Team USA entered the 2023 FIBA World Cup as the tournament's heavy favorite, and the Americans did not disappoint in their opener. Behind 21 points from NBA Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero, the USA stomped New Zealand in a statement victory to kick off a potential push for gold.
Now they'll try to build on the momentum in a game that lost a bit of its luster thanks to a pre-tournament injury. Greece was projected to be the biggest Group C test for Team USA before the tournament, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is sitting the tournament out due to knee surgery. Now, Greece will be led by another Antetokounmpo, Thanasis, with no other NBA players on the roster against a veritable American All-Star team. Unsurprisingly, Team USA will enter this game as a heavy favorite, but here's how you can tune in as Greece tries to pull off the upset.
Team USA vs. Greece
- Date: Monday, Aug. 28 | Time: 8:40 a.m. ET
- Location: Mall of Asia Arena -- Manila, Philippines
- TV channel: ESPN2 | Live stream: fubo (try for free)
- Odds: Team USA -22.5 | O/U: 178.5
Team USA roster
| PLAYER | NBA TEAM | POSITION |
|---|---|---|
Forward | ||
Forward | ||
Guard | ||
Guard | ||
Guard | ||
Guard | ||
Forward | ||
Center | ||
Forward | ||
Center | ||
Forward | ||
Guard |
Storylines
The non-competitive nature of the New Zealand game unfortunately meant that we learned very little about how Steve Kerr will manage his rotation in a close matchup. Everyone but Walker Kessler and Bobby Portis played at least 10 minutes, but nobody topped Jalen Brunson's 24. Banchero had the hot hand against New Zealand, but it's not even clear how much he will be able to play in matchups better equipped to attack him defensively. Greece isn't exactly that kind of team, but perhaps they can keep this game close enough to at least force Kerr to show off a little bit more of what this team will look like in the medal round.
As for Greece? One could argue that the stakes here are minimal. While they could make their lives far easier with an upset, doing so would be unlikely. A cleaner path to the second round will come on Wednesday, when they'll face New Zealand in a game that will likely determine second place in Group C. As two teams per group advance, a win on Wednesday should be enough to keep Greece in the hunt. If this thing gets out of hand quickly, don't be surprised to see Greece treat its best players conservatively. Wednesday is probably the game that matters here.
Prediction
Team USA didn't cover the absurd 35.5-point spread against New Zealand, but the line in this one is far more manageable, and the opponent isn't much better. There will be teams in this tournament that can genuinely threaten Team USA, but the best Greek player isn't even the best player in his own family. This should be a comfortable American victory. The Pick: Team USA -22.5
