Olympics 2024: Men’s basketball favorites, contenders, more

PARIS — Probably the most aggressive worldwide males’s basketball match in historical past is lastly right here.

Simply being one of many 12 groups to qualify for the 2024 Olympics is a serious accomplishment. There are loaded groups and world-class gamers who’re wishing they have been in France now, together with the Luka Doncic-led Slovenia squad that reached the semifinals in Tokyo three years in the past, however misplaced in a pre-Olympic qualifying match earlier this month.

Here is a take a look at what you have to know to prepare for the match, which suggestions off Saturday with Australia vs. Spain (11 a.m. native time/5 a.m. ET).

The 12 nations competing for gold will likely be divided into three teams of 4 groups for the opening spherical. Every group performs the opposite three in its group. The groups with the 2 finest information in every group will advance to the quarterfinals. Ties are damaged by head-to-head competitors after which level differential.

The 2 finest third-place squads of the three teams additionally advance, which is the place level differential typically makes the most important distinction, so profitable issues, however profitable large issues too (one thing NBA followers turned acquainted with throughout final season’s inaugural in-season match).

The eight groups that ultimately advance to the quarterfinals that begin on Aug. 6 will possible create an unpredictable and talent-rich knockout spherical.

MORE: All the pieces to learn about Crew USA

The favourite

Crew USA is the betting favourite (-400 at ESPN BET). The People have gained the previous 4 gold medals and 7 of eight since NBA gamers have been allowed to compete in 1992. Crew architect Grant Hill has introduced arguably the deepest 12-man membership in this system’s historical past to Paris. Nonetheless, Crew USA’s gold in Tokyo in 2021 was very hard-fought run and illustrated how the margin for error has shrunk. Three years in the past, the Kevin Durant-led squad misplaced to France within the group stage and managed only a five-point victory within the gold medal sport.

Within the lead-up to the Olympics this summer season, three of the group’s 5 exhibition video games weren’t determined till the ultimate minute or two, together with a one-point win over a South Sudan group it is going to see once more subsequent week. Head coach Steve Kerr, who was an assistant three years in the past in Tokyo, known as on the group to boost its depth degree because it arrived in Paris.

“That is what at present is about,” he mentioned on Thursday after the group’s movie session. “It is the reminder. It is time. We’re right here. So it is received to be 40 minutes of drive and a spotlight and focus, and we won’t let groups outplay us effort- and energy-wise.”

Even by Crew USA requirements, this group has minimal time to jell. Solely two gamers, Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton, performed within the World Cup final summer season. Solely 5 — Durant, Jrue Vacation, Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum — performed in 2021 in Tokyo, and Durant missed the complete exhibition schedule nursing a sore calf. LeBron James has not performed for Crew USA because the 2012 Olympics in London, and Stephen Curry is enjoying in his first Olympics (he did play within the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Cups).

The highest contenders:

• Canada has 10 present NBA gamers on its roster and a loaded backcourt with NBA MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and NBA champion Jamal Murray, plus a bunch of wings who — not coincidentally — are ultimate to beat the People. Maybe equally as essential, the Canadians have harassed continuity and have logged extra time collectively than their American counterparts as they attempt to bridge the expertise/chemistry divide that Crew USA at all times fights. Nonetheless, they headline the “Group of Loss of life” and face a brutal street to the gold medal sport.

• Serbia has Nikola Jokic, a three-time NBA MVP who has saved Crew USA up at evening worrying. It additionally possess NBA-level guards, one thing many European powers cannot say. Jokic and Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic have a ton of nationwide group expertise relationship to Rio 2016, when the Serbs took the silver. Additionally, and maybe most essential, they could get three seems to be at Crew USA. As soon as within the exhibition season, as soon as in pool play and probably as soon as for a medal. The coach is outdated grasp Svetislav Pešić, who stunned many final 12 months in main the group to a silver within the World Cup with out Jokic.

• Australia gained its first medal in Tokyo — a bronze — however this 12 months’s group had barely decrease expectations. Nevertheless it was very spectacular throughout pre-Olympic video games, which has elevated Australia’s probabilities in France. Josh Giddey has established himself because the centerpiece of the group and he racks up stats attacking the rim and distributing. Veteran coach Brian Goorjian has expertly ready the group and veteran guard Patty Mills, enjoying in his fifth Olympics, stays harmful as an explosive scorer, placing up 28 factors in an exhibition win over Jokic and Serbia earlier this month.

Might steal a medal

• France took the silver in Tokyo, however has had a disappointing 12 months. Final 12 months, it did not make it out of pool play on the World Cup. Then, even when including Victor Wembanyama to the group for the primary time in a serious competitors, it seemed much less spectacular in shedding 4 instances in pre-Olympic video games although all of them have been performed in France. The entrance line of Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert — the top-two finishers in NBA Defensive Participant of the Yr voting final season — is frightening for opponents, however the French are missing within the backcourt and it actually exhibits on this stage. Solely three of the group’s guards — Frank Ntilikina, Nando De Colo and Evan Fournier — have NBA expertise. They’re enjoying at dwelling they usually should be revered, however they aren’t as feared as 4 years in the past — or if they’d secured the providers of Joel Embiid, who’s as a substitute enjoying for Crew USA.

• Germany is such a well-built and skilled group, it would not really feel nice assigning it on this class. Nevertheless it is a sign of how deep this match is. The Germans have been spectacular in profitable the World Cup final summer season. They have that tremendous helpful mixture of a dominant lead guard, worldwide star Dennis Schroeder, and a big and gifted entrance line with NBA gamers Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner and Daniel Theis. Their veteran coach, Gordy Herbert, has proved to be sensible at setting up and making ready his group.

Greatest pool play video games

• USA vs. Serbia, Sunday, 11:15 a.m. ET. A possible preview of the gold medal sport, although the People dominated an exhibition earlier this month, profitable 105-79.

• Spain vs. Greece, Tuesday, 5 a.m. ET. Giannis Antetokounmpo wept when Greece certified this month by beating Croatia. Successful this one would go a great distance towards advancing to the medal spherical, the place the Greek squad is in search of its first Olympic medal.

• Canada vs. Australia, Tuesday, 7:30 a.m. ET. A significant “Group of Loss of life” showdown that would decide who advances to the medal spherical. Canada hasn’t medaled since profitable silver on the first Olympic basketball match in 1936.

• Canada vs. Spain, Aug. 2, 11:15 a.m. ET. Canada coach Jordi Fernandez, the brand new head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, might must safe a win over his dwelling nation to advance.

• France vs. Germany, Aug. 2, 3 p.m. ET. A traditional European battle between groups loaded with large males with important stakes. It must be famous that no host nation has superior past the group stage since China in 2008.