Team USA Dominates in Olympic Basketball Quarterfinals
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00:00An Olympic assessment over in Paris live right here on this Wednesday on the early line on
00:06Sportscript from Sporting News Jacob Kamaker joins us live right here on this Wednesday to look at what we saw yesterday in men's
00:14Basketball preview the matchup for Team USA in women's hoops on this Wednesday quarterfinal day
00:21Against Nigeria and go all around the Olympic Games over in France Jacob as always. Thanks for being here on the early line
00:29I'm glad to be here. Thanks for having me guys
00:33122 87 Jacob that was the final score yesterday
00:37It was expected the Americans would roll into the semifinals at the Olympic Games
00:42And that's exactly what they do even covering as a 26 and a half point favorite blowing out Brazil by
00:5035 points again, you could highlight a ton of good things that happened yesterday for the United States Jacob
00:57What was the favorite thing that you saw out of the Americans in a big victory over the Brazilians? I?
01:02Think it was nice that it was a complete game. You could really go down the lineup and say hey
01:07Everyone played pretty well during this I mean you can nitpick Steph Curry didn't make a three-point shot
01:12Which is unusual, but I think if you look at how Joe LM be to played in this matchup
01:17And I know he's gonna be a defensive liability at times against big guys like Nikola Jokic in the next match
01:23It might be difficult, but I believe he was only played 12 minutes in this game
01:28But he was like plus 25 or something you had LeBron James out there
01:32Just carving up defenses with his passing which has really been key to the success of Team USA
01:37And I think the biggest thing that came out of this though was Devin Booker
01:41Being able to go 5 of 7 from 3 with Steph Curry kind of struggling with the shot
01:46I think he's 5 of 20 from deep in the Olympics, which is way below average for Curry
01:52I think having Booker around and being able to space the floor better with that starting lineup is going to be key and I
01:58Just think USA fans should be feeling really good that they've kind of lived up to expectations so far
02:04But this was the first game that really felt like a wire to wire blowout
02:08There was nothing to worry about from tip-off to the end of the game, and they got everyone some action
02:13So I think this was a great way to get into the semifinals, and they'll face a little tougher competition going forward
02:19But with Team Canada out things are looking pretty open for the USA to get to that gold medal game
02:25Yeah, Jacob taking a look at you know, the path that the Team USA has taken you had those sort of like international friendly games
02:31They called them the showcase. We had a couple close calls here and the questions always would come up
02:35It's not the talent of Team USA
02:37Of course of the most talented team but the camaraderie and how they will come together
02:40And it seems like they built on from those early showcase games
02:44Into the group stages and now to the knockout stage if we're taking a look at Team USA
02:48Were there any doubts for you because like Tatum sitting out duel and beat sitting out one game
02:52But it seems like it didn't matter or fracture this team at all
02:56Yeah, they seem to have good chemistry going for them and I think as they're on on court performance has improved
03:03I'm sure that's eased any tension surrounding playing time concerns
03:07And I think Steve Kerr's ability to get everyone into recent games and kind of say hey Jason Tatum
03:13You sat out this game, but that was more of a matchup thing, you know, whether or not that's true
03:18He did put him in the rotation the next game
03:21Yesterday, it was Devin Booker five triples in that starting five leading the United States with 18 points
03:28Six guys scoring in double figures yesterday
03:31So it sets up a semi-final matchup against Nikola Jokic and Team Serbia tomorrow
03:36The United States blew out Serbia in its Olympic opener by 26
03:40It's a 16 and a half point spread for the semi-final contest in Paris on a Thursday evening
03:46Jacob you mentioned it with Canada losing yesterday with the host nation bump that France has been riding in every Olympic event
03:53But now in men's basketball France will take on Germany in the first semi-final tomorrow
04:00afternoon the United States
04:02Minus 600 to win its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Olympic Games. They have been a hefty favorite all along
04:09So the question is not can a team stand in the Americans way for me Jacob?
