USA vs Puerto Rico Prediction & Picks - Men's Olympic Tournament
by Lou Aguila | in Basketball Picks
With a ticket to the quarterfinals already in the bag, the United States men's basketball team march into their final game of the preliminary round gunning for an emphatic 3-0 group sweep. Puerto Rico, on the other hand, hopes they can pull off the Miracle of Athens 2004, the last time a squad from their country defeated the Americans on this stage. The United States is playing like a team on a mission in this competition, annihilating their first two opponents by an average winning margin of 21.5 points. Team USA has shown that they have the ability to outscore and lock up opponents with their sheer speed and athleticism. LeBron James continues to age like fine wine while Kevin Durant remains an unstoppable force of nature in international basketball. As for Puerto Rico, Saturday's game against the United States will ultimately be their last match of the Olympics after losing their first two games against South Sudan 90-79 and Serbia 107-66. Their inability to score in a variety of ways has been exposed by in this competition as they shot under 40 percent in both of these matches
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USA vs Puerto Rico Form
Table
| Teams | Pts | P | W | L | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
|
4
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -3 |
USA and Puerto Rico Latest Matches
6/6 (100%)
0/6 (0%)
Jul 31, 2024 - Men's Olympic Tournament
Jul 28, 2024 - Men's Olympic Tournament
Jul 22, 2024 - International Friendly Games
Jul 20, 2024 - International Friendly Games
Jul 17, 2024 - International Friendly Games
Jul 15, 2024 - International Friendly Games
0/6 (0%)
6/6 (100%)
Jul 31, 2024 - Men's Olympic Tournament
Jul 28, 2024 - Men's Olympic Tournament
Jul 23, 2024 - International Friendly Games
Jul 21, 2024 - International Friendly Games
Jul 19, 2024 - International Friendly Games
Jul 16, 2024 - International Friendly Games
USA against Puerto Rico : Head to Head (H2H)
100 %
0 %
Jul 1, 2022 - FIBA World Cup, Americas Qualifiers, Group A
Feb 24, 2022 - FIBA World Cup, Americas Qualifiers, Group A
USA - Puerto Rico: Form Analysis
Team USA is averaging 106.5 points and 26.5 assists in this Olympics, an indication that their running their offense at a ridiculous phase. They are also making their presence felt on the defensive end, averaging 37 rebounds, 11 steals and 5 blocks per contest. Kevin Durant and LeBron James have emerged as the team's top scorers. Durant averages 18.5 points per game and LeBron James adds 16.5 points a game. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico is averaging 72.5 points and 18.0 assists in the tournament. They are also posting 28.0 rebounds and 11.0 steals per contest. Jose Alvarado leads his team in scoring with 14.0 ppg while Tremont Waters is averaging 11.5 points and 3.5 assists for this Puerto Rican team, who is posting 46.4% true shooting in this tourney.
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Players list
Substitutes
USA & Puerto Rico Squad Analysis
USA head coach Steve Kerr has given their opponents a different set of starting five in each game, and expect him to do same in this match vs. Puerto Rico. Jason Tatum played 17 minutes as a stater in the game vs. South Sudan after sitting on the bench vs. Serbia in the opening game. Unfortunately for Joel Embiid, it was him who received zero minutes of playing time as Kerr determined that the Sixers superstar would not match up well against South Sudan's quick frontline. After dropping 26 points on South Sudan, Jose Alvarado finished with two points against Serbia as he struggled mightily against the big guards from the European house. He's expected to play in Puerto Rico's final game vs. the United States, but I don't think the coaching staff would risk giving the New Orleans Pelicans star heavy minutes once a win becomes out of reach vs. the USA.
USA - Puerto Rico Key Points
- The United States is 17-1 head-to-head vs. Puerto Rico.
- The United States is averaging 106.5 points per game in the Olympics.
- Puerto Rico last won against the United States at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
- LeBron James is averaging 16.5 points per game in the Olympic Tournament.
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Our USA vs Puerto Rico Prediction
The United States should be the favorite to go 3-0 in their group because of the sheer talent on their roster. It would take a monumental collapse from the US side for Puerto Rico to pull off the biggest upset in basketball history. Steve Kerr could experiment with new combinations for this match as he prepares for the big games in the quarterfinals against Brazil. BetMGM has booked the Americans at -35.5 points, which I believe they will cover, given that Serbia had no trouble beating them by 41 points. Our betting prediction for United States vs. Puerto Rico: Bet on the United States to cover -35.5-point spread, -110, at BetMGM.
USA vs Puerto Rico - Other Interesting Picks
Total Under 189.5 points
The Americans are allowing their opponents to score over 80 points in their last two games. While scoring has been tough for Puerto Rico, I expect them to score better in this match as the United States will use the garbage time to experiment with different lineups and give players like Tyerese Halliburton ample playing time. As for the USA, they will definitely score over 100 points for the third straight game. Still, I don't think the OVER is a strong pick in this match mainly because 189 combined points is quite high in a 40-minute regulation game. Bet on UNDER 189.5 points at Caesars Sports.
LeBron James Under 25.5 on points + rebounds + assists
Nearing 40, LeBron James has never ceased to amaze basketball fans with his longevity, which has kept him a major contributor in any team he's playing on. In this Olympics, King James averaged 16.5 points, 7 rebounds and 7.0 assists. Steve Kerr continues to trust the oldest player on his team to lead the way in running their offense and the old man never disappoints. However, against Puerto Rico, I expect Kerr to lessen his minutes as they prepare for their quarterfinal game against Brazil. DraftKings has listed James at 25.5 from combined points, rebounds, and assists, which I have no doubt the Lakers are capable of putting up, though not in this non-bearing game. Our betting prediction for Puerto Rico vs. USA: Bet on James Under 25.5 on points + rebounds + assists, -110, at DraftKings.
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
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