Staff USA’s LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards and Anthony Davis have fun from the bench throughout a males’s basketball recreation towards Puerto Rico on the Paris Olympics 2024, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photograph/Michael Conroy)
PARIS — There are NBA champions, All-Star alternatives and award winners all around the males’s basketball quarterfinals on the Paris Olympics.
And if that wasn’t sufficient, all 4 matchups could have a Recreation 7 really feel.
That is it. Probably the most decisive day of the Olympic males’s match is Tuesday, the place eight groups will enter, 4 groups can be eradicated, and the 4 surviving golf equipment can be one massive step nearer towards their purpose of leaving France with a medal.
SCHEDULE: Males’s basketball quarterfinals at Paris Olympics 2024
The quarterfinal video games: the four-time defending gold medalist Staff USA vs. Brazil; Canada vs. France in a showdown of pre-tournament medal favorites; reigning World Cup champion Germany vs. Greece; and Serbia vs. Australia.
Each recreation options not less than one NBA champion, one MVP winner or finalist and not less than one perennial All-Star (or within the U.S. case, about 10 perennial All-Stars).
“The fellows, I believe, are properly ready for it,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr stated. “They’ve completed an important job of not solely getting ready on the ground however adapting to those bizarre circumstances of getting 12 starters within the NBA alter to being a 12-man workforce right here and a few guys enjoying sure nights, not enjoying different nights. They’ve all actually dedicated to the purpose. And the purpose is close by now.”
Nikola Jokic, of Serbia, seems to move away from George Conditt IV, of Puerto Rico, in a males’s basketball recreation on the Paris Olympics 2024, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photograph/Mark J. Terrill)
There are 15 present or former All-Stars nonetheless within the Olympic subject with a mixed 97 alternatives amongst them; most are from the Staff USA, together with Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Serbia’s Nikola Jokic, France’s Rudy Gobert and Canada’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“It’s a whole lot of nice groups,” stated U.S. ahead LeBron James, the 20-time All-Star searching for his fourth Olympic medal and third gold.
Plenty of nice gamers, too. For some, attending to this stage is the norm: Australia’s Patty Mills is about to play in his fifth Olympic quarterfinal, and teammate Joe Ingles is right here for the fifth time as properly. For Staff USA, a pair of standouts — LeBron and Kevin Durant — are within the quarters for the fourth time.
READ: Staff USA steps up quest for fifth straight Olympic gold
For others, that is new territory. Antetokounmpo has by no means made it this far at an Olympics.
“It’s unbelievable,” Antetokounmpo stated. “I’m blissful that I’m right here, I don’t take it as a right. I’ll take pleasure in it to the fullest since you by no means know in the event you’re going to have this chance once more.”
Additionally nonetheless within the combine: France’s Victor Wembanyama, the NBA rookie of the yr whose time as an All-Star and MVP candidate possible begins quickly, like this coming season quickly. Put merely, the basketball medal hopes of his homeland relaxation on his shoulders.
“If we wish to win all of it, we’re going to should win towards all people finally,” Wembanyama stated.
READ: Germany tops France in Paris Olympics basketball
Staff USA, Germany and Canada are the three unbeaten groups left. None of that may matter Tuesday; ought to any of the medal favorites lose, they’re out. It’s win-or-go-home time in Paris. Semifinal losers on Thursday not less than have an opportunity to play Saturday for the bronze medal. However Tuesday is the day that ought to be loaded with drama, given the stakes of the quarterfinals.
“Most vital recreation of the match,” Serbia’s Bogdan Bogdanovic stated. “While you win the quarterfinals, you could have an opportunity to combat for the medal. That’s why we’re right here.”
The more durable facet of the draw figures to be the one the place the Canada-France winner meets the Germany-Greece winner within the semifinals. The opposite semifinal on Thursday could have the U.S.-Brazil winner taking over both Serbia or Australia.
For Canada, it’s simply extra of the identical. The Canadians went 3-0 in a gaggle that includes France, Greece and Spain, the so-called “group of demise” on the Paris Video games due to the standard of the 4 groups.
“We’ve performed with Recreation 7 mentality as a result of we performed within the hardest pool within the Olympics,” Canada coach Jordi Fernandez stated. “Regardless that it was not actually a Recreation 7, as a result of when you play Recreation 1 you continue to had two extra to go. We additionally knew that these groups are so good that we can not chill out.”
Paris is internet hosting the knockout section after the group stage was held close to the northern metropolis of Lille.
What the percentages say
Staff USA is a 26.5-point favourite over Brazil, in accordance with BetMGM Sportsbook, which additionally lists Canada, Germany and Serbia all as 7.5-point favorites for Tuesday.
The U.S. stays an enormous favourite (minus-650) to win the gold, adopted by Canada and Germany (each plus-900) and Serbia (plus-2,000).
Medal historical past
Staff USA has received 19 medals (16 gold, one silver, two bronze) in its 19 Olympic appearances.
The newest medals for different groups within the males’s quarterfinals:
— France: silver, 2020 (Olympics held in 2021)
— Australia: bronze, 2020 (Olympics held in 2021)
— Serbia: silver, 2016
— Brazil: bronze, 1964
— Canada: silver, 1936
— Germany: by no means received an Olympic medal
— Greece: by no means received an Olympic medal
Stat leaders
(Among the many gamers left within the match.)
— Factors: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) 27.0, Franz Wagner (Germany) 21.7, RJ Barrett (Canada) 21.0, Dennis Schroder (Germany) 19.7, Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia) 19.0, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) 19.0.
— Rebounds: Nikola Jokic (Serbia) 11.0, Victor Wembanyama (France) 10.7, Jock Landale (Australia) 9.7, Josh Giddey (Australia) 8.7, Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) 7.7.
— Assists: Dennis Schroder (Germany) 9.0, Nick Calathes (Greece) 7.3, LeBron James (USA) 7.3, Nikola Jokic (Serbia) 7.0, Josh Giddey (Australia) 6.7.
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Standings
Locations 5-8 can be decided Tuesday after the quarterfinal video games. Locations 9-12 had been completed after the group stage; formally, South Sudan completed ninth, Spain tenth, Japan eleventh and Puerto Rico twelfth.
Observe Inquirer Sports activities’ particular protection of the Paris Olympics 2024.