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Speaker 1: This is the Action Network podcast. It's good for the

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Speaker 1: winds without further adow, that's what the game's all about.

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Speaker 2: And you feel like you can't miss.

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna leave it up.

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Speaker 3: If you try that again, absolutely not.

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Speaker 4: Welcome to another episode of the Action Network podcast. This

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Speaker 4: is your Olympic Men's Basketball gambling preview pod. I'm here

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Speaker 4: with Action Network writers Raheem Palmer and Joe Delera and folks.

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Speaker 4: Reminder that we've got several new podcasts debuting this August

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Speaker 4: from Action Network, including one just for NBA betting. So

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Speaker 4: to hear myself Rahiem, Matt Moore, the whole crew from

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Speaker 4: our NBA team this offseason. Next season, make sure to

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Speaker 4: subscribe to that new podcast feed, which doesn't exist yet,

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Speaker 4: but we will announce here on Action Network podcast. Make

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Speaker 4: sure to get you a link for that, so stay

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Speaker 4: tuned for that. And Giannis Ontakoupo and the Milwaukee Bucks

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Speaker 4: are NBA champions. We waited fifty years, we shot a

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Speaker 4: lot of free throws. We made it the boxer champs.

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Speaker 1: Giannis was finals MB put up a fifty in the

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Speaker 1: final game. Let's get to Team USA.

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Speaker 4: So we're covering Olympic Men's hoops from all angles here

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Speaker 4: at Action By the way, As always, all odds here

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Speaker 4: are from bet MGM, the official odds provider of the

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Speaker 4: Action Network podcast. But make sure to take a look

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Speaker 4: at Action Network. Joe's got a piece off with all

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Speaker 4: the pros and the names to know from the twelve

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Speaker 4: teams at the Olympics. I've got a group play overview

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Speaker 4: and best bets coming up later today. The three of

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Speaker 4: us are going to be doing full previews, I think,

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Speaker 4: for every Team USA game all the way to the

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Speaker 4: gold medal.

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Speaker 1: Hopefully we'll be.

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Speaker 4: Doing some best bets and futures plays and lots of

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Speaker 4: other stuff along the way. So before we get started,

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Speaker 4: I want to just do a quick overview of the

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Speaker 4: Olympic format, just because this only comes every four years

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Speaker 4: or five in this case, so we only have twelve

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Speaker 4: teams here and there. The game is becoming preter national,

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Speaker 4: so we are We're leaving out a lot of teams.

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Speaker 4: It's a pretty grueling qualifying process. We're already missing some

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Speaker 4: of the favorites. Serbia, Greece so Yannis is done for

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Speaker 4: the summer, Lithuania, Russia, those are all top ten teams

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Speaker 4: and the fever rankings. They're all not here, so you know,

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Speaker 4: like Lithuania just got knocked down qualifying earlier this month, Brazil, Canada, Turkey.

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Speaker 4: More teams are not here. So we got just twelve

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Speaker 4: teams left. We're split to three groups of four, so

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Speaker 4: the four each group does.

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Speaker 1: A round robin.

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Speaker 4: We start Saturday night, of course overnight because these are

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Speaker 4: in Japan, and then after groups we go the top

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Speaker 4: eight go to knockout play, so that's two from each

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Speaker 4: group and then two of the third place teams and

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Speaker 4: then you know, the drill from there, knockout all the

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Speaker 4: way to the end. And I think the gold medal

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Speaker 4: men's game is Saturday night, American time in primetime, August seventh.

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Speaker 4: So we're gonna do today. We're gonna look at each

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Speaker 4: group and talk about group winners and what you need

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Speaker 4: to know from each group and the teams there. We'll

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Speaker 4: do Team USA, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

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Speaker 4: It's been a rocky start. We lost to a couple

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Speaker 4: of teams in our exhibition play, so we'll tell you

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Speaker 4: about whether that matters and what the roster makeup looks

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Speaker 4: like now. So we're gonna come back to Team USA,

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Speaker 4: which is Group A in a little bit, so actually

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Speaker 4: we're gonna start out with Group B today. So GROUPIE

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Speaker 4: actually looks like our most balanced group of the bunch.

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Speaker 4: In soccer terms, we maybe would call this the group

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Speaker 4: of death. Somebody has to go out, maybe two of them.

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Speaker 4: Two of the teams in this group, Australia and Nigeria

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Speaker 4: are those two teams that just beat Team USA a

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Speaker 4: week ago, a couple weeks ago, and then we got

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Speaker 4: Italy in Germany. So, Joe, I know that you are

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Speaker 4: all about Team Nigeria. I know you've already got that

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Speaker 4: Nigeria ticket. So what can you tell us about Nigeria

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Speaker 4: and how do we like their chances in this crew?

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Speaker 2: The things that I liked about Nigeria.

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Speaker 5: Obviously they kind of made the big headlines by beating

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Speaker 5: Team USA. But you have an established NBA coach, you

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Speaker 5: have Mike Brown helping to coach this team. When you

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Speaker 5: really dive into the roster, they've got eight NBA players,

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Speaker 5: So they're deep, they're talented, and they're physical. They can

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Speaker 5: really put a lot of pressure on They can play

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Speaker 5: at an NBA speed, they can play faster, they can

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Speaker 5: get rebounds. All of those things kind of matter when

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Speaker 5: you're playing in this type of setting. This is a

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Speaker 5: grueling setting, and the roster is a little bit younger,

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Speaker 5: you can kind of recover faster and you know, really

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Speaker 5: step up against this competition. This is a great opportunity

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Speaker 5: for them to you know, show out, maybe make some headlines,

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Speaker 5: maybe get some more eyes on them, and maybe earn

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Speaker 5: some more playing time in the NBA as well.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, I think what's interesting about Team Nigeria

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Speaker 4: too is while they do have those eight NBA players,

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Speaker 4: you know, they're not the top of the roster players

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Speaker 4: you were talking about like Joshua Koge and you know

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Speaker 4: NBA champion Jordan Warra MIEI precious at you Uh, these

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Speaker 4: are good players. But what's interesting to me is if

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Speaker 4: Nigeria does win, if they keep winning, how good could

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Speaker 4: this team become? You know, not just this year, but

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Speaker 4: we we already have. They just became the first African

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Speaker 4: team ever to beat Team USA. But what's interesting to

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Speaker 4: me is some of the you know, guys with the

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Speaker 4: dual nationals who maybe could play for Team Nigeria someday.

