USA vs Spain Odds and Picks – Olympic Men’s Basketball August 3rd
- Team USA and Spain meet in the Men’s Basketball Quarterfinals on Tuesday night at 12:40 AM EST
- These two teams have met in the past three Olympic Games
- Get the odds, preview, and pick below
It’s a heavyweight battle in the quarterfinals of the Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday evening between Team USA and Spain. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:40 AM EST.
The US went 2-1 in the preliminary rounds, bouncing back from an opening loss to France with consecutive blowout wins over Iran then the Czech Republic. The Spaniards meanwhile, had the exact same record, defeating Argentina and Japan but losing to Luka Doncic and Slovenia.
The winner of this contest will face either Argentina or Australia in the semifinals.
USA vs Spain Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total Points at FanDuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | -12.5 (-106) | -1000 | Ov 180 (-110) |
| Spain | +12.5 (-114 | +560 | Un 180 (-110) |
Odds as of August 2nd.
Familiar Foe For The US
Team USA’s road to a fourth-straight gold will not be easy with Spain standing in their way in the quarterfinals. In fact, they’ve faced Espana in 2008, 2012, and 2016 games. ’08 and ’12 saw the two countries meet in the final, with the States winning gold on both occasions. In London five years ago, they also beat Spain in the semifinals before beating Serbia in the grand finale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhMxvuCCyos
Gregg Popovich’s squad are 16-2 against their international rivals, but the last three meetings have been relatively close games that were decided by single-digits. The US got off to a shaky start in this summer’s tournament, losing to France due to some atrocious shooting from the star-studded American roster. However, the States responded in loud fashion in their next two contests, outscoring Iran and the Czech Republic by a total of 89 points.
Jayson Tatum led the way in the Czech victory on Saturday, dropping a team-high 27 points while Kevin Durant posted 23 alongside the Boston Celtics star. Their shooting has been notably better since the France game as well, draining just under 50% of their three-pointers versus the last two opponents.
Jayson Tatum vs. Czech Republic
27 points
10/16 FGs
5/10 3PTs
2 blocksOne of our own ☘️ pic.twitter.com/Su4JBVsv9R
— Celtics Junkies (@Celtics_Junkies) July 31, 2021
However, Spain is going to be a much tougher game. Team USA cannot afford to come out sloppy or play as individuals because if so, they could find themselves heading back home without a medal. The chemistry and improved defense have been evident as the competition rolls on and that’ll need to continue against the 2019 FIBA World Cup winners.
Spain Looking For Revenge
The Spaniards are one of the most decorated countries in international basketball, but youth isn’t exactly on their side in the Tokyo Olympics. Out of all five of their starters, the only one under the age of 30 is Alberto Abalde, who is 25. The likes of Ricky Rubio and Marc Gasol, among others, aren’t the most agile and spry anymore.
While Spain started off with a bang in impressive wins over Argentina and Japan, Doncic and the Slovenians wreaked havoc on Espana. With the loss, they finished as runners-up in their group, just like the US. Rubio has been the leading offensive catalyst for his country, averaging 21.3 points through three games. He went off for 26 against a solid Argentina squad, going 5 for 6 beyond the arc in the process.
If you want a more recent example of new Cavs guard Ricky Rubio’s shooting, he put up a clinic against Argentina. Finished the game with 26 points (5-6 from three), 5 rebounds, 4 assists. pic.twitter.com/qqLIX4EgvF
— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) July 29, 2021
Controlling the pace of this contest will be key for Spain. With the States lacking size inside, Marc Gasol and co. will need to attack the paint and try to dominate around the rim. Limiting the Americans’ efficiency from the perimeter is also important because they’ve shown the ability to get hot due to the wide array of shooters on their roster.
Which matchup are you most excited for? Tell us 👇
Slovenia VS Germany
Spain VS USA
Italy VS France
Australia VS Argentina pic.twitter.com/jce1xuecIC— ClutchPoints NBA (@ClutchPointsNBA) August 1, 2021
The supporting cast around Rubio must produce because with Jrue Holiday likely defending the Cleveland Cavaliers guard, the ball will be forced out of his hands which means his teammates will need to make plays.
USA vs Spain Prediction
The US and Spain did meet in pre-Olympic action, with the Americans winning 83-76. The Spaniards always seem to hang in there and put up a respectable fight against the three-time gold medalists and I do expect the same here.
The Moneyline offers basically no value of the Team USA side. Before the 2016 semifinal which was a low-scoring affair, their previous five contests hit the over in points. However, the exhibition a couple of weeks was also a tightly contested game with not a whole lot of offense. That being said, the under is worth a bet.
Pick: Under 180 Points (-110)
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
