJ Barea due to injury, Puerto Rico took silver at the recent PanAmerican Games but a lack of size and depth has exposed gaps, and a heavy loss in a friendly with Senegal last week asked all sorts of awkward questions.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

TUNISIA

Key player: Salah Mejri
Head coach: Mario Palma
How they qualified: first in African group
Previous World Cup best: 24th (2010)
FIBA ranking: 51

Outlook: The oldest team in the World Cup with an average age of 31, the Tunisians benefit from continuity and chemistry. Mejri is its totem -- although look out for crafty point guard Omar Abada -- and it's a team capable of picking up at least one win.

Prediction: Second Round

Group C Forecast: 1. Spain, 2. Tunisia, 3. Iran, 4. Puerto Rico

GROUP D (Foshan): Angola, Philippines, Italy, Serbia

ANGOLA

Key player: Yanick Moreira
Head coach: Will Voigt
How they qualified: second in African group
Previous World Cup best: ninth (2006)
FIBA ranking: 39

Outlook: Losing Atlanta Hawks rookie Bruno Fernando left the Angolans short of youthful energy on a roster that seems past its prime. Eduardo Mingas plays in his fifth World Cup at the age of 40. With a record of 1-6 this summer, it may be a tough farewell.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

PHILIPPINES

Key player: Andray Blatche
Head coach: Yeng Guiao
How they qualified: fourth in Asian group
Previous World Cup best: third (1954)
FIBA ranking: 31

Outlook: Blatche, now playing in China, will shoulder an immense load in the paint for the Filipinos, who lack size elsewhere and rely on the speed of their wings and guards to obtain stops. They will hope to beat Angola. That might be the best available consolation prize.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

ITALY

Key player: Danilo Gallinari
Head coach: Romeo Sacchetti
How they qualified: second in European group
Previous World Cup best: fourth (twice)
FIBA ranking: 13

Outlook: The Azzurri possess an abundance of talent and experience at every position. Meshing it has been problematic. A terrible 4-7 in preparing, Sacchetti's team lost six straight entering the Cup even though three were close-run. As so often in the past, the great enigmas.

Prediction: Second Round

SERBIA

Key player: Nikola Jokic
Head coach: Sasha Djordjevic
How they qualified: third in European group
Previous World Cup best: Champions (twice)
FIBA ranking: 4

Outlook: A perfect 9-0 this summer with some A-List opponents, the Serbs are openly targeting a third straight global finale following silver showings at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. They'll miss Milos Teodosic but Jokic's presence makes them contenders to win it all.

Prediction: Champion

Group D Forecast: 1. Serbia, 2. Italy, 3. Philippines, 4. Angola

GROUP E (Shanghai): Turkey, Czech Republic, USA, Japan

TURKEY

Key player: Furkan Korkmaz
Head coach: Ufuk Sarıca
How they qualified: second in European group
Previous World Cup best: second (2010)
FIBA ranking: 17

Outlook: The Turks have a very cohesive offense with 76ers guard Korkmaz and Cavs forward Cedi Osman as a nice one-two punch. Runners-up in 2010, they want another prolonged run although their initial clash with the Czechs is huge.

Prediction: Second Round

CZECH REPUBLIC

Key player: Tomas Satoransky
Head coach: Ronen Ginzburg
How they qualified: third in European group
Previous World Cup best: Debut
FIBA ranking: 14

Outlook: Losing Jan Vesely to a knee injury stripped the Czechs of their totem, throwing much of the responsibility toward Satoransky. Yet Ondrej Balvin has stepped into the void and results have been impressive, underlining an unexpected depth and an ability to flourish at a quick pace.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

USA

Key player: Khris Middleton
Head coach: Gregg Popovich
How they qualified: first in Americas group
Previous World Cup best: Champions (five times)
FIBA ranking: 1

Outlook: The reigning champions, the favorites, the team to beat, even after the 78-game winning streak-ending loss to Australia that highlighted vulnerabilities among what is very much a USA B-team. This group certainly lacks the intimidation factor of old. While the Americans might not start as the best side, they can still end the World Cup ahead of the pack if they can quickly adapt. No guarantees, though, this time.

