SOUTH SUDAN MUST DEFEAT SERBIA

Today it's the last day of the round robin phase of the men’s basketball event at the Paris olympics. South Sudan will be squaring off with Serbia and Team USA will be facing Puerto Rico. All this in Group C. Group A and B are settled.

PUERTO RICO VS USA

Whatever happens in this game USA will finish as the team that is positioned first in Group C. Whatever happens Puerto Rico will be last in the group and they are leaving the Olympics tomorrow. Puerto Rico has played two games and lost both of them. First to South Sudan (79-90) and then to Serbia (66-107). Jose Alvarado and Davon Reed as the lead players is not enough at this level of basketball. Team USA defeated Serbia in their first match 110-84. Team Usa went on to win against South Sudan 103-86 in their next match. Joel Embiid didn’t play against South Sudan and Jayson Tatum did not play the first game versus Serbia. Is is possible that Anthony Davis will be rested tonight. So far Bam Adebayo, Kevin Durant and the 40 year old, Lebron James, have been playing very well for Team USA.

RECAP OF THE GROUP STAGE

The two first positioned teams in each of the three groups are through to the elimination phase of the event. In Group A that is Australia and Canada. In group B it is France and Germany. Two of the three best 3rd positioned teams will reach the next phase as well. Currently Greece stands 4 points and minus 8 in point differential (group A). In Group B Brazil has 4 points and minus 7. South Sudan must lose to Serbia with three points or more for Greece to go through. Giannis will cheer for Jokic in other words.

SERBIA VS SOUTH SUDAN

Serbia defeated Puerto Rico 107–66 in the previous match and pretty much secured their place in the next phase of the tournament. They can afford to lose the game versus South Sudan with 21 points and still go through. In the first match of the event Serbia lost to Team USA 110-84. In the 31 minutes that Nikola Jokic played it was 81-81. In the 9 minutes he didn’t play, Team USA won 29-3. Serbia will play the game like they must win it. South Sudan won their first match of the tournament against Puerto Rico (90-79). They lost to Team USA in their second match (86-103). The pressure is on South Sudan here. If they win the game they will be positioned as the second best team in Group C.