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Speaker 4: Janasana Koupo being one of them, although he's committed to Greece,

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Speaker 4: now we've got bam Adebayo on our team who could

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Speaker 4: have played for Nigeria if you wanted to, but instead

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Speaker 4: lost to them a couple of weeks ago. Victor Oladipo,

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Speaker 4: O Gianaobi Okongu, Isaacacoro, DeAndre Aight and Andre Iguadala. These

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Speaker 4: are all guys who who have eligibility to play for Nigeria.

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Speaker 4: So it's interesting to me to see what happened with

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Speaker 4: this team if they do win, if they keep winning

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Speaker 4: and draw some more eyes on the team. In Nigeria

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Speaker 4: is a massive population and a huge basketball hotbed.

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Speaker 1: Rahim, Who do you like from this group? What team

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Speaker 1: stands out to you?

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Speaker 3: I mean, I think the Australia is the queen of

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Speaker 3: the crop here.

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Speaker 6: I think that's the team that you really want to

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Speaker 6: bet to come out of group. I mean, they have

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Speaker 6: plenty of NBA players. They got Dante Axum, you know,

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Speaker 6: you got Patty Mills who might as well be Alan

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Speaker 6: Evererson in FIBA. You got Joe Angels, Aaron Baines, Josh Green.

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Speaker 6: I mean this team dominated like they put their be

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Speaker 6: they put they they benched their starters before the USA

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Speaker 6: game and then put their b level guys out there,

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Speaker 6: and they had Josh Giddy, who's going to be an

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Speaker 6: upcoming the NBA draft, and it ay beat Nigeria about

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Speaker 6: like fifty.

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Speaker 3: So this is the team.

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Speaker 6: I mean, I think this team is the second best

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Speaker 6: team overall. You know, they have wings who can you know,

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Speaker 6: really switch on both sides of the floor. They could score,

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Speaker 6: they could score inside, they can hit a three. I

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Speaker 6: love this team. I think I think they're they're playing

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Speaker 6: for the silver medal in my opinion.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, what I what I love about Australia is if

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Speaker 4: you don't know who the guys are, you just like

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Speaker 4: see them on the court. They totally look like a

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Speaker 4: team that you show up at the why and you're like.

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Speaker 1: Oh, all right, we got this game. Look at look

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Speaker 1: at that team. We're there.

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Speaker 4: We got this like you know, the three of us,

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Speaker 4: and just grab a couple more guys and we could

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Speaker 4: just like go show up against Team Australia and if

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Speaker 4: we didn't know any better, we'd hit the court and

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Speaker 4: feel like we got next on this team and then

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Speaker 4: they just drop like one hundred on us without even blinking.

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Speaker 4: Australia has never won an Olympic medal. They finished fourth

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Speaker 4: last time around, and that was their fourth time that

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Speaker 4: they have finished fourth, So I think, yeah, I think

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Speaker 4: they they need a medal here. This is definitely their

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Speaker 4: chance to get there. I kind of like Italy a

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Speaker 4: little bit in this group. What I like about some

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Speaker 4: of the FEBA teams are the veteran you know, the

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Speaker 4: KG Wiley. They just know how to play, they've played together.

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Speaker 4: Danilo Gallinari I think is the best player in the group,

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Speaker 4: at least by NBA standards.

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Speaker 1: He is the best player.

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Speaker 4: International ball can be a little different, but his game

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Speaker 4: is suited pretty well for it. Nicole Amelli is a

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Speaker 4: pretty good player and get international style fit.

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Speaker 1: You know, you guys know how I like to play

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Speaker 1: the long shots.

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Speaker 4: I can see Italy as high as six hundred to

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Speaker 4: win the group at other books. I don't know what

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Speaker 4: do we think about Italy. I don't think anyone's gonna

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Speaker 4: go unbeaten in this group. So can Italy go like

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Speaker 4: two and one and maybe eke out a tiebreaker Group one?

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Speaker 1: What do you guys think?

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Speaker 3: It feels like we're all on different sides.

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Speaker 6: As far as you know, like, because I just really

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Speaker 6: like Australia and I just think they just have a

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Speaker 6: great roster. I mean, I like Fibu obviously I'm a

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Speaker 6: six Ers fan, but I think he's kind of being

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Speaker 6: unleashed for that team. I just I just think they

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Speaker 6: have it all. So that's my favorite to come out

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Speaker 6: of this conference. If I have to make a bet,

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Speaker 6: that's who I be betting Nigeria to win the group.

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Speaker 2: I am.

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Speaker 5: I'm sprinkling it a little bit just based on where

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Speaker 5: I'm seeing the odds. You can get them as low

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Speaker 5: as plus two to fifty, but as high as plus

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Speaker 5: four fifty. So if you can grab a better number,

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Speaker 5: I think that that's maybe a bet that you can place.

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Speaker 5: I do like them to advance to the knockout stage,

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Speaker 5: though I think that Australia, Nigeria, and Italy will probably

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Speaker 5: beat up on Germany a little bit here, so it

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Speaker 5: does give these teams an opportunity to maybe get the

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Speaker 5: third team to advance, so especially if they can all

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Speaker 5: kind of beat each other. So I do think that

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Speaker 5: that's maybe the play.

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Speaker 2: That I would lean towards.

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Speaker 5: More which you can find at about minus two thirty

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Speaker 5: five depending on the book that.

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Speaker 1: You can find it at, which plays out.

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Speaker 2: Nigeria to make the knockout stage.

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Speaker 3: Oh that's interesting.

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Speaker 4: Okay, So I like what I thought that you were

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Speaker 4: maybe saying, which is, yeah, we're all on three different

200
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Speaker 4: teams here for possibly for the group. None of us

201
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Speaker 4: are on Germany, and I think rightfully, so Germany is

202
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Speaker 4: missing Dennis Shrewder, who is normally their star international ball.

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Speaker 4: They're missing Daniel Tice, who's a good player. Like the

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Speaker 4: NBA players on the team are Mo Wagner and Izak Banga.

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Speaker 4: So we basically got the Wizards backups. That seems not great.

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Speaker 4: So you can play Germany to go out at group

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Speaker 4: stage at minus one twenty five.

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Speaker 1: I kind of like that.

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Speaker 4: We we like all three of these other teams in

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Speaker 4: this group, and we know that for sure one team

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Speaker 4: goes out, maybe a second team. So I feel like

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Speaker 4: that might be my safest best play in this group.

