France vs. Japan Preview: France Shows Clear Advantage with Wembanyama Over Hachimura; France Aims for Consecutive Wins

At 11:15 PM on July 30, the second round of Group B in the Olympic men’s basketball tournament will kick off, featuring a match between host nation France and Japan. This is considered one of the strongest French teams in recent years, boasting the duo of Wembanyama and Gobert. They have been seen as a team capable of competing against the US men’s basketball team. However, compared to Team USA, the French team has clear strengths and weaknesses. In the previous Tokyo Olympics, the French men’s basketball team faced the US team twice, defeating them 83-76 in their first group stage encounter. However, in the crucial final, the US men’s team proved superior. Now, the French team is even stronger with the emergence of last season’s NBA number one draft pick, Wembanyama. With two consecutive NBA number one picks coming from France, including this year’s second overall pick, Sar, the French men’s basketball team can be considered the big winner. Adding the advantage of being the host nation in this Olympics, the French team’s goal is the gold medal. Before the start of the Olympics, the French team lost all four of their warm-up matches, casting a shadow over the team. However, once the official tournament began, France quickly adjusted its form. Prior to this, in the European qualifiers, France won all three games. Therefore, the French team in the official tournament phase is trustworthy. The current French Olympic squad includes both experienced veterans and young players with great talent. Representing the older generation is 35-year-old Batum, who has represented the French national team in four Olympic Games. Although his athletic ability has declined, his accurate outside shooting and playmaking skills are valuable assets for the French team. Last season, he averaged 6.3 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Clippers. Wembanyama is a prodigious talent. Despite the Spurs’ poor performance last season, Wembanyama’s performance was outstanding. As a rookie, he played 71 games for the Spurs, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, including an average of 3.6 blocks per game, leading the league. As one of the most promising rookies, Wembanyama’s performance at the same stage of his career was even better than James’. Fournier, who has not received much recognition in the NBA, performs well for the French national team. Last season, Fournier played 29 games for the Pistons, averaging 7.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. However, in the national team, Fournier’s offense is widely recognized, earning him the title of “international tournament scorer.” After Tony Parker’s retirement, Fournier has become the undisputed offensive core of the French national team’s guards. Lastly, let’s talk about Gobert. As a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, although his performance in the playoffs last season was questioned, Gobert’s role is evident. It’s particularly worth mentioning that in the Olympic arena, without the defensive three-second rule, Gobert’s defensive impact is further amplified. Last season, the Timberwolves’ success was partly due to Gobert’s defense, where he averaged 12.1 points and 9.8 rebounds. In their opening Olympic game, the French men’s basketball team defeated Brazil 78-66. In this match, the French team had a high field goal percentage of 50%, with a clear advantage in the paint. Both Batum and Wembanyama scored 19 points, with Wembanyama contributing 19 points and 9 rebounds, and Batum adding 19 points and 5 rebounds. Although only two players scored in double digits, the French team effectively restricted Brazil’s offense on the defensive end, securing a winning start.

Although Japan’s men’s basketball team is not highly regarded in these Olympics, they performed well in their first game. Although they lost to Germany, their performance was fully recognized. As an Asian team, Japan’s men’s basketball team has given Chinese fans plenty to envy. In recent years, the Japanese men’s basketball team has made significant progress, and this time they have assembled what is called the “strongest Japanese team in history.” At last year’s World Cup, the Japanese men’s team impressed fans, finishing 19th overall and first among Asian teams, earning a spot in the Paris Olympic Games. Led by Hachimura and Watanabe, the Japanese men’s basketball team is very familiar to us. Hachimura plays for the Lakers, averaging 13.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists last season, with a field goal percentage of 53.7% and a three-point shooting percentage of 42.2%. He plays a key role for the Lakers. In the previous Tokyo Olympics, Hachimura averaged 22.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in his debut for the Japanese team. After several years of rapid growth and with Hachimura’s help, the Japanese team may surprise fans. Other key players for the Japanese team include Watanabe, also playing in the NBA, Hokinsson, Fujimura, and Kawamura. Before the official Olympic tournament, the Japanese men’s basketball team played several warm-up matches with good results, including one loss and one draw against strong opponents Australia, and one win and one loss against South Korea. However, against last year’s World Cup champions, the Japanese team seemed powerless. In their opening Olympic game, the Japanese men’s basketball team lost 77-97 to Germany. In the first half, the Japanese team maintained a good state, matching Germany’s performance, even keeping the score close and having an advantage in rebounding. Unfortunately, their field goal percentage was only 36.4%, while Germany’s was a high 53.3%. Ultimately, the Japanese team could not pull off an upset, but their performance was commendable. Hachimura had a decent performance, though his field goal percentage was low. He finished with a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Watanabe scored 16 points and Hokinsson added 13 points and 11 rebounds, with all five starters scoring in double digits. Facing the stronger German team, the Japanese team struggled to penetrate their defense, relying more on outside shooting. They made 12 three-pointers in this game. Three-point shooting is a major offensive weapon for the Japanese team in this Olympics. In this game, the Japanese team performed admirably despite the loss. The two teams have met twice in warm-up matches, each winning once. Currently, the Japanese men’s basketball team ranks 26th in the world, while France is ranked ninth. Although the Japanese team surprised fans in their first game, facing a stronger host nation with a clear advantage in the paint, this game will be very challenging for Japan.