USA is looking to boost their chances of winning their groups by going against Greece, who also aims to control their groups. USA and Greece are both aiming to book their spots in the second round, after the two teams their openers. Currently, USA is at the top of Group C, while Greece is at the second of their group, due to point differential. Moreover, this is not the first time that USA and Greece will face each other this month. In fact, earlier this month, these two teams already played a tune-up game where USA dominated Greece. That match ended with USA bringing home a 22-point lead, which does not work well for Greece. Although a tune-up game is far from a real game, that result proves how powerful USA is, despite going against Greece. This match is on August 28, 2023, at 8:40 PM (GMT+8).
USA
USA is coming from a win against New Zealand to open their campaign in the FIBA World Cup, which they are fortunate to do so. They actually had a slow start during their opener, allowing New Zealand to have a double-digit advantage. Fortunately, the team did not lose heart and were able to bounce back and earn a 99-72 win. Anthony Edwards, and Paolo Banchero once again stood up and led USA to victory, as they are the team’s main strengths. Now that they are going against Greece, it is a crucial match for them, as it will likely determine their group’s winner. Their win against New Zealand brings the young USA squad more engagement. However, considering that they still lack experience, USA cannot afford to underestimate their opponents.
Fortunately for USA, they will be complete for this crucial game, with Banchero and Edwards leading them. However, Ingram is hopeful that he will be finally given the playing time, as he wants to finally get a chance to contribute for his country.
Greece
Just like their opponents, also opened their World Cup campaign with a victory, defeating Jordan in a 97-71 win. They are fortunate that they were able to secure a win, despite not having their main man. However, their performance is far from what expected of them, but it is totally understandable, considering what they lost. Although they had an underwhelming performance, that win is more than enough for them to gain confidence. Their fourth-quarter surge is the main reason why they were able to get that important win. Greece outscored Jordan in the fourth, 26-11, dominating the last quarter. Giannoulis Larentzakis, led the team with 19 points, while Loannis Papapetrou had 13 points, leading the Greek squad. However, the loss of their main guys will certainly affect them for their future game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nick Calathes, and Kostas Sloukas are all unavailable for Greece due to their problems. Their absence is felt with the way Greece has performed during their opener.
Prediction:
USA
Total Under: 77.5
Odds: 0.87
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