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Speaker 1: But what do you guys think of that?

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Speaker 3: Yeah?

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Speaker 2: I liked that play a lot. Actually, I like that

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Speaker 2: we can all team up on that one.

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Speaker 3: Yeah.

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Speaker 4: All right, Well let's let's let's get over to Group

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Speaker 4: C and we'll come back to some of our group

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Speaker 4: best bets eventually. But so Group C, Group C is

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Speaker 4: a little bit a lot of bit top heavy, I think.

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Speaker 4: So Spain is at the top of the group, and

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Speaker 4: then we've got Slovenia, Luka Doncic's Slovenia and Argentina, and

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Speaker 4: then we've got the Olympic host Japan rounding out the

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Speaker 4: group as pretty serious long shots. So Spain is the

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Speaker 4: favorite here, Rahiem, how do you feel about Spain? Are

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Speaker 4: they is the Golden Generation over or does this team

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Speaker 4: still have a run left?

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Speaker 3: And I'm not that high on Spain. I'm gonna be

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Speaker 3: honest with you.

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Speaker 6: I mean, they have some of the same guys that

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Speaker 6: they had played from two thousand and eight, Like when

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Speaker 6: you have Paul Gasol and Mark Gasol out there, and

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Speaker 6: you know Rudy Fernandez, Like, I mean, what's last time

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Speaker 6: we seen Rudy Fernandez, like with the Blazers in like

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Speaker 6: two thousand and six or something like that, when you

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Speaker 6: know Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Arders were supposed to lead

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Speaker 6: the Blazers to the to the to the Promised Land.

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Speaker 6: Like I'm just not that I'm not that high on

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Speaker 6: this team. I'm gonna be honest. I think they have

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Speaker 6: enough to win Group C. But as far as you know,

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Speaker 6: coming away with the goal I don't see it.

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Speaker 4: My international emo outside of Team USA is I guess

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Speaker 4: I sort of lean to the older, experienced Wiley teams.

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Speaker 1: I like Spain.

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Speaker 4: I like what I know, you know, I know that

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Speaker 4: Rubio shows up international play, Sergio Rodriguez and Rudy Fernandez, Like,

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Speaker 4: we didn't see these guys at their best in the NBA,

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Speaker 4: but they they're great for Team Spain. Spain has basically

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Speaker 4: been number two in the FEVER rankings the entire cycle

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Speaker 4: since the last Olympics. Like Spain is, I can't think

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Speaker 4: of what this would be in another sport, like like

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Speaker 4: USA is just so far and away number one that

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Speaker 4: we forget how dominant Spain has been.

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Speaker 1: Just if you could take USA away, Spain would be

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Speaker 1: on this like.

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Speaker 4: Absurd dynasty run from the last decade plus right now.

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Speaker 1: But we exist, so we win.

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Speaker 3: That's fair, you know.

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Speaker 6: I think that's an accurate especially when it comes to

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Speaker 6: actually this region, because I just I'm not really high on.

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Speaker 3: Argentina, So yeah, that's fair.

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Speaker 6: I just think they're so far away from everybody else

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Speaker 6: that that's what gives him the edge.

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Speaker 3: I think that's the perfect way to put it.

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Speaker 4: So obviously, the darling in this group in the World

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Speaker 4: Cup probably in general is Slovenia. I think we've seen

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Speaker 4: a lot of early money coming on Slovenia to win

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Speaker 4: the group, Slovenia plus two thousand to win the gold medal,

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Speaker 4: and I mean there's a chance that the argument is

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Speaker 4: easy Luka Doncic, that's the argument. Maybe they have the

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Speaker 4: best player in the game. Maybe they have the best

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Speaker 4: player on the court, maybe even against tm USA, depending

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Speaker 4: on what Luca does. So, Joe, what do we think

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Speaker 4: about Slovenia. Are they set up for a run here?

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Speaker 5: Maybe Luca can actually have somebody that really compliments his

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Speaker 5: play here, you know, and bring somebody back to the map.

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Speaker 2: Yes, they got Mike Toby.

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Speaker 5: He played a little bit of ball at Uva and

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Speaker 5: he's in Spain.

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Speaker 2: He's a big man. He kind of compliments that.

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Speaker 5: Role for Luca, so that there's some sort of interior

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Speaker 5: presence there. It just really depends on if Luca's gonna

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Speaker 5: get hot, then sure they could get through here. I

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Speaker 5: don't think that there's gonna be great guard play in

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Speaker 5: terms of maybe the defense that can be put against Luca,

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Speaker 5: depending on whether it's Spain or Argentina or obviously Japan,

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Speaker 5: but I don't see that from you know, if Argentina's

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Speaker 5: playing defense, I don't think that Camposo is gonna cover

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Speaker 5: Luca properly, or you know, even Luca Vildoza. So if

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Speaker 5: you're looking at this, it's just gonna be the Luca show.

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Speaker 5: And if, like we saw, Luca just carry them all

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Speaker 5: the way through the qualifiers, I don't think it's off

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Speaker 5: the table for them to advance here at all, especially

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Speaker 5: since we're not super high on Argentina and Spain is

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Speaker 5: getting older. So there's no real reason that Luca can't

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Speaker 5: lead this team past the past them. I mean, we've

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Speaker 5: seen him basically be a one man show in the NBA.

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Speaker 5: Granted the supporting cast is different, but so it is

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Speaker 5: for all of these teams.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, I I wanted to pick Slovenia as my big sleeper,

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Speaker 4: you know, my long shot to hang my hat on.

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Speaker 4: Here's the problem, like a crazy person. I actually watched

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Speaker 4: EuroBasket in summer twenty seventeen when Slovenia won the gold medal.

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Speaker 1: There, and it was a huge deal.

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Speaker 4: Luca was not in the NBA yet, and when we

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Speaker 4: got to the NBA draft cycle and people were like, oh,

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Speaker 4: I don't know if he's good enough, we'll see. I

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Speaker 4: was like, yo, you should have watched euro Basket. He

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Speaker 4: was lighting up all these teams, but he wasn't doing

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Speaker 4: it alone. He was doing it with Goran Dragic, who

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Speaker 4: was also awesome in that tournament. And Goreon Dragic is

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Speaker 4: not playing at this tournament. Zoran Dragic is playing at

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Speaker 4: this tournament. That's Goron's brother. But I worry about Luca

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Speaker 4: only being able to do so much, like at what

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Speaker 4: point do they become the Mavericks again? And there's just

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Speaker 4: not enough for him to do and they're not going

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Speaker 4: to run into the Clippers by any stretch necessarily.

