There is nothing about losing that Tony Parker enjoys but one consequence of his early play-off exit with the San Antonio Spurs is that the France point guard and his actress wife Eva Longoria can have a long rest before he joins the national team ahead of the Additional Qualifying Round for EuroBasket 2009.

France will be gunning for the one remaining place still on offer for the Final Round in Poland when they go up against Italy and Finland in August in Group B of the AQR.

If Parker and Co finish top, they will then have to beat the winner of Group A (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium or Portugal) over two legs to advance.

"This loss is beneficial for the French national team," Parker said.

"I will arrive there in mid-July fresh and well rested.

"Before then, I will totally block out basketball and empty my head to think of a lot of other things than basketball."

Also on the plus side for Parker is that despite the Spurs' setback, he enjoyed an outstanding campaign from a statistical standpoint and it came when the team needed it most because injuries kept Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan out of action for a lot of games.

Parker, who turns 27 on May 17, finished his eighth NBA campaign having averaged a career-high 22 points and 6.9 assists per contest during the regular season.

"I think I've reached another level," Parker said on his official website.

"With Manu's injury and Tim Duncan's small ailment I had to raise my level of play.

"I am satisfied with what I did but as usual I do not wish to stop here. I still want to go higher and my goal is to improve each year in order to become the best possible basketball player. I do not give myself any limit."