Basketball Betting – US Beyond Favorites at Rio 2016

Betting anyone but Team USA to win the men’s basketball tournament at the 2016 Olympics is a pretty absurd proposition. The other world “powers” will all feature some familiar faces for NBA fans, but the US could fashion a dominant team out of the players it doesn’t take to Brazil.

It’s still fun to see what the ‘Muricans will be up against though. And who knows, maybe this year’s iteration of the Dream Team will implode like the 2004 version. That’s about the only way the rest of the globe has a chance, regardless of how many Gasols they can put on the floor.

2016 Men’s Olympic Basketball Odds

USA: 1/12

When the US is motivated and playing as a team, they can’t be stopped. Since 1992, when the concept of the Dream Team started, Team USA has won five out of six golds. They finished with a shocking bronze in Athens when they looked like a group of disinterested individuals, an exception that proves the rule.

Lebron James hasn’t confirmed if he will participate in his fourth Olympic Games, but it really doesn’t matter. Even if he declines, other NBA stars like Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry will carry with the team to another gold.

Spain: 11/1

The Spanish national team has claimed the last two silvers. At Beijing in 2008, they gave the Americans quite a scare, but in the end, Kobe Bryant took over and sealed the deal. Pau Gasol will lead the Spanish team once again, but it’s unlikely he will have his brother, Marc, at his side thanks to offseason back surgery. (“Marc is hoping to be there, but health comes first, and the main thing is he recovers 100 percent,” Spanish Coach Sergio Scariolo said to Spanish website Marca.)

Brazil: 20/1

Brazil were awful at the 2015 FIBA Americas championship, but they expect that to change once they add their NBA talent to the roster. Anderson Varejao, Tiago Splitter, Nene Hilario, and Leandro Barbosa are all names NBA fans will recognize. It’s a nice mix of talent: Barbosa is a savvy veteran while Nene and Splitter are versatile options. With de facto homecourt advantage throughout the tournament, Brazil will be as dangerous as any non-American team.

France: 20/1

Just like Brazil, France are filled with NBA talent at the starting positions. They’ll be hoping point guard Tony Parker leads the team, however, he’s scheduled to become a dad right around the time the Olympics start and he hasn’t confirmed whether he’ll play.  If he does, he will join Spurs teammate Boris Diaw and the Hornets Nicolas Batum to make the French team one to keep an eye on.

Serbia: 25/1

Unlike their four previous Olympic teams, Serbia’s 2016 squad will feature just one NBAer, Nemanja Bjelica, who’s only played one season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.  The rest of the players come from the Euro leagues. Don’t expect a heck of a lot.

The Field:

Argentina: 33/1

Lithuania: 33/1

Canada: 50/1

Italy: 50/1

Greece: 66/1

Croatia: 100/1

Turkey: 200/1

Australia: 250/1

(Photo Credit: Airman 1st Class Daniel Hughes/99th Air Base Wing [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)