04:14It's will a team even challenge the United States in a close contest in the Americans pursuit of another gold. I
04:23Think it's possible. I think one of Serbia or maybe France France has a tough test against Germany though
04:29But I think Serbia could give the United States maybe a run for its money
04:33It's not necessarily gonna be like a down-to-the-wire game. Like we saw Serbia vs. Australia going to overtime
04:39It's more of a can a team stay close enough to the United States in the fourth quarter that there's a little pressure on I
04:45Could see that happening if Nikola Jokic has a big game
04:48and if Steve curd doesn't change up his center rotation for that game because the thing I'm curious about for this upcoming game is
04:55How are they going to use Joel Embiid? Is he going to be not fully benched?
05:00But is he going to be playing off the bench? Are they gonna use Bama at a bio and Anthony Davis more?
05:05I think if they do that, they're gonna be in good shape to beat Serbia
05:08But if Embiid stays in that starting lineup Jokic could get off to a hot start
05:12so I think the Americans will face tougher tests going forward but I don't think that we're gonna get any like nail-biters like we did in
05:19The lead-up to the Olympics against South Sudan, but I've been wrong before so we'll have to just see what happens there
05:26We'll let it play out here
05:28Also gold is expected for obviously the men's team
05:30But also the women's team if we flip it over to them today a three-game schedule out here
05:34So it's a tripleheader one game already underway third quarter 225 left at the panel Sportsbook
05:39Looks like a 21 and a half point favorite why?
05:41Belgium 63 41 right now over Spain coming up at noontime
05:45Eastern Germany and France and then Nigeria versus Team USA at 330 the Team USA squad a minus
05:5228 and a half point favorite a total of 155 and a half
05:55What can we look forward to today Jacob in your eyes between Nigeria and Team USA? I?
06:00Think this is a great opportunity for the USA to just kind of put another beat down on Nigeria
06:06They faced off in February and it wasn't a contest. I mean the United States won
06:11100 to 46 so I don't know that we're gonna see that level of play this time around
06:16But it just goes to show you how far the women's team is ahead of other
06:21Other countries across the world and credit to Nigeria
06:24I believe they're the first African team to make it to the quarterfinals in basketball at the Olympics
06:29so they've done a good job, but I
06:32They're relying a lot on is Dean Kalu to lead them in scoring and she's only five foot eight
06:38And we know the United States team has size
06:40So if they can just prevent her from getting hot and just kind of make life difficult for her
06:46Nigeria's gonna have a really tough time
06:48slowing down
06:50Team USA on the other side and scoring on them
06:52So I think this could turn into a big time blowout
06:56Especially since the United States is starting to get some three-point contributions from Jackie Young and Kalaya copper
07:04Absolutely, so a monumental size advantage out of the United States in this matchup
07:09We're Asia Wilson and Brianna Stewart have already been dominant in the Olympic Games. Keep an eye on Stewie's rebounding prop
07:15It is seven and a half
07:17Get huge size in favor of the US team USA perfect three
07:22You know at the Olympic Games so far and they have won 58
07:28consecutive basketball games at the Olympics dating back to
07:331992 in Barcelona minus
07:353,500 to win an eighth consecutive gold medal quickly Jacob before we let you go in the final minute of this segment the United States
07:42women's national team
07:44Advancing to the gold medal match with some more theatrics in extra time
07:4895th minute Sophia Smith delivers the game winner for team
07:53USA who will take on Brazil after the Brazilians upset Spain
07:58Yesterday is team USA going to go home a gold medal winner at the Olympic Games
08:04They should but it's going to be a tough matchup because for Brazil
08:08This is going to be Marta's last game with the national team
08:11She's been the best soccer player for them for a very very long time
08:15And they're gonna want to send her out with the gold
08:18So I think they're gonna come and try to punch team USA in the mouth and the United States is scoring hasn't been great
08:24So they're gonna have to come ready to attack this Brazilian team
08:27I think it's gonna be a great matchup, but I expect gold from the United States
08:32Jacob Kamaker from Sporting News joining us here on this Wednesday Jacob. We appreciate the time