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Speaker 1: But I just there was such good.

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Speaker 4: Synergy with Goron and Luca together and I don't know,

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Speaker 4: it's it's a lot to ask of him on his own.

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Speaker 4: I think they can make a run, But my instinct

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Speaker 4: is I feel like I'll be surprised if they actually

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Speaker 4: pull off a medal in this tournament, Like I think

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Speaker 4: it may be as a cycle too early for them.

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Speaker 4: Do you guys think that Slovenia can medal here?

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Speaker 5: Probably not, I mean, he I don't, I don't really

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Speaker 5: think so.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm with you.

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Speaker 5: I don't.

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Speaker 3: I don't think they medal.

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Speaker 4: So Japan obviously is the long shot in this group.

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Speaker 4: Japan is the longest shot in the whole tournament. I

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Speaker 4: think they are number forty two in the FEBA rankings.

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Speaker 4: I remember we got twelve teams here, so Rhachi Mura

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Speaker 4: and he's he's the star here, we got Nick Physikas

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Speaker 4: Nevada shout. Can Japan win a game? Can can Japan

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Speaker 4: win one game off of anyone in this group?

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Speaker 3: Yes? They can. I think they could be Argentina. Oh wow, No,

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Speaker 3: actually not they probably. I'm just I'm not Argentina at all.

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Speaker 6: I just I mean, you know, athletically, I just I

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Speaker 6: just think they're going to struggle against you know, some

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Speaker 6: of the great teams like that.

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Speaker 3: That game against Nigeria was like really really tough for me.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, that was a gap. It was a real gap

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Speaker 1: in athleticism.

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Speaker 4: And as much as I like the older Wiley teams,

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Speaker 4: which you don't get any older and more wily than

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Speaker 4: forty one year old Luis Scola and Faku Compazo, I'm

350
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Speaker 4: excited as a Timberwolves fanly side to watch Leandro Bolmaro.

351
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Speaker 4: I think he's going to be a really good player.

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Speaker 4: He hasn't come over to the NBA yet, but Wolves

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Speaker 4: on his draft rights. But Argentina is number four in

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Speaker 4: the Fever rankings, So I just I feel like it

355
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Speaker 4: seems like we're under selling them. But yeah, none of

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Speaker 4: us feel great about this team, and it feels especially

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Speaker 4: it seems like they're a team that could run into

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Speaker 4: the wrong matchup in a knockout game, you know, with

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Speaker 4: with the team that's just younger and more athletic, and

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Speaker 4: that's just the end for an old team like this.

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Speaker 1: Joe, do you agree with Argentina?

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Speaker 5: Yeah, I think that the one thing that they do

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Speaker 5: have is they do have a lot of I think

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00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,760
Speaker 5: I think you're gonna see pretty good fundamental basketball, But

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Speaker 5: it's just gonna be a matter of like how athletic

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Speaker 5: are they, Like how can they really match up against

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Speaker 5: some of these bigger, stronger, faster teams.

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Speaker 2: And I'm personally.

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Speaker 5: Excited to watch them because they have Luca Vildoza, who

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Speaker 5: just signed the Knicks.

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Speaker 2: He can really score at every level.

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Speaker 5: He just led his Spanish team to a title one

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Speaker 5: finals MVP with them, so he's somebody that can create

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Speaker 5: his own shot.

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Speaker 2: He's got a good handle.

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00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,360
Speaker 5: He shoots about thirty nine percent from three in the EuroLeague,

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00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:31,399
Speaker 5: So it's gonna be interesting.

378
00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:33,080
Speaker 2: I think we might see some good ball moving.

379
00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:35,639
Speaker 5: From Argentina, but I don't know to what extent that

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00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:39,160
Speaker 5: can really stack up against some of these better, more

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Speaker 5: established teams like you know, even Spain, or like the

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00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:44,359
Speaker 5: United States or teams like that.

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Speaker 4: So raheem, you don't really like Spain a whole lot.

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Speaker 4: What what's your play from this group?

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00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:52,200
Speaker 1: Then?

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Speaker 4: Do you feel like another team comes out of the

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Speaker 4: group or do you have a best bat from this group?

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Speaker 6: I think I think you kind of summed it up

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00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,240
Speaker 6: when we first conversation about you know, them being so

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Speaker 6: far ahead of everybody else.

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Speaker 3: I think you kind of got it wrong with Spain.

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00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:07,920
Speaker 3: I think that's the play.

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Speaker 1: Okay, Joe, what's your play from this group?

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Speaker 2: I think that's I agree. I think that Spain comes

395
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Speaker 2: out on top. I do think that you could.

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Speaker 5: Maybe sprinkle a little bit if you think that Argentina

397
00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,680
Speaker 5: and Spain both continue to win, which I know we're

398
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Speaker 5: kind of fading Argentina a little bit, but if they

399
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Speaker 5: beat Slavinia, Slavinia is.

400
00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:27,880
Speaker 2: Eight to one to get knocked out.

401
00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:31,000
Speaker 5: In the group stage, so that I think, like, I

402
00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,760
Speaker 5: feel like the line is big because of Luca and

403
00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:35,880
Speaker 5: they're a popular team.

404
00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,199
Speaker 2: People want to bet on them. But you already are

405
00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:39,960
Speaker 2: kind of penciling in.

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00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:43,080
Speaker 5: Spain and Argentina's two of the best teams in the world. Here,

407
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Speaker 5: I don't think it's crazy for them to get knocked

408
00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,120
Speaker 5: out in the group stage.

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00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:48,320
Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree.

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00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:49,959
Speaker 4: I've seen that one as high as ten to one

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00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,040
Speaker 4: at some books too. And let's let's stay at the

412
00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:56,399
Speaker 4: obvious too. If Luca picks up a little injury, like

413
00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,200
Speaker 4: it's going to be ugly, they're just done at that point. Yeah,

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00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:02,040
Speaker 4: I think that they are even underdogs to Japan if

415
00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,919
Speaker 4: it happens before that. And we know that Luca already

416
00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:08,520
Speaker 4: struggled through some injuries in the playoffs and that he's

417
00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:11,120
Speaker 4: going to be cautious that way. So I do think

418
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Speaker 4: that there's some potential there. My best bet from this group,

419
00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:18,200
Speaker 4: I think, also involves fading Slovenia in there. They open

420
00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,320
Speaker 4: against Argentina, and Slovenia has never played the Olympics before.

