Olympics Basketball: Team USA vs Puerto Rico betting preview

Star-studded Team USA will be looking to finish the preliminary rounds unbeaten on Saturday, August 3rd when they face Puerto Rico in Group C action. Tip-off is scheduled for 11:15 AM ET. The Americans have already blown out both Serbia and South Sudan, with LeBron James leading the way at 39 years old. It’s hard to imagine anyone stopping this team from winning gold in Paris. As for the Puerto Ricans, they’ve yet to win in the tournament, losing to the Serbs and the Sudanese. This will be another difficult task for them. Continue reading for the preview. 

Team USA dominating

The Americans might’ve looked a bit shaky in exhibition action leading up to the Olympics, but it’s been a much different story in the games that matter. Steve Kerr’s squad blew out Serbia by 26 points before taking down South Sudan by 17. That’s without Joel Embiid on Wednesday while Jayson Tatum has barely seen the floor, too.

LeBron is playing like a 20-year-old again while the likes of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, and Bam Adebayo, among others, are all doing their part. The US is shooting 57% from the field and 50% from three-point land through the first two contests. Bam had a team-best 18 points against Sudan. Five other players finished in double figures as well in the 103-86 win. 

A lot of people believed Serbia would be the United States' toughest task, but it’s clear the Americans wiped the floor with them. Canada is a very good team that they could meet in the knockout rounds. To be brutally honest though, if the US continues to play like this, the gold medal will be theirs. Kerr’s squad is a massive -10000 favorite at Sports Interaction.

Puerto Rico struggling

The Puerto Ricans weren’t expected to do much in Group C and that’s unfortunately been the case. They’re averaging only 72.5 points in the tournament and scored a mere 25 points in the second half vs South Sudan after coming out strong in the opening two periods. While they’re desperate for a win, it won’t happen against Team USA.

Puerto Rico is struggling on both sides of the floor and fails to get quality looks. In the matchup vs Serbia, Christopher Ortiz led the charge with 19 points, while Ismael Romero dropped 10 points. No one else finished in double figures. It ended up being a 26-point defeat for the Puerto Ricans.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado is the most well-known player on this roster, but he hasn’t done a whole lot in the Olympics so far. He’ll have a difficult time producing against the powerful Americans. It’s understandable why Puerto Rico is such a clear underdog at basketball betting sites.

How does Group C look?

Loss or not, the Americans will finish in top spot in Group C. Depending on what happens between Serbia and South Sudan will determine second place. Puerto Rico will not advance and will essentially be playing for pride on Saturday in Paris. Team USA has a +43 point differential heading into their third game.