Prediction: Semifinal

JAPAN

Key player: Yuta Watanabe
Head coach: Julio Lamas
How they qualified: third in Asian group
Previous World Cup best: 11th (1967)
FIBA ranking: 48

Outlook: This might be the best Japan team in recent times with the misfortune of ending up in an incredibly difficult pool. Lamas is a maestro on the international stage and he'll pursue a stolen win with young forward Rui Hachimura offered a platform for a breakout.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

Group E Forecast: 1. USA, 2. Turkey, 3. Czech Republic, 4. Japan

GROUP F (Nanjing): Greece, New Zealand, Brazil, Montenegro

GREECE

Key player: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Head coach: Thanasis Skourtopoulos
How they qualified: first in European group
Previous World Cup best: second (2006)
FIBA ranking: 8

Outlook: With the reigning NBA MVP returning to the fold, Greece is riding a wave of Giannis-led optimism after sustaining only a single loss -- to Serbia -- during nine friendlies during the past month. With experience and defensive savvy around him, they'll test everyone.

Prediction: Quarterfinal

NEW ZEALAND

Key player: Corey Webster
Head coach: Paul Henare
How they qualified: first in Asian group
Previous World Cup best: fourth (2002)
FIBA ranking: 38

Outlook: The Tall Blacks won't have Steven Adams but they'll bring their haka and hope. It's on defense where New Zealand lack rhythm and that weakness may be exposed in the opening phase, even with a late uptick in form.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

BRAZIL

Key player: Leandro Barbosa
Head coach: Aleksandar Petrovic
How they qualified: third in Americas group
Previous World Cup best: Champions (twice)
FIBA ranking: 12

Outlook: Anderson Varejao and Leandro Barbosa are still in action! And the Brazilians can trade on a lot of miles in unison on the international clock that have paid dividends in a 6-1 prep record. If their outside shooting is on song, they can make a little sweet music.

Prediction: Second Round

MONTENEGRO

Key player: Nikola Vucevic
Head coach: Zvezdan Mitrovic
How they qualified: third in European group
Previous World Cup best: Debut
FIBA ranking: 38

Outlook: In its World Cup bow, the Montenegrins are going to ask much of Vucevic at both ends of the floor. The flaw is that defensively, they've only held one international opponent to under 77 points in six attempts this summer.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

Group F Forecast: 1. Greece, 2. Brazil, 3. Montenegro, 4. New Zealand

GROUP G (Shenzhen): Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Jordan

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Key player: Eloy Vargas
Head coach: Che Garcia
How they qualified: fourth in Americas group
Previous World Cup best: 12th (1978)
FIBA ranking: 18

Outlook: Minus Karl-Anthony Towns and Al Horford, the DR is counting on a veteran group to bind together under its recently-installed coach and for different folk to step up on each game day. Not so simple.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

FRANCE

Key player: Nicolas Batum
Head coach: Vincent Collet
How they qualified: first in European group
Previous World Cup best: third (2014)
FIBA ranking: 3

Outlook: 6-2 in the pre-tournament, Collet is meshing the remainder of France's golden generation with fresh blood, while utilizing Rudy Gobert as his anchor. Les Bleus want to be at the Olympics and ready themselves for a medal shot but they are in a harsh quarter of the bracket.

Prediction: Second Round

GERMANY

Key player: Dennis Schröder
Head coach: Henrik Rödl
How they qualified: second in European group
Previous World Cup best: third (2002)
FIBA ranking: 22

Outlook: Can the post-Dirk generation match the accomplishments of their Nowitzki-led predecessors? There's more depth arguably in the current crop and they went 6-1 in the pre-tournament warm-ups, including a win over Australia in their last rehearsal. An intriguing outsider.

Prediction: Second Round

JORDAN

Key player: Ahmet Düverioğlu
Head coach: Joseph Stiebing
How they qualified: third in Asian group
Previous World Cup best: 23rd (2010)
FIBA ranking: 49

Outlook: Preventing rivals from scoring big is the Jordanians' greatest task -- one that may be beyond them. American-born swingman Dar Tucker is the main offensive weapon at Stiebing's disposal.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

Group G Forecast: 1. France, 2. Germany, 3. Dominican Republic, 4. Jordan

GROUP H (Dongguan): Canada, Senegal, Lithuania, Australia

CANADA

Key player: Cory Joseph
Head coach: Nick Nurse
How they qualified: first in Americas group
Previous World Cup best: sixth (twice)
FIBA ranking: 23

Outlook: At full-strength, Canada would have the second-best roster in international hoops. Instead, Nurse is coaching short-handed with Orlando Magic backup Khem Birch inheriting the leadership role, with Joseph only arriving at the last minute. A real opportunity missed.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

SENEGAL

Key player: Babacar Toure
Head coach: Moustapha Gaye
How they qualified: second in African group
Previous World Cup best: 14th (1978)
FIBA ranking: 37

Outlook: With a head coach who has been at the helm for less than a month, the Senegal team has sustained some bruising friendly defeats. In a tough group, even running one opponent close would be a triumph.

