By Steve Keating
PARIS (Reuters) – The latest edition of the U.S. Dream Team will add their star power to the City of Light this week as the Paris Olympics basketball competition moves onto the big stage.
The U.S. has assembled perhaps the greatest collection of basketball talent seen on Olympic hardwood since the original 1992 Barcelona Dream Team that featured Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson and nothing that happened in group play in Lille has altered their status as gold medal favourites.
It has been cruise control so far for LeBron James and friends as the Americans eased to wins over Serbia, South Sudan and Puerto Rico by an average of 21 points before packing up and moving to Paris.
But things turn serious on the banks of Seine on Tuesday where the knockout round gets underway with four tasty quarter-final matchups at the Bercy Arena.
Brazil, who had just one win in group play beating Japan in their final contest to earn a trip to Paris, will look to pull off the biggest upset of Olympic tournament when they face the mighty Americans for a spot in Thursday’s semi-finals.
World Cup champions Germany, also unbeaten in group play take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece while Serbia, led by Denver Nuggets three-time reigning NBA most valuable player Nikola Jokic meet Australia.
But the hot ticket on Tuesday will be for a marquee do-or-die showdown between France and Canada that will see one of the top contenders medal hopes end.
France had planned to ride the play of NBA number one overall pick Victor Wembanyama and tap into boisterous home support that helped lift the men’s rugby sevens and swimmer Leon Marchand to the top of the podium but looked unsure in group play losing to Germany and needing overtime to see off Japan.
With 10 NBA players on the roster Canada also arrive in Paris with high expectations after finishing group play a perfect 3-0.
“We have to worry, but we have to be able to stay together and to use it for the next round,” said French coach Vincent Collet looking ahead to the contest with Canada. “Now, it’s even we will be 0-0 on Tuesday and they have more to lose than us in this position so we must use that.”
No such drama is expected when the U.S. and Brazil meet in the quarter-final night cap.
Brazil will rely on their physical play, team chemistry and experience, with five players over 30, to deliver what would be a David and Goliath upset of the four-time reigning Olympic champions.
But U.S. coach Steve Kerr insisted that his men will be prepared and focused on the job in front of them and not looking ahead to a semi-final meeting with Serbia or Australia.
“They’re very physical,” said Kerr. “They’ve got a lot of really good shooters, and they just play hard.
“We’ll have to be ready for their physicality and their shooting.
“We need to be on edge and ready for them because they’re not going to back down.”
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Paris. Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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