A Few Games In, Men’s Olympic Basketball Odds Firm

Not Too Many Surprises Per Our 2024 Olympics Men's Basketball Update

July 29, 2024 150 4 minutes readOlympic Games News

The Men’s Olympic basketball tournament is fully underway! Our 2024 Olympics Men’s Basketball update looks at the few games that have been played so far and Olympic medals have changed.

All three groups have played two games and the results have been more or less what was expected. In Group C, the United States cruised to a 110-84 victory over Serbia. Meanwhile, South Sudan delivered a surprising performance, dominating Puerto Rico by a wider margin than anticipated, winning 90-79.

Group A saw a closer contest than expected, with Canada edging Greece 86-79. The Greek team put up a stronger fight than many predicted.

Earlier in the competition, on Saturday, July 27th, secured a 78-66 win against Brazil in Group B. dominated their match against Japan, winning convincingly 97-77. To round out the first round, Australia defeated Spain 92-80.

The Updated Odds to Win Gold

Here are the gold medal odds for our 2024 Olympics Men’s Basketball update:

Updated 2024 Olympics Men’s Basketball Odds
USA -550	Canada +850	+1400	+1800
Serbia +2300	Australia +2400	Greece +4600	South Sudan +14000
Spain +14000	Puerto Rico +32000	Japan +50000	Brazil +50000

Before the tournament had begun, the odds looked like this:

Previous 2024 Olympics Men’s Basketball Odds
USA -400	Canada +1000	+1500	Serbia +1500
+2500	Australia +4000	Greece +5000	Spain +7500
South Sudan +15000	Puerto Rico +25000	Brazil +25000	Japan +50000

At the top of the winning landscape, a few teams have had their odds shortened and a few have gotten longer. The USA basketball Olympics team (the favorites since the odds have been released) have seen their odds shortened slightly after a convincing win against Serbia.

Team Canada’s odds also got a little shorter with their win over Greece. Even with a win in their first game, Team has seen their odds slightly lengthen. Serbia and have seen their odds lengthen as well, with Serbia losing to the US and beating Japan by 20 points.

🥇 The Gold Medal Favorites Took Care of Business

The United States men’s basketball team kicked off their quest for a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal with a decisive 110-84 victory over Serbia.

Led by a stellar performance from Kevin Durant, who returned to the court after a calf injury, the Americans showcased their dominance. Durant’s efficient shooting and LeBron James’ all-around contributions powered the team to a comfortable win, even after Serbia kept things close with a first-quarter lead and a solid first half.

The matchup against Serbia, featuring NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, was anticipated as a true test. However, the US team’s depth and defensive rotations proved too much for the European powerhouse. Jokic managed 20 points, but the American defense effectively contained him and his Serbian teammates.

Coach Steve Kerr’s strategic decisions, including bringing Durant off the bench, paid off handsomely.

The team’s chemistry and execution were evident throughout the game, with Stephen Curry making a notable Olympic debut. Kerr was still under fire for sitting recent champion Jayson Tatum, who looked quite unhappy with his lack of playing time.

As the U.S. team looks ahead, they face South Sudan in their next group-stage match. While the African nation surprised the Americans in an exhibition game this summer, the U.S. will be determined to avoid a similar upset and secure their place in the knockout rounds.

Despite barely winning in their exhibition game, team USA is -31.5 point favorites in their rematch.

Canada and Both Grab Wins

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his Canadian teammates held off a furious late rally by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece to secure an 86-79 victory.

Antetokounmpo, the two-time NBA MVP, dominated the game with a game-high 34 points, showcasing his exceptional talent and physicality. Canada struggled to contain the Greek superstar, who was particularly effective from the free-throw line, converting 12 of 15 attempts.

However, Gilgeous-Alexander proved to be Canada’s counterpunch. The All-NBA guard excelled offensively, finishing with 21 points and five rebounds. His scoring and playmaking were crucial in keeping Canada ahead.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading leads throughout.

Greece’s defensive intensity and Antetokounmpo’s scoring ability kept them in the game, but Canada’s depth and resilience ultimately proved decisive. In the end, Canada’s ability to withstand Greece’s late surge and secure the victory was impressive, but with much more talent on their roster didn’t help their case to upset Team USA for gold.

The host nation faced a challenging start to their game against Brazil but managed to turn things around to secure a victory. Victor Wembanyama and Nicolas Batum were instrumental in ’s win, contributing 19 points each.

Wembanyama, the highly anticipated young talent, showcased his incredible skill and potential on both ends of the floor. While Brazil put up a fight, ’s defensive duo of Gobert and Wembanyama held the Brazilian offense in check.

We will continue to monitor all of the top teams in their race for gold, so make sure you tune into our next 2024 Olympics Men’s Basketball Update.

For Olympics betting schedules, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.