USA vs. New Zealand: Odds, Time, Live Stream for 2023 FIBA World Cup
Team USA's quest for the 2023 FIBA World Cup crown starts now.
Five tune-up tilts are in the books, and now the games count for real. Group play gets rolling this weekend, and Team USA will get their first crack at their Group C competition.
New Zealand is up first, and oddsmakers aren't exactly expecting a nail-biter. Still, this game should have plenty of thrills, and it could reveal things about Team USA's road ahead.
Schedule, Broadcast, Latest Line
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Who: Team USA vs. New Zealand
When: Saturday, August 26 at 8:40 a.m. ET
Where: Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines
TV: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN+
Spread: Team USA -35.5
Over/under: 186.5
*odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
The Matchup
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With Steven Adams still nursing a knee injury, New Zealand has no NBA players on the roster. Team USA, meanwhile, employs multiple current All-Stars (Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton and Jaren Jackson Jr.), the reigning Defensive Player of the Year (Jackson), the reigning Rookie of the Year (Paolo Banchero), a previous All-Star (Brandon Ingram) and a host of 2023-24 All-Star candidates.
In case that 35.5-point spread didn't give it away, this looks incredibly lopsided on paper.
New Zealand can put points on the board, but if someone beats Team USA in this tournament, it probably won't be by overwhelming them with offense. Team USA boasts a host of net-shredders, and if their outside shots are falling, that will open things up for their downhill drivers to attack.
It's possible this gets out of hand quickly, but there should be a bunch of fun offensive highlights even if it does.
What to Look For
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This contest may not be competitive for long, but it can still be a useful teaching tool—for both the young talent on Team USA's roster and all of us observers.
The Americans had to climb out a 16-point hole in the second half to topple Germany in their final warmup, so it will be good to see where their heads are at now. On paper, this is an opponent Team USA should dismantle, but will it let that impact its focus at all? Or was the wake-up call against Germany all that's needed for this team to fully lock in and bring its best from the opening tip?
For as long as this stays competitive, the rotations are worth watching, too. Coach Steve Kerr seems likely to stick with the same starting lineup he had in those tune-ups—Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram and Jaren Jackson Jr.—but there could be adjustments to the rotation later in the game. In the most critical portion of that contest with Germany, Kerr opted to roll with Tyrese Haliburton and Austin Reaves over Brunson and Ingram.
Subtle tweaks like that could be significant as the competition rises over the course of this tournament. If the Americans race out to a big lead early, Kerr might have chances to experiment with change-of-pace lineups (maybe a super-small-ball set or one loaded with size) just to keep them in his back pocket for down the road.
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