- Team USA finishes group play for the 2024 Olympics men’s basketball tournament on Saturday against Puerto Rico.
- The Americans have taken down South Sudan and Serbia thus far, while Puerto Rico has lost to both of those countries.
- Keep reading below for our favorite picks from Saturday’s Group C finale.
Team USA looks to tune up one last time before the knockout stages of the 2024 Olympics men’s basketball tournament begin. The United States is a massive favorite over a Puerto Rico team that doesn’t have much to play for in this Group C finale. Saturday’s contest is set to tip off at 11:15 a.m. ET and can be seen on NBC or Peacock.
USA vs Puerto Rico Picks
- Over 188.5 points (-110)
- Devin Booker over 9.5 points (-115)
This should be a relatively easy game for the Americans, but Jose Alvarado and the Puerto Ricans won’t go down without some sort of fight. Tremont Waters is also capable of putting up points for his squad. Even though I don’t think LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid will see a ton of playing time in this game, they should be effective in the minutes they do get.
Look for the U.S. to jump out to a big halftime lead and then let the younger guys keep their feet on the gas pedal after the intermission. I expect Team USA to score around 110 points in this contest, which means we only need 79 from Puerto Rico for the over to hit. At -110 odds on bet365, I’ll take the over in this one.
If the veteran players, like the trio I mentioned above, along with Steph Curry and Anthony Davis, do indeed get pulled from this game early in order to rest, look for guys like Devin Booker to shine. Booker has had a solid showing at the Olympics thus far, and I expect coach Steve Kerr to give him more minutes in this game.
He should have plenty of opportunities to reach double-digits in points, and I expect him to get the job done before the 4th quarter even begins. Take the -115 odds for Booker’s over on bet365 and don’t look back!
SPORTSBOOK
USA vs Puerto Rico Odds
Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Puerto Rico | +35.5 (-105) | N/A | O 188.5 (-110) |
USA | -35.5 (-115) | N/A | U 188.5 (-110) |
Odds via bet365 as of Friday, August 2. Use bet365 promo code SBDXLM when you sign up for an account today and you will unlock a choice between two elite welcome bonuses — a first-bet safety net of up to $1,000 or $150 in bonus bets when you place your first $5+ wager.
As you can see, this game is expected to be so lopsided that there are no moneyline odds listed. However, on the spread, USA is -115 as 35.5-point favorites. To pick Puerto Rico to cover the spread has -105 odds. The point total is set at over/under 188.5 points, with even -110 odds on both sides. We’ll see what happens in this final game from Group C action on Saturday.
USA vs Puerto Rico Group C Results
Team USA and Puerto Rico have had very different experiences thus far in France, sitting at opposite ends of the Group C standings.
Team USA has cruised to 2 wins, looking impressive while doing so. Here’s a look at the results of Team USA’s first 2 Olympic games, along with the team’s leading scorer in each matchup:
- USA 110, Serbia 84 (Kevin Durant — 23 points)
- USA 103, South Sudan 86 (Bam Adebayo — 18 points)
Puerto Rico, on the other hand, has had one close-ish loss and one blowout defeat. They’re officially eliminated from advancing to the knockout rounds, thanks to these two results:
- South Sudan 90, Puerto Rico 79 (Jose Alvarado — 26 points)
- Serbia 107, Puerto Rico 66 (Chris Ortiz — 19 points)
However, Team USA can’t take Puerto Rico lightly. These guys will show plenty of pride and fight even if they can’t advance to the next round. Check out all the Olympic basketball action on Saturday at 11:15 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
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