FIBA Olympics: Japan vs France Offshore Odds, Preview, Pick (Jul 30)

• Japan came up short in their first Group Stage game, losing 97-77 to Germany.
• France held off a surging Brazil team, winning 78-66 in their opening matchup.
• France can advance with a victory, while Japan will be in dire straights if they lose.

The 2024 Olympics Basketball tournament is officially underway! This group stage clash features a matchup between Japan and France. The winner of this game will make up notable ground in the Group B standings.

Before Betting on Japan vs France

Japan struggled in their opening matchup against Germany. The defending FIBA World Cup champions had a notable size advantage over Japan, allowing them to dominate the interior on defense. Their next matchup against France’s Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert will be even tougher, putting Japan in a tough spot. They’ll need a flurry of 3-pt shooting in their upcoming games to have a chance at advancing to the next round.

France was in a close bout with Brazil for much of the first half of their game on Saturday. As the game progressed, their size and defensive ability managed to slow down Brazil’s red-hot offense considerably. Holding the opposition to just 66 points was a good indication of what a frontcourt with Wemby and Gobert is capable of defensively. A win in this matchup against Japan would earn France a spot in the quarterfinals.

Japan vs France Offshore Odds

France is heavily favored to win this game and improve to 2-0. If they do so, they’ll lock down one of the eight spots in the bracket stage of the tournament. Meanwhile, a loss would drop Japan to 0-2 and essentially eliminate them from the competition. If Japan pulls off the upset and they split at 1-1 each, Group B will be totally up for grabs. France’s interior defense will be the difference here. They should win confidently again.