Even though the United States beat Australia on Wednesday night, all of the pundits are wondering if a 10-point victory, one in which the team was trailing into the third quarter, is a sign of troubles to come for the presumed gold medal winners. Up next for the Stars and Stripes is a match against Serbia in the fourth of five group stage matches before the games really are for keeps in the knockout rounds.
You can bet on Olympic Basketball odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the tournament.
Tournament Update
The Serbians are in some trouble at this point. They know they are going to lose this game, and that will leave them on five points with one match to go in Group A against China. That match will have to be won for sure if they want to advance.
The real killer match was a 76-75 loss on Wednesday to France, a team which really should have been beaten more often than not.
Even though the United States only beat Australia 98-88, the end result still shows three wins against no losses, and none of the games have ultimately been all that close. The Americans have still outscored Venezuela, China and Australia by 111 combined points. Their expectations are sky high, and a 10-point win feels like a loss sometimes, but wins are still wins, and this team is still five matches away from the coveted gold medals.
Roster Analysis
The United States hasn't had the bigger team in the fight really at any point in these Olympics, but that really hasn't mattered all that much. It's the guard play and the fact that no one in the world has anyone who can guard swing players like Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant which has made all the difference in the world.
Does Serbia have the answer? It's really not likely. Bogdan Bogdonvic didn't have the skills to stick in the lineup with the Spurs, and he isn't likely going to be able to matchup against the best the Thunder had to offer (that is, until Durant jilted the team for Golden State, of course). Throw in the fact that Nikola Jokic and Nikola Kalinic just aren't skilled enough defensively, and the makings are there for another game in which the United States easily gets past the 100-point threshold.
Live Betting
When the Aussies were hanging in there against the Americans at halftime, it was because they were shooting the daylights out of the basketball. Patty Mills knocked down five threes, and it felt like anywhere Andrew Bogut shot the ball from went in. Can the Serbs do the same? That's going to be the real key for live bettors in this one.
There's no doubt that the Americans are going to have the more talented side and will end a ton of possessions in dunks as we have come to see throughout this tournament, and the only route to hanging around is going to be scoring with them.
Quick Pick
The Serbians are underrated here for sure. Yes, they were beaten by both Australia and France, but let's not forget that they were leading in the fourth quarter of both of those games.
Now, we're not saying that this is going to truly end of being a big threat to the mighty USA, but don't be surprised if this game ends with a victory in the 20-30 point range instead of the 40-50 range which many will be expecting.
Olympics Odds: United States 98, Serbia 69
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The matchup between the USA and Serbia will go down Friday, August 12, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. ET at Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro. The matchup will be televised live on the NBC family of networks.