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00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:24,320
Speaker 1: We know Luca will be by far the best player

422
00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:25,040
Speaker 1: on the court.

423
00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:27,800
Speaker 4: But I like Argentina to win that game, just with

424
00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,040
Speaker 4: the veteran experience and just being ready for the moment

425
00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:33,159
Speaker 4: and for the Olympics. They're plus one ninety on the

426
00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,040
Speaker 4: money line right now, and you know, Luca is by

427
00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:39,120
Speaker 4: far the best player there. But I just feel like

428
00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,160
Speaker 4: Argentina's experience could be a big advantage in an opening

429
00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,080
Speaker 4: Olympic game like that. And that kind of plays with

430
00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,879
Speaker 4: that same thing where if Slovenia loses to Argentina and

431
00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,160
Speaker 4: then to Spain, they're in trouble. They're not necessarily out,

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00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:56,320
Speaker 4: but they're not in good shape at that point. All right, Well,

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Speaker 4: let's let's head over to Group A and let's get

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00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:06,920
Speaker 4: to team so Team USA now featuring olympians Javail McGhee

435
00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:08,560
Speaker 4: and Keldon Johnson.

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00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,680
Speaker 1: What are we doing? And is the sky falling?

437
00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:15,679
Speaker 4: Is Team USA gonna go oh and three and get

438
00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,320
Speaker 4: swept out of the group stage? Somebody had talked me

439
00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:21,879
Speaker 4: off the ledge, Joe, how bad or how good is

440
00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:22,960
Speaker 4: Team USA gonna be?

441
00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,240
Speaker 2: I still think that this team is going to be

442
00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:26,800
Speaker 2: really good.

443
00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:30,640
Speaker 5: I get that there's continuity issues, I get that there's

444
00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:34,400
Speaker 5: been COVID issues. I get that we don't really have

445
00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,640
Speaker 5: a lot of big men on this team, and there's

446
00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:38,760
Speaker 5: really not a lot of defense.

447
00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:40,600
Speaker 2: But I think that the.

448
00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,639
Speaker 5: Talent here is so strong and you are going to

449
00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:45,080
Speaker 5: get a little bit of a boost when you get

450
00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:48,120
Speaker 5: through Holliday back over there, Devin Booker over there, Chris

451
00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:53,200
Speaker 5: Middleton over there. I think that that matters they You're

452
00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:54,920
Speaker 5: gonna get some more defense, You're gona get a little

453
00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,760
Speaker 5: bit more shot making, and you're also getting three guys

454
00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,480
Speaker 5: that can facilitate the basketball. I know that Booker, we

455
00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:04,159
Speaker 5: criticized him a little bit in the finals because he

456
00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:07,880
Speaker 5: wasn't passing the ball as much, But these are three

457
00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:12,360
Speaker 5: excellent passers between Holiday, Booker, and Middleton, and I think

458
00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:15,119
Speaker 5: that that might help open up this US offense. So

459
00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,679
Speaker 5: maybe they struggle a little bit in Group A like,

460
00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,159
Speaker 5: but I don't see any circumstance where they don't advance

461
00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:23,959
Speaker 5: out of the group stage with the Czech Republican Iran

462
00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:27,320
Speaker 5: as the two other teams besides France, So that that's

463
00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:29,160
Speaker 5: kind of where I'm at with Team USA.

464
00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:32,359
Speaker 1: Though, Are him on anything about tam Usay's chances.

465
00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:35,440
Speaker 3: I think USA is going to win the gold medal.

466
00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,080
Speaker 6: I think what are they like almost like three minus

467
00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:42,000
Speaker 6: three fifty to me when I watched those exhibitions, they

468
00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:46,520
Speaker 6: struggle with the feeble rules and the physicality and you know,

469
00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,520
Speaker 6: just getting into shape. Like I think those are the

470
00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,359
Speaker 6: biggest issues that I saw, because you know, even in

471
00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:55,040
Speaker 6: the game that they lost against Australia, they had a

472
00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:56,040
Speaker 6: non point lead at.

473
00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,320
Speaker 3: Halftime before running out of gas in the second half.

474
00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:01,280
Speaker 6: The addition of Calton John and it's actually a great

475
00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,360
Speaker 6: addition because they have a guy who's gonna be able

476
00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:05,560
Speaker 6: to do the dirty work. Like if you watch that

477
00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:07,560
Speaker 6: I think it was the last game that they played.

478
00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:09,320
Speaker 3: He was a big impact.

479
00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:11,399
Speaker 6: Like he was probably one of the reasons that they

480
00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,399
Speaker 6: actually won that game. And I felt like, you know,

481
00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,120
Speaker 6: a lot of their roster was pretty redundant, and then

482
00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:21,359
Speaker 6: you had guys like Kevin Love, who I mean, he

483
00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,280
Speaker 6: really hasn't played much NBA basketball in the last couple

484
00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,040
Speaker 6: of seasons, you know, due to injuries. He just was

485
00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:30,600
Speaker 6: over there just because he had previous Olympics experience. I

486
00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,680
Speaker 6: think once they get Drew Holliday, Devin Booker, and Chris Middleton,

487
00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:35,240
Speaker 6: this team's gonna be a lot better.

488
00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:39,040
Speaker 3: I like the addition of Javelle McGee because it gives

489
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:43,080
Speaker 3: them another big. So I really like this team.

490
00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:47,000
Speaker 6: I just think part of it was just getting getting

491
00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,359
Speaker 6: used to the rules, and I think they'll be fine.

492
00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:54,040
Speaker 4: So I think that my concern and concern we'll use

493
00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:56,399
Speaker 4: the word concern lately here. Let's be honest. We have

494
00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:59,800
Speaker 4: a lot of talent. Tim Usa absolutely should win gold.

495
00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,920
Speaker 4: We have Kevin Durant, who is probably the best player

496
00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:05,440
Speaker 4: in the world. Or Giannis can at least have a conversation,

497
00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:08,760
Speaker 4: but he certainly should be the best player at the Olympics.

498
00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:12,760
Speaker 4: We have Damian Lillard. Whoever any other team second best

499
00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:17,840
Speaker 4: player is. Damian Lillard is miles and infinite chasms better

500
00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:21,520
Speaker 4: than whoever other second best players are just Dame and

501
00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:23,080
Speaker 4: Durant alone should be enough.

