USA Basketball is off to a terrific begin on the 2024 Paris Olympics, and on Saturday, it took one other step towards a fifth straight gold medal with a 104-83 victory over Puerto Rico. With that win, Workforce USA improved to 3-0 after the group stage, boasted some extent differential of +64 and secured the No. 1 seed. The primary tiebreaker for knockout stage seeding is the head-to-head file, and the second is level differential.
Workforce USA claimed the highest spot within the event, as two different undefeated groups — Germany (+47) and Canada (+20) — secured the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively. The ultimate seeding for the quarterfinals was not decided till the final recreation in group play, Serbia vs. South Sudan, was selected Saturday afternoon.
Eight groups will probably be in motion for the knockout stage on Tuesday, Aug. 6 (All instances U.S./Jap):
• Germany vs. Greece, 5 a.m. (E Channel, Peacock, NBCOlympics.com)
• Serbia vs. Australia, 8:30 a.m. (USA, Peacock, NBCOlympics.com)
• Canada vs. France, midday (Peacock, NBCOlympics.com)
• USA vs. Brazil, 3:30 p.m. (USA, Peacock, NBCOlympics.com)
For a full breakdown of the lads’s basketball standings and schedule, click on right here.
Workforce USA is not going to face Germany, France or Canada till a attainable gold medal matchup on Aug. 10, as they’re on the opposite aspect of the bracket. The People will face Brazil within the quarterfinals, whereas Canada will meet France. The opposite two quarterfinals on Tuesday will probably be Germany vs. Greece and Serbia vs. Australia. The semifinals are slated for Thursday, Aug. 8.
Technically, Greece needs to be a decrease seed than Brazil, because it had a worse level differential. Nonetheless, Brazil can’t be the No. 7 seed as a result of Germany is No. 2, and groups from the identical group aren’t allowed to play within the quarterfinals. Greece, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, solely superior as a result of South Sudan misplaced to Serbia within the closing group play match on Saturday.
Serbia, which obtained standout performances from Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jookic in opposition to South Sudan, received each of their group video games after dropping its opener to Workforce USA. Group C was the one group that superior simply two groups.
The host nation of France, winners of silver up to now two Olympics, is led by veteran Rudy Gobert and first-timer Victor Wembanyama. Canada has the star guard duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray. Germany, paced by Dennis Schroder, is the reigning World Cup winner.
So with three video games down, Workforce USA nonetheless has three to go if it desires to gather a fifth straight gold medal. It will likely be closely favored in opposition to Brazil on Tuesday, however the two video games after that determine to be Workforce USA’s two best checks within the event. They’re nonetheless the heavy favourite to win gold general, however issues are about to get tougher for the star-studded American roster.