Prediction: Classification Round (17th-32nd)

LITHUANIA

Key player: Domantis Sabonis
Head coach: Dainius Adomaitis
How they qualified: first in European group
Previous World Cup best: third (2010)
FIBA ranking: 6

Outlook: As solid as ever, the Green Machine and its spectacular fans want an Olympic berth and progress behind the maturing Sabonis. Older stagers like Jonas Valanciunas and Jonas Maciulis provide a potent set of bigs that has looked extremely sharp, and it's a group that knows one another very well.

Prediction: Quarterfinal

AUSTRALIA

Key player: Joe Ingles
Head coach: Andrej Lemanis
How they qualified: first in Asian group
Previous World Cup best: fifth (twice)
FIBA ranking: 11

Outlook: Ending the USA's long unbeaten run has the Boomers seeking more history with a core group that has seen everything together and won't cry over the non-availability of Ben Simmons. Look for newbie Jock Landale to make his mark too on a team whose chemistry cultivates a real title contender.

Prediction: Final

Group H Forecast: 1. Australia, 2. Lithuania , 3. Canada, 4. Senegal

SHANGHAI -- Watching Gregg Popovich work is one of the joys of being around Team USA.

During the NBA season when he's in San Antonio he builds walls, actual and figurative, that purposely shield nuance. It's understandable because it's a competitive game, and Popovich, while often gregarious, prefers privacy.

But it's also unfortunate, because it's in those moments when Popovich becomes "Pop."

In this setting with the national team, though, there are fewer barriers. There's less time and less attachment. These players aren't bound by contract, and in this scenario Popovich needs short-term buy-in more than the players need to give it.

It opens some windows into the revelatory Popovich stuff, and it's happening in China as the U.S. gets ready to start the FIBA World Cup on Sunday when it takes on Czech Republic (ESPN+, 8:30 am ET).

Over the last month, a beneficiary of this situation appears to be Donovan Mitchell. And because of that, these could end up being transformative weeks for the Utah Jazz star.

He's getting some special attention from Popovich, who needs Mitchell to be great for Team USA to win gold. But there's another reason, and this is what the whole point is.

"When you tap somebody that has leadership ability, it's better to start it sooner," Popovich explained this week. "The quicker you make them feel responsible that they can do that, the better. Then if that person grabs onto it then you know you chose the right guy."

This is the Popovich sauce, in this case a pearl about how to cultivate a young player by giving more trust. It actually follows a Popovich method, which is to buck the norm. You can see it in those sideline interviews he's famous for. Come at him soft and he'll often come back hard. Come hard and he'll often go soft, keeping everyone off-balance.

His teams play that way. Earlier this decade, the Spurs led the revolution to taking more 3-pointers. Now that it's a full-blown trend, the Spurs take among the fewest as Popovich complains about the state of the game.

It goes against conventional wisdom that on a Team USA squad with a number of established veterans like Kemba Walker, Khris Middleton, Harrison Barnes, Brook Lopez and Mason Plumlee, that Popovich would guide one of the youngest into a leading voice.

But here the old master is working, it's the 22-year-old Mitchell who he's entrusting to guide this important enterprise. Popovich seems to see the leadership qualities in Mitchell that Jazz leadership and his Utah teammates have talked about for the last two years.

"There's a lot of learning going on here," Mitchell said. "This last month has helped me in tremendous ways."

Mitchell is savvy about his place and his goals. He wants to be a big star, and on an American team without many there's no doubt he smells opportunity. He's more aware than most of image. He's active in social media, especially China-focused channels. He has a new signature shoe line with Adidas and has leveraged his "Spider" nickname in a co-branded campaign with Spider-Man. This is the second time this summer he's been in China, he came over in July for an Adidas tour, and it's already clear he's got growing popularity in the world's biggest shoe market.

When the U.S. practiced this week at an international school and students lined up to take videos of the players, Mitchell was happy to pose for selfies and greet them. And they were excited to see him. Being popular with Chinese teenagers is important in the chase for international superstardom. And after a minor social media flap with Chinese fans last month -- an apparently old video of Mitchell talking about a small group of Chinese autograph seekers was posted online and presented as new, and it caused some offense -- he's been keen to embrace them.

