USA vs France Prediction, Olympic GamesFinals Picks, Odds, News, Injury Report 8/10/24

France have overcome a poor start to the competition to book their place in the final. It would be an exaggeration to say they have defied the odds, but it certainly didn’t seem like they would make it this far when Germany torched them. Of course, any USA vs France prediction for Saturday’s final has to work with a spread that leans massively in favor of the US.

Steve Kerr’s team overturned a double-digit half-time deficit to defeat Serbia on Thursday. They have been dealing with extreme levels of expectation given the star-studded nature of their roster, and Kerr has been unafraid to make the big calls.

Our Expert Insights are stacked with basketball betting tips with Olympic basketball nearing its conclusion. Expert Sam Cox will have his best bets throughout the regular season.

USA vs France Prediction and Picks: Hosts Stay In The Game

•         Selection: France +16
•         Best Odds: 1.91
•         Bookmaker: Bet365
•         Stakes: 3/10

 Odds updated on August 9th 2024. 

The USA only beat Serbia by four points. This wasn’t a case of them not locking in for the semifinal. They were simply in a close game against another very good team – why won’t that be the case in the final on Saturday night?

France have figured something out by prioritizing Victor Wembanyama’s performance over Rudy Gobert’s. Guerschon Yabusele has been a real asset for the host nation – his unrelenting hustle could cause some problems for a USA team that can revert to slow-paced, half-court basketball.

We won’t go as far as saying we fancy France to record a shock win here because the USA have far too much talent when it comes to fourth-quarter execution. LeBron James and Steph Curry will carry them to the gold, but they might have to sweat for it.

Game Info

• Stadium: Accor Arena
• Location: Paris, France
• Start time: 20:30 UK time

USA News, Injury Report, Schedule: Bold Kerr Sets USA Up For Gold

The USA survived a scare in the semifinals. They trailed Serbia by 11 points at the half and needed Steph Curry to get scorching hot to avoid an upset. LeBron James, as he has done all summer, took over when needed, while Steve Kerr’s decision to leave Jayson Tatum on the bench paid dividends in the end.

Kerr’s rotation decisions for the final will be fascinating. He has been willing to bench the biggest names on this roster in favor of fit. Could Joel Embiid be deemed surplus to requirements if Rudy Gobert is benched? Does Tatum return to the rotation after their clutch win without him?

France News, Injury Report, Schedule: Collet’s Change Sparks Improvement

The size of Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama seemed like France’s key differential before this tournament. After their early struggles, head coach Vincent Collet made the bold decision to bench Gobert, relegating the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year to no more than a minor role. The offense has been much less clunky, and the added mobility on the defensive end has proven invaluable.

This defense has suddenly looked formidable. Canada were kept to only 73 points in the last eight. Germany scored a mere eight points in the second quarter of the semifinal, allowing France to take control of the game.

USA vs France H2H: USA Historically Dominates

The USA has won six of the seven all-time meetings between these two nations. France’s only win came in the first game of the group stage at the Tokyo Games. Of course, the USA have a sparkling head-to-head record against every team in the world, so this is hardly a surprising revelation.

France will be high on confidence and will be looking forward rather than backward as they prepare for this contest in the capital.

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