US vs Brazil Preview: The Challenge Increases, James Urges Team for Readiness

The grand finale of the Olympic basketball 1/4 finals on August 7th in Paris will see the US and Brazilian teams face off.

The US team had an impressive run in the group stage, winning all three matches to top their group. They defeated Serbia, South Sudan, and Puerto Rico with an average margin of victory of 21.3 points, showcasing their dominance.

In their last group match against Puerto Rico, with Holiday nursing a minor injury, all other players got playing time. Six members of the team scored double figures, demonstrating excellent teamwork. Edwards led with 26 points, displaying his sharpness. Embiid contributed 15 points amidst boos, while Durant and Tatum each scored 11 and 10 points respectively. James and Davis also added 10 points each to the tally.

Brazil’s journey was more challenging, starting with losses to France and Germany, two European powerhouses. Their qualification for the next round was secured only after defeating Japan in their final group match with a score of 102-84.

In their match against Japan, Brazil’s key players performed exceptionally well. Capoelo, their leading scorer, amassed 33 points and 17 rebounds. With a high shooting efficiency of 13 out of 19 shots, he dominated the game. Hults, a veteran player, contributed 13 points and 8 assists. Alves, a key outside shooter, made 5 out of 7 three-point attempts for 19 points.

Only the US team scored over 100 points in all three group matches, with other teams averaging less than 90 points per game. The US team has five players averaging double digits, with Edwards ranking first at 16.7 points per game. Durant, who often contributes significantly as a substitute, is second with 16 points. James contributes 14.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists, showing his versatility. Booker adds 10.3 points, and Holiday adds 10 points per game.

During the group stage, Brazil had only two players averaging double digits, Alves at 14.3 points and Capoelo at 13 points and 7.3 rebounds. Mendel averaged 9.7 points and 6.3 rebounds, Santos averaged 9 points, and Hults averaged 8.7 points and 5 assists.

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) released its latest rankings after the group stage, with the US team retaining their top spot and Brazil rising two places to 8th. This aligns with their respective performances and results in the group stage.

Historically, the US team has a perfect record of nine wins against Brazil, with the last meeting being in 1996. Led by Shaq, Barkley, Olajuwon, Pippen, Malone, etc., the US team won by 23 points against Brazil with a score of 98-75.

Given the current NBA star-studded lineup, the US team is far stronger than Brazil’s aging roster. However, James emphasizes that the US team must be prepared for increased difficulty.

For this match, the US team should not encounter any major issues if they maintain their steady play. For Brazil, the most practical goal would be to leverage the abilities of Capoelo and Hults to create difficulties for the US team.

>> For more predictions, please click here>>>