All of this is to say Mitchell had a different viewpoint when a bunch of big-name players backed out of Team USA. Yes, it made the mission of winning the World Cup harder. But it sure did open some real estate for Mitchell to grab.

"My initial thought was I could come into this team and (show leadership)," Mitchell said. "But with guys coming in and out my role shifted a little bit."

As in it got way bigger. While Mitchell knows how important a big three weeks would be for his brand, this isn't about marketing. Popovich wouldn't tolerate such motivations anyway. Mitchell is serious about this. He's impressed his Team USA teammates with his intensity in practice and his film study in the run-up to Sunday's opener.

"You wouldn't think he's the age he is, he's ahead of his years," Walker said. "He a natural-born leader. His skill set is unbelievable. He's a great player but he knows he has so much room for improvement. He wants to work."

On the floor, Mitchell has been impressive at times. There have been moments during the intrasquad scrimmages where he's been the best player, and that showed up early during training camp in Las Vegas.

"He was one of the few guys we thought could make a big jump here," Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo said. "And he has."

He hasn't been the leading scorer, that's been Walker, but he has been a playmaker. You can see Mitchell working in other ways, too. Defense has been a sore spot for Mitchell during his time with the Jazz. He's a gifted offensive player and he averaged 24 points a game last season. But on defense, where the Jazz like to hang their hat, he hasn't come along.

Popovich has spent the last month urging him to be a defensive leader. Because the U.S. doesn't have the offensive weaponry it's had in years past, the coaching staff is hoping athletic defense will be this team's calling card. There's been mixed results in that area in the exhibition games, but Mitchell and the other guards are a focal point on this front.

"I feel like I lead a lot by using my voice, it's natural for me, but I also think it's been more by example," he said. "I feel the need to really get after a guy defensively and showing that. I feel like I need to find ways to disrupt the other team and apply that pressure they might not be used to. I think being able to set that tone is something I'm priding myself on. You can feel how defensive energy sets the tone, even on that position, and how we build from there."

Whether Mitchell and his teammates follow through on that desire is pretty critical during this tournament. But he seems earnest about it, he talks about the need to not just talk a good game or lead by example but also to listen. He's tried to listen to teammates as much as anything. What is remarkable, though, is his veteran teammates seem to come to him.

"He's wise beyond his years I feel like," said Middleton, the team's other All-Star besides Walker. "He wants to elevate the players around him."

That's what Popovich is banking on. Seeing him pull Mitchell aside for little talks, tease him while also testing him during practices and, most likely, giving him important moments in these upcoming games is a big part of how Popovich is electing to coach this team.

Ultimately it's why Popovich is here and why Team USA always matters -- both for the task at hand and for the bigger moments that are sure to come in the bigger league where these guys actually make their money.

"He has a propensity for leadership and that's how I spent my time with him," Popovich said. "I'm not going to teach him how to shoot better or jump better or dribble better. But he has the intelligence and the willingness to become a leader and I think that'd be great. Not just for our team but for his team."

New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with knee inflammation after leaving his start Friday with soreness.

The right knee has bothered him for years, and he experienced discomfort and was pulled after 48 pitches against the Oakland Athletics.

Sabathia, who plans to retire at the end of the season, said Friday that he would get his knee drained Saturday and hoped to be able to pitch again this season.

"That's the plan," he said. "Hopefully I can just get enough rest where it'll calm down, and I'm able to get back out there and throw 90 to 100 pitches."

Sabathia pitched three innings of one-run ball against the A's. He was flexing the surgically repaired knee at times, but appeared to be in a groove before leaving the 1-1 game.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he could tell Sabathia was struggling with his knee early in Friday's start.

Asked if he thinks Sabathia will pitch again this season, he said, "I hope so. I mean, I don't want to speculate on that. We'll see as far as treatment goes tomorrow, and then see how he responds to that, and we'll go from there."

Oakland went on to win 8-2, snapping the Yankees' four-game winning streak.

Sabathia, 39, spent time on the injured list to heal his right knee this month, and Friday marked his third start since returning. He said earlier this season that his knee is constantly at least an "eight out of 10" painwise.

Sabathia has 251 wins and surpassed the 3,000-strikeout mark earlier this season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.