USA vs Brazil 2024 Olympics Preview and Game Thread: The quarterfinals

Team USA has established that they might just be a tier or two above the field but it’s a single elimination game from here on in the 2024 Olympics.

The knockout phase of the 2024 Paris Olympics basketball tournament begins Tuesday. Team USA will compete against Brazil in the quarterfinals where they aim to stay undefeated en route to a gold medal.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: United States vs Brazil

When: 12:30 p.m. PT, Aug 6

Where: Pierre Mauroy Stadium, Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France

Watch: NBC, Peacock

The United States men’s basketball team cruised through the preliminary round of the tournament. Not only did they remain undefeated by dominating their last three games but they also accumulated the highest point differential.

That’s why Team USA has the easiest path to gold, at least compared to their opponents.

In the quarterfinals, USA will face a Brazil squad that finished third in Group B and were one of the two wildcard teams, along with Greece, that advanced. Brazil has only won once so far in the tournament, that victory coming against Japan who was without our very own Rui Hachimura. They’re led by veterans Vitor Benite, Bruno Caboclo and 41-year-old former Laker Marcelo Huertas.

Obviously, Team USA has more firepower and is a tier or two above Brazil but what makes the quarterfinals round so dangerous is that it’s a single elimination game from here on. And no team is scarier to face in this kind of setting than one that can really light it up from downtown like Brazil does. The Brazilians, who average 45.3% from the 3-point line on 34 attempts per game, lead the tournament in 3-point field goals made.

Aside from their ability to knock it down from three, Brazil is an impressive offensive rebounding team which also happens to be one of the very few flaws of the Americans. The Brazlians average 13 offensive rebounds per game, which is the most in the tournament while Team USA has given up 16 more offensive rebounds than it has gotten.

There’s a good chance that Steve Kerr will rely heavily on Team USA’s best rebounders in this one, such as Anthony Davis —who leads the team in rebounds per game (7.0) — as well as Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.

As for the offense, Brazil operates by strength in numbers as six different members on their team are currently averaging eight or more points in the Olympics. But like what we’ve witnessed thus far in the tournament, the Americans’ firepower on this side of the ball is just too much, especially with the way Anthony Edwards, Kevin Durant and LeBron James have been scoring the ball.

On top of that, when Team USA is locked in defensively, they’re just difficult to stop. Just ask South Sudan, Serbia and Puerto Rico, three teams who didn’t stand a chance against the Americans. Let’s see if Brazil can put up a stronger fight compared to these three teams in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Notes and Updates

• Aside from leading the team in rebounds, Davis has also been USA’s best shot blocker, averaging 1.3 a game. Talk about being the best defensive player on a team filled with superstars and future Hall of Famers.
• Meanwhile, another Lakers superstar, LeBron James, leads Team USA im assists per game at 7.3.
• Jrue Holiday, who sat out last game against Puerto Rico due to an ankle injury, is expected to be back in the lineup for this game against Brazil..
• Outside of Team USA’s bracket, Germany defeated Greece (76-63) early on Tuesday, which means our good old friend Dennis Schröder and the reigning FIBA World Champions have advanced to the semifinals.
• Meanwhile, USA or Brazil will take Serbia after they outlasted Australia in an incredible overtime contest.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.