502
00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:24,560
Speaker 1: They probably will be enough.

503
00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:28,439
Speaker 4: A concern that I have with the team is I

504
00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,240
Speaker 4: feel like we just have the wrong big men on

505
00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:35,640
Speaker 4: this team. We have great NBA big men Bam Auto

506
00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,639
Speaker 4: Bio and Draymond Green. I want as my NBA center,

507
00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:41,760
Speaker 4: I want as my final center. I want them switching,

508
00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:45,040
Speaker 4: I want them screening, I want them handling a little bit.

509
00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,040
Speaker 1: In international play. You want a big dude.

510
00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,720
Speaker 4: Who's gonna protect the rim, protect that you know, the

511
00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:55,360
Speaker 4: expanded paint. You need somebody to defend against. Yes, Rudy Gobert,

512
00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:58,480
Speaker 4: you need somebody to go up against, you know, the

513
00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:02,960
Speaker 4: gasols and JaVale McGee get out of here. Like I

514
00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,280
Speaker 4: can't even talk about JaVale McGee on the Olympics team.

515
00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:10,320
Speaker 4: But I just I feel like the centers could be

516
00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:12,720
Speaker 4: a problem. And when Team USA has struggled a little

517
00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:14,760
Speaker 4: bit in the past, it's been with the big men.

518
00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:21,080
Speaker 4: And so let me ask this when we do our

519
00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:23,760
Speaker 4: Olympic wrap up pod if it exists, you know, a

520
00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:26,600
Speaker 4: month from now, and Team USA did not win the gold,

521
00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:30,560
Speaker 4: tell me who Team USA lost to and knockout play

522
00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:35,159
Speaker 4: and give me the diagnosis. What happened to Team USA?

523
00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:37,720
Speaker 4: Why did we lose? Joe, who did we lose to?

524
00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:42,919
Speaker 5: I think that we will have lost to Spain, and

525
00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:44,359
Speaker 5: I think a lot of it would have to do

526
00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:47,600
Speaker 5: with fundamentals. And I think that it's going to be

527
00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:51,080
Speaker 5: because Spain they have a ton of continuity, They have

528
00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:53,960
Speaker 5: a lot of experience, and they have a lot of

529
00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,760
Speaker 5: experience playing in international play, and I think.

530
00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,639
Speaker 2: That that is what the difference could be.

531
00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,479
Speaker 5: It's not necessarily that they're individually better or anything like that.

532
00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:06,240
Speaker 5: Or even that they're coached better, but just that they

533
00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:08,800
Speaker 5: have they have depth, they have experience, and they have

534
00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,199
Speaker 5: playmaking bigs and the Gasol brothers that can kind of

535
00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:13,960
Speaker 5: put stress on.

536
00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:14,840
Speaker 2: The US team.

537
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,400
Speaker 5: Like you said, who doesn't have really they have good bigs,

538
00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,120
Speaker 5: but they don't have, you know, a set of twin

539
00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,920
Speaker 5: towers like the Gasol brothers over there. So I do

540
00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:26,720
Speaker 5: think that that's probably who they would lose to if

541
00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,240
Speaker 5: they did lose to a team in this tournament.

542
00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,639
Speaker 1: Rahiem team USA lost. How did it happen? Who did

543
00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:34,960
Speaker 1: we lose to? And what went wrong?

544
00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:39,239
Speaker 6: Okay, they lost because so much of this team is

545
00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,679
Speaker 6: their offense is based on three point shooting. They're not

546
00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:44,639
Speaker 6: a team that's just gonna beat you up inside and

547
00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:46,560
Speaker 6: you know, get to the paint like some of these

548
00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,360
Speaker 6: other teams. So you saw in the games that they

549
00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:53,880
Speaker 6: were struggling in they couldn't hit the three. So I think,

550
00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,280
Speaker 6: like Joe said, I think it would be you know,

551
00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:59,040
Speaker 6: a team with you know, fundamentals who will go in

552
00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,440
Speaker 6: there and you know, I just think beat them, beat

553
00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:03,879
Speaker 6: them up inside, and I think France and Australia can

554
00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:04,240
Speaker 6: do it.

555
00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:07,520
Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree, those are the three teams that I

556
00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:10,159
Speaker 4: that I would be most concerned about a matchup. I

557
00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:12,800
Speaker 4: think you're either looking at a size problem, which France

558
00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:16,360
Speaker 4: with Rudy Gobert or Spain with the Cassols, or you're

559
00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,520
Speaker 4: looking at just that that veteran international know how problem,

560
00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:21,720
Speaker 4: and all three of those teams fit that too, so

561
00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:24,879
Speaker 4: I think Spain is the biggest threat. If I was

562
00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:27,320
Speaker 4: going to play Team USA to win the gold, I

563
00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:29,720
Speaker 4: think my recommendation would be to wait till after the

564
00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:32,880
Speaker 4: France game. I won't be shocked if we lose that

565
00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:34,879
Speaker 4: France game. That's not the end of the world. You

566
00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:37,280
Speaker 4: can lose a group game and still go on and

567
00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:40,280
Speaker 4: the odds will drop even further if that happens. If

568
00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:43,200
Speaker 4: USA beats France, I'm not sure the odds really get

569
00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:45,040
Speaker 4: much longer, so you don't have much to gain. I

570
00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:48,480
Speaker 4: think by getting your money in now, I think we said,

571
00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:51,320
Speaker 4: what three fifty minus three fifty for Team USA? Is

572
00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:54,160
Speaker 4: that worth their money to bet on Team USA? Do

573
00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:56,320
Speaker 4: Team USA listeners want to get that bet in?

574
00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:58,800
Speaker 2: It's still steep to kind of lay your money.

575
00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:01,080
Speaker 5: I get that that's what we think is going to happen,

576
00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:03,240
Speaker 5: But I agree with you, I don't. I don't see

577
00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:05,560
Speaker 5: any reason to tie your money up with that now

578
00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:08,080
Speaker 5: when you know there could be a variety of issues,

579
00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:10,400
Speaker 5: like Team USA has had a million COVID issues, even

580
00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,560
Speaker 5: so I would want to see this torn to progress

581
00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:15,920
Speaker 5: a little bit. Like you said, get past the France game,

582
00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,160
Speaker 5: see where we're at. I don't think that that line

583
00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:23,440
Speaker 5: really changes after the group stage. If anything, maybe it moves,

584
00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:26,000
Speaker 5: maybe it moves a couple cents, but I don't see

585
00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:30,679
Speaker 5: what's going to be so different, you know, before than after,

586
00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:32,760
Speaker 5: at least in terms of Team USA.

