The 2024 Summer Olympics men's basketball gold medal game will see the United States and France face off on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET (NBC/Peacock/Universo). The game will take place at the Accor Arena in Paris, France. Break down FanDuel Sportsbook's USA vs. France lines and make expert Summer Olympics picks and predictions.
The U.S. team that won Thursday's semifinal had to overcome a tough test from center Nikola Jokic and the Serbian national team. The U.S. beat Serbia 110-84 in their group game, but things were much different in the semifinals.
The U.S. trailed 31-23 after the first quarter, 54-43 at halftime and 76-63 after the third quarter, but the Americans rallied and outscored Serbia 32-15 in the final quarter to seize the chance to win the gold medal.
The USA shot 57.4 percent from the field (35 of 61) and 50 percent from 3-point range (16 of 32), but were outrebounded by Serbia, 34 to 33. The USA also fared worse from the free throw line, making just 64.3 percent (9 of 14) and committing 10 turnovers to Serbia's seven.
If the U.S. wins the gold medal, it will be thanks to G Stephen Curry, who finished with 36 points, eight rebounds, two assists and one steal on 9-of-14 3-pointers.
France beat Germany 73-69 in the semifinals to book their place in the finals, avenging an 85-71 loss to Germany in their final group game on August 2. France then surprised Canada 82-73 in the quarterfinals, winning both games despite being underdogs.
In the semifinals, France had four players who tried to score 10 or more points, including center Victor Wembanyama, who recorded 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks, but shot a dismal 4-for-17 from the field.
The U.S. team is averaging 106.8 points and allowing just 86.2 in their five games in Paris, while France has scored 85 points or less in four of their five games at the Olympics.
USA vs France odds
Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. For the complete list, visit USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds Hub. Lines last updated at 1:15 a.m. ET.
2-Way Moneyline (ML): USA -1800 (bet $1,800 to win $100) | France +880 (bet $100 to win $880) 2-Way Spread: USA -16 (-112) | France +16.5 (-108) Over/Under (O/U): 175.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
USA vs France Predictions and Forecasts
prediction
America 103, France 82
Money Line
The USA (-1800) will get the job done in the gold medal game, but you can't risk 18 times the potential return. There's no good reason to take such a big risk on such a big favorite.
The USA played their worst game of the tournament against one of the best players in the world, Jokic. They were trailing going into the fourth quarter, but they stepped up and got the job done. This scare will carry this Dream Team to glory.
Passed.
Against 2-way lines/spreads
After the USA struggled for much of the semifinal against Serbia, the first thought would be to bet on hosts France +16 (-108), but while Serbia have a joker and France have a talented big man in Wembanyama, he is still relatively young and not likely to dominate the entire game against a team full of NBA players like Jokic.
The fourth quarter of the semifinal was a wake-up call for the U.S. and hopefully they will come through in this one and get the job done, reaching the 100-point mark again.
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Over/Under
OVER 175.5 (-105) is a strong bet for the US team to reach triple figures in points again, and this attack is very good and could give France an advantage, especially when Wembanyama is resting on the bench.
Again, the U.S. team is averaging 106.8 points in five Olympic games, which is a factor in overplay. The concern is whether France can get into the 80s and have a comfortable afternoon.
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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News | Medal Count | Introducing Team USA
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