2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (8/26)
Basketball fans get another treat as the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup tips off! We’ll have you covered over the two weeks of international basketball action. Group stage games will be held across Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan daily as the tournament progresses to the point of crowning a world champion. Check in daily for our best bets for upcoming contests. Here are the top odds, picks and predictions for Saturday’s 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup action.
2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Odds & Picks
South Sudan vs. Puerto Rico
South Sudan has two NBA players: Wenyen Gabriel of the Lakers and Carlik Jones of the Bulls. Luol Deng coaches them as head coach. They've won three of five preparation games, including a win over Venezuela when Jones added 14 points, five rebounds, and six assists. They'll take on Puerto Rico in the first matchup. They have no NBA players but a former NBA point guard, Tremont Waters. He's added some big games for Puerto Rico, but this team hasn't won a game since defeating Dominican Republic on August 4. They've lost five straight since in its tune-up games. Don't be afraid to take South Sudan here.
Pick: South Sudan +1.5 (-110)
Cape Verde vs. Georgia
Cape Verde doesn't have an NBA player on its roster. They've also played just two preparation games and lost both by 20+ points to China and Turkey. They'll take on a Georgia team with Goga Bitadze and Sando Mamukelashvili. Georgia has looked much better than Cape Verde in the preparation games. Bitadze has added 20+ points in two of Georgia's last two games. Tornike Shengelia and Giorgi Shermandini are high-caliber players who should help for a solid starting lineup. Let's back Georgia to cover the massive spread.
Pick: Georgia -13.5 (-112)
Jordan vs. Greece
Jordan doesn't have a single NBA player. However, this team has played so many preparation games. They started playing in July and played their final game on August 22. Jordan won five games of their 13 but got wins against Venezuela and Mexico. They've got Dar Tucker, who is at least a G League player. Meanwhile, Greece will have Thanasis Antetkounmpo. No, his brother Giannis won't play. Thanasis might not even play, either. But this team only defeated Slovenia in their prep games. Granted, their games were challenging against the USA, Germany, and Serbia. Greece should win, but 23.5 points is too many. I'll back Jordan with the points.
Pick: Jordan +23.5 (-112)
Iran vs. Brazil
Iran is the 22nd-ranked team heading into the World Cup. However, one of its better players, Hamed Haddadi, was recently injured. His status could be better. Iran defeated Venezuela last time out. It also beat Jordan in the preparation games. But they lost four other games while just winning two. On the other hand, Iran will face Brazil, who have Raul Neto on the roster. Brazil began their preparation games with three straight wins. However, they've fallen to Italy and Serbia in their last two. Still, those matchups were close, leading me to believe that Brazil is good enough to get passed Iran by a solid margin.
Pick: Brazil -17.5 (-110)
Slovenia vs. Venezuela
Slovenia could be dominant in this year's FIBA World Cup. They've got Luka Doncic, who added 23 points in his final tune-up against against Japan. That helped Slovenia earn a 103-68 win over Japan. This team isn't good enough to go all the way, but they can earn a couple of upsets as the tournament continues. They'll take on Venezuela in the first matchup. A win against Venezuela wouldn't be an upset. That's because Venezuela doesn't have a single NBA player. They're also the oldest team in the World Cup this season. It's excellent having veterans, but veterans can't keep up with the young players. Back Slovenia all the way.
Pick: Slovenia -21 (-110)
Serbia vs. China
The Serbian National Team has Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jovic. Meanwhile, Aleksej Pokusevski wanted to participate, but his arm hadn't healed. Serbia's also got Filip Petrusev, a valuable player for Gonzaga. He led Serbia to a win against Brazil and China, scoring 30 points in those two games. The Serbians will face China, with Kyle Anderson on the roster. Anderson is not a lethal scorer. The Chinese don't have a lot of offensive talent, except for Li Kaier, who's been the most consistent producer on the team. Take Serbia in this one.
Pick: Serbia -18.5 (-112)
United States vs. New Zealand
The United States should win the FIBA World Cup this year. This team doesn't have the top players in the NBA. But they've got plenty of stars, including Anthony Edwards, who has added 55 points in his last two games for the club in preparation action. The USA hasn't had it all that easy against teams like Germany and Spain, but overall, they'll find ways to get the job done. They'll take on New Zealand, a team without any NBA talent. New Zealand only defeated Japan in the preparation stage. They lost to Canada, 107-76. You can expect that type of score against the US.
Pick: United States -35 (-110)
Spain vs. Cote D'Ivoire
In the final game on Saturday, Spain will take on Ivory Coast. The Spanish have Santi Aldama and Usman Garuba from the NBA. They also have the former NBA players in Rudy Fernandez and the Hernangomez brothers. Aldama had one game against Slovenia, where he added 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. He's going to be a problem in the FIBA World Cup. Meanwhile, they'll take on the Ivory Coast, which rosters Mo Bamba. However, this team lost to the Philippines by 23 in their last tune-up action in Philadelphia. I'll back Spain to get the job done efficiently.
Pick: Spain -24 (-108)
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