587
00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:36,159
Speaker 6: That line is coming down against France. I believe it

588
00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,120
Speaker 6: was like fourteen and a half now it's down to

589
00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:41,240
Speaker 6: about eleven and a half at bet MGM now, so

590
00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:45,320
Speaker 6: there is some sharp money on France for that first game.

591
00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:50,880
Speaker 6: So that kind of you know, lets you know of

592
00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,920
Speaker 6: the perception out there in the market as far as USA.

593
00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:56,960
Speaker 6: But I do think you know, a minus three p

594
00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:01,000
Speaker 6: fifty it denotes that United States should win this seventy

595
00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:05,120
Speaker 6: seven percent of the time, and I probably think that

596
00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:07,400
Speaker 6: they win this, you know, more than seventy seven percent

597
00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,760
Speaker 6: of the time. So yeah, I do think there's a

598
00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:13,440
Speaker 6: small edge there. But you know, do you like you,

599
00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:16,800
Speaker 6: Like Joe said, with all the COVID issues and you know,

600
00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:20,440
Speaker 6: the turmoil regarding this roster, I'm not sure if you

601
00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:22,400
Speaker 6: want to lay your money on that.

602
00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:25,040
Speaker 4: That opening game against France that's coming Sunday morning at

603
00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:29,400
Speaker 4: seven Eastern here. So as we're recording this, Drew Holiday

604
00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:31,880
Speaker 4: and Chris Middleton I think, are partying in a parade

605
00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:35,360
Speaker 4: right now, right they're they're celebrating. There's still like half

606
00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:38,440
Speaker 4: tipsy on Champagne. Japan is on the other side of

607
00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:40,400
Speaker 4: the world, and that's a long ways away and a

608
00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,600
Speaker 4: quick turnaround. I it's not shocking me that we could

609
00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,880
Speaker 4: be vulnerable against France. France is a good team. Gobert

610
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,880
Speaker 4: is awesome, especially in international ball. I don't know how

611
00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:52,200
Speaker 4: much we're gonna get from Holiday or Middleton, even from

612
00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:55,080
Speaker 4: Booker in that series. I don't know if zach Lavine

613
00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:57,320
Speaker 4: is gonna be ready to play. He's out of COVID protocol,

614
00:29:57,360 --> 00:29:58,800
Speaker 4: but we don't know what's happening with that.

615
00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:02,480
Speaker 3: What's going on with Jeremy Grant. Is he on protocols

616
00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:02,719
Speaker 3: as well?

617
00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:03,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, I haven't heard about you.

618
00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:08,200
Speaker 4: I think, Yeah, we don't know necessarily, like we could

619
00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:10,440
Speaker 4: have a very short roster in that game, and we

620
00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:11,800
Speaker 4: can't bring in backups either.

621
00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:13,080
Speaker 1: We've just got our twelve guys.

622
00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:16,800
Speaker 4: So my play if you want to, if you want

623
00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:20,760
Speaker 4: to possibly bet against Team USA, France is plus four

624
00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,400
Speaker 4: fifty on the money line in that game. I wouldn't

625
00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,920
Speaker 4: take that, but France is plus seven hundred to win

626
00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:30,360
Speaker 4: the group if France does beat Team USA. Look the

627
00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:32,520
Speaker 4: other part of this group. We haven't talked about Czech

628
00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:37,160
Speaker 4: Republic or about Iran yet for a reason. Iran doesn't

629
00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:41,800
Speaker 4: have any NBA players. Czech Republic has toamas Sataranski. They're

630
00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,880
Speaker 4: a good team. But France, France would have to lose

631
00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,920
Speaker 4: both of those games after beating Team USA to not

632
00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:49,800
Speaker 4: win the group because.

633
00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:51,760
Speaker 1: The group had headhead is the first tiebreaker.

634
00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:54,960
Speaker 4: So I think if you if you are doubting Team

635
00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:57,920
Speaker 4: USA a little bit, if you like France plus seven

636
00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:00,600
Speaker 4: hundred to win the group, that's you know, basically you're

637
00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,360
Speaker 4: getting a plus seven hundred money line on that first game.

638
00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:07,080
Speaker 4: And we just saw Team Usay, this Team USA play

639
00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:11,440
Speaker 4: four games, lose two of them, and and you know

640
00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:13,360
Speaker 4: the other team was in it for a couple of them.

641
00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:17,120
Speaker 4: So I think that I like that play, and I

642
00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:19,440
Speaker 4: don't even feel too on American because Team USA can

643
00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:20,960
Speaker 4: still win the next two games and go on and

644
00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,600
Speaker 4: win the gold medal even with that opening loss. What

645
00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:25,959
Speaker 4: do you guys think about the plus seven hundred for France.

646
00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,840
Speaker 5: I think that's a really smart angle to take, especially

647
00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:31,680
Speaker 5: on this group given the other two teams.

648
00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:33,240
Speaker 2: I think it's a great angle.

649
00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:38,360
Speaker 6: I like it, but I think the angle is to play.

650
00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:40,440
Speaker 6: I would rather play it game by game. I want

651
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:43,400
Speaker 6: to catch the United States early slipping. I want to

652
00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:46,160
Speaker 6: catch them in the first half. I want to catch

653
00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:49,560
Speaker 6: them full game early against France. I want to catch

654
00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,120
Speaker 6: them laugh because I think that's where you're going to

655
00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:55,320
Speaker 6: have your biggest edge. You know, Wow, you know Drew Hollidy,

656
00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:59,160
Speaker 6: Chris Middleton, Devin Brooker, aren't you know, really on the

657
00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,520
Speaker 6: team yet. They are having all these issues. So I

658
00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:04,240
Speaker 6: want to fade them early and then I think you

659
00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,320
Speaker 6: eventually the United States pulls it off.

660
00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:11,880
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689
00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:34,040
Speaker 7: the show.

690
00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:39,360
Speaker 4: All right, Well, before we leave Team USA, I think

691
00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:42,040
Speaker 4: that we're all expecting Team USA to pull through. Here

692
00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:44,720
Speaker 4: I was. I was ready to jump off the ledge.

