2024-07-28 09:10:02
Canada’s quest to end an 88-year drought begins on Saturday when it squares off against Greece in a Group A match of the 2024 Paris Olympics at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. The Canadians are looking to earn the country’s first medal in men’s basketball since 1936, the first Olympic basketball competition. In its most recent major competition, Canada earned the bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Meanwhile Greece is playing in the men’s basketball competition for the first time since 2008. The top two teams from each of the three groups will automatically advance to the quarterfinals.
Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. Canada is a 7.5-point favorite in the latest Canada vs. Greece odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 171. Before making any Greece vs. Canada picks or 2024 Paris Olympics men’s basketball predictions, you need to see what SportsLine writer Matt Severance has to say.
Severance is a well-connected writer and high-volume handicapper who has worked in the industry since 2005. Over the past three NBA seasons, Matt has returned $4,452. And over the past four college basketball seasons, Matt is up $887. Anybody following his basketball picks has seen big returns.
Now, Severance has broken down Canada vs. Greece and the Paris Olympics 2024 odds and revealed his best bets. You can find his picks only at SportsLine. Here are the lines and trends for Greece vs. Canada:
- Canada vs. Greece spread: Canada -7.5
- Canada vs. Greece over/under: 171 points
- Canada vs. Greece money line: Canada -330, Greece +250
- CAN: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranked third in the NBA in scoring (30.1 points per game)
- GRE: Giannis Antetokounmpo ranked second in the league in scoring (30.4)
- Canada vs. Greece: See picks at SportsLine
Why Canada can cover
The Canadians have an all-around playmaker in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The 26-year-old guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder averaged 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in 75 games this season while shooting a career-high 53.5% from the field. For his efforts he finished second in voting for the NBA MVP award behind only Denver’s Nikola Jokic.
Led by Gilgeous-Alexander, the Canadians have quality depth in the backcourt. Jamal Murray, Andrew Nembhard, RJ Barrett and Lu Dort will all see significant playing time. While Murray, Nembhard and Barrett excel on the offensive end, Dort gives the team a physical defender who can lock up the opponent’s best offensive player. See the picks at SportsLine.
Why Greece can cover
The Greeks have one of the best players in the world in Giannis Antetokounmpo. The versatile big man for the Milwaukee Bucks ranked second in the league in scoring (30.4 points per game), sixth in rebounding (11.5) and seventh in field goal percentage (61.1) last season. He finished fourth in voting for the NBA MVP award.
Greece already has been playing meaningful games this summer. Earlier this month, the Greeks went 4-0 in a FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament to earn their spot in the field in Paris. Greece knocked off Luka Doncic and Slovenia in the semifinals and Ivica Zubac and Croatia in the final. See the picks at SportsLine.
How to make Canada vs. Greece picks
Severance has analyzed Greece vs. Canada from every angle, and he’s leaning Under on the point total. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s sharing what it is, and which side to back, only at SportsLine.
So who wins Canada vs. Greece in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the expert who’s up $4,452 over the past three NBA seasons, and find out.
