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

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