Serbia vs. USA Prediction on July 28, 2024

Match info

Even though the men’s basketball matches at the Paris Olympics 2024 will begin earlier (on Saturday, July 27), Round 1 still counts on Sunday, July 28, when Serbia and the United States square off in Group C, as they both want to win the medal in the capital of France. If any online operator rated as the best basketball betting site is to be believed, the Americans already have the shiniest medal in their pocket. We can’t blame them; the North Americans sent a “Dream Team” (one of the rare teams to actually earn this moniker since the roster sent to the Barcelona Olympics 1992) to Paris. This is an analysis and prediction of a clash between the two basketball powerhouses, which will be held at 5:15 p.m. local time at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d’Ascq (near Lille).

Meeting statistics

The current form of Serbia

Serbia has performed admirably in its most recent friendlies. With their impressive victories over France, Japan, and Greece, they are confident and eager to take home a medal at the 2024 Summer Games. But they have a tough-as-hell start because the USA will be their first opponent.

Less than a year ago, Serbia entered the FIBA Basketball World Cup with little hope from the domestic populace. Despite the absence of several important players, including Nikola Jokić and Vasilije Micić, they were nevertheless able to go to the final, where Germany defeated them. Now that everything has changed, head coach Svetislav Pešić has the best players in Serbia at his disposal. Jokić, the three-time NBA MVP, will be the main attraction. The top player of the Denver Nuggets, who’s arguably the best basketball player in the world, will be the key component of the “Eagles” lineup. For the national squad, captain Bogdan Bogdanović, Aleksa Avramović, Nikola Jović, and Nikola Milutinov all play with unique inspiration. Their defensive assignments will largely determine their contagious energy. Micić will have the chance to prove that he belongs in the greatest league in the world at the Olympics because he didn’t get much playing time in the NBA, although he played a lot more after moving from the Thunders to the Hornets. And playing against the USA is the best possible testing ground.

Serbia was soundly defeated by the USA in a friendly match before the Olympics, but this will be very different in every situation. Jokić will undoubtedly take center stage and use his abilities to try to open doors for his side. Serbia may be able to maintain its chances of winning if his teammates take advantage of the openings that the NBA player creates.

The current form of the USA

The USA battled until the very end to defeat South Sudan and Germany, but it prevailed in all five of their friendly matches. With little time for preparation, Steve Kerr’s squad focused almost entirely on offense and utilized these games to hone their offensive sets.

The question of whether this is the greatest USA squad ever or not has generated a lot of discussion in recent months. Since the 1992 Dream Team, this is unquestionably the strongest team they’ve entered the Olympics with in terms of individual talent. Coach Kerr has selected the best players the USA currently has, with the exception of the last NBA Finals MVP, Jaylen Brown, and every player has responded. Stephen Curry is the greatest shooter basketball has ever seen; LeBron James is unquestionably the greatest player of the century; and Jayson Tatum may be the best American player in the NBA at the moment. The three greatest American centers are without a doubt those on the roster: Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, and Bam Adebayo, while Tyrese Haliburton and Anthony Edwards are the players of the future for the international game. Kevin Durant deserves special recognition and a special spot, since he has the chance to become the only player in American history to win four gold medals in the Olympics. Devin Booker and recent NBA champions, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, are also on the roster. It’s evident from looking at all these names why the United States is the overwhelming favorite to win the gold medal.

Even though they encountered some difficulties in a few friendly games, it’s reasonable to assume that these issues won’t arise when the genuine competition gets underway. The USA is aware that it is far superior to everyone else in terms of individual quality and can score more than 100 points against any opponent. How committed they are to defense will determine how convincing they are in every encounter, particularly in the early stages of the competition.

Head-to-head

In the last 20 years, Serbia and the USA have engaged in four official matches; the USA has a 3-1 head-to-head record.

Match analytics

The USA is the only team that can play at a rapid pace for the entire match. They most definitely won’t adapt to any of the rivals in this tournament. They scored 105 points against Serbia in the friendly match, and they can definitely do it again. Serbia squandered many clear opportunities from the outside and lacked Bogdanović in that game. We anticipate a fast-paced, multi-possession game with well-executed attacks; this should be sufficient for a match that ends with more than 180 points.

Librabet has set a bit lower total, so if you pick them for betting, opt for Total (incl. OT) Over 179.5, with odds of 1.90.