693
00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:46,760
Speaker 4: I was ready to like fade USA for me even

694
00:33:46,840 --> 00:33:49,440
Speaker 4: winning a medal or something with some of these guys

695
00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:52,760
Speaker 4: on our roster. Just so it's clear, Team USA has

696
00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:56,560
Speaker 4: never not won a medal at the Olympics, even pre

697
00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:01,480
Speaker 4: professional era. US has as a whole bunch of golds

698
00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:05,520
Speaker 4: and a couple of bronzes and one silver. So tm

699
00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:07,520
Speaker 4: USA is probably going to come through. So here's what

700
00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:10,439
Speaker 4: I want to know, guys. It's the gold medal game.

701
00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:13,640
Speaker 4: It sounds like we think that they're probably playing Spain

702
00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:17,520
Speaker 4: or Australia, so it's a close game. There's five minutes

703
00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,799
Speaker 4: on the clock. I want to know your closing Team

704
00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:23,759
Speaker 4: USA lineup. Who are your five guys with with the

705
00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:27,720
Speaker 4: gold medal on the line when it matters most, So raheem,

706
00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:29,960
Speaker 4: give me your five guys in the closing lineup.

707
00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:32,160
Speaker 3: I'm gonna go.

708
00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:37,000
Speaker 6: This is really, really, really really tough. I think the

709
00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:41,920
Speaker 6: toughest one is that it's the big So I'm I'm

710
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:47,280
Speaker 6: gonna go with Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Jason Tatum. That's three,

711
00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:51,759
Speaker 6: Chris Middleton, and I'm gonna I'm gonna say Dane. I'm

712
00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,360
Speaker 6: reluctantly saying Dane because there's a part of me that

713
00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:57,400
Speaker 6: want to say there, wants to say Drew because I

714
00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:01,240
Speaker 6: think an international basketb his defense.

715
00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:02,280
Speaker 3: Will be a little bit more valuable.

716
00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:05,880
Speaker 6: But you know, the shot making from Dame, that's just

717
00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:08,719
Speaker 6: you kind of need that there. And you know, I

718
00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:11,839
Speaker 6: think back to twenty and sixteen, the way they put

719
00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:16,680
Speaker 6: that roster together. Kyrie started, but Kyle Lowry came off

720
00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:19,359
Speaker 6: the bench with Jimmy Butler and Paul George and they

721
00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,560
Speaker 6: had that defensive lineup in the second quarter that lock

722
00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:24,920
Speaker 6: you down. But when they needed to score and they

723
00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:28,080
Speaker 6: had Kyrie starting, So I think that's that's where I'm heading.

724
00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,719
Speaker 6: I think the struggles I'm having with this roster is

725
00:35:31,760 --> 00:35:36,640
Speaker 6: which big do you put out there? I just think Dame.

726
00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:41,400
Speaker 6: I think Draymond gives you a certain playmaking ability and

727
00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:45,000
Speaker 6: I don't really want Jabelle out there in crunch time.

728
00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:49,160
Speaker 6: I like BAM, but I just think Draymond just gives

729
00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:50,240
Speaker 6: you a little bit more playmaking.

730
00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:51,960
Speaker 3: He's a little bit more intense.

731
00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,560
Speaker 6: And I just want that experience out there, So I'm

732
00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:55,880
Speaker 6: run with him.

733
00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:58,400
Speaker 4: All right, Joe, did you pick your lineup? Is that

734
00:35:58,400 --> 00:35:58,759
Speaker 4: your five?

735
00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:00,399
Speaker 2: Not exactly?

736
00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:04,560
Speaker 5: And maybe call it recency bias, but I think somebody's

737
00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:06,360
Speaker 5: got to play a little bit of defense, so I agree.

738
00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:08,879
Speaker 5: I really like Drew Holliday. I think that he needs

739
00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:12,040
Speaker 5: to be in the closing lineup. But I'm also going

740
00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:16,000
Speaker 5: with Chris Middleton as well. I think that he showed

741
00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:19,080
Speaker 5: he can make he makes he makes the right passes.

742
00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:21,840
Speaker 5: He also knows like when he's tired, he can, you know,

743
00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:24,600
Speaker 5: play that particular way, and he can make the you

744
00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:27,360
Speaker 5: can make big shots too, So I like Holiday and

745
00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:30,640
Speaker 5: Middleton there, and then I'm going with BAM because I

746
00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:32,920
Speaker 5: think that you need a little bit of a little

747
00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:36,680
Speaker 5: bit more height with this particular lineup, and I'm gonna

748
00:36:36,719 --> 00:36:39,640
Speaker 5: go with Obviously, you need Kevin Durant on the floor

749
00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:40,560
Speaker 5: at the end of the game.

750
00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:41,680
Speaker 2: He has to be on the floor.

751
00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:44,359
Speaker 5: And I agree, like, I don't know how you get

752
00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:47,280
Speaker 5: around have it not having Damian Lillard on the court

753
00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:50,319
Speaker 5: when all he does is just rain threes and just

754
00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:54,400
Speaker 5: seems to hit clutch clutch shots. So I felt like

755
00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:57,319
Speaker 5: I had to go with Durant and Dame so in

756
00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:01,560
Speaker 5: terms of looking for size and length and you know, defense,

757
00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:03,640
Speaker 5: That's what kind of led me to Bam Middleton and

758
00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:06,239
Speaker 5: Holiday as the other three guys.

759
00:37:07,719 --> 00:37:10,040
Speaker 4: So I'm with you guys on Drew Holiday. That was

760
00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:12,719
Speaker 4: gonna be my My bold prediction is I think Drew

761
00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,520
Speaker 4: Holiday starts at the two in the gold medal game.

762
00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:19,120
Speaker 4: I think we start Damian Lillard and Drew Holliday. Maybe

763
00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:22,160
Speaker 4: not because then there's not a backup point guard. And

764
00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:24,200
Speaker 4: you know, we've got Booker and Levine those are kind

765
00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:28,080
Speaker 4: of the obvious twos. But we've got Booker and Levine,

766
00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:31,120
Speaker 4: and I want Drew Halliday's defense out there. We clearly

767
00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:33,560
Speaker 4: that's what was missing, was that point of attack defense,

768
00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:37,880
Speaker 4: And like slowing down, you know, especially we're seeing like

769
00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:42,000
Speaker 4: Patty Mills. Patty Mills is lighting up and he ain't

770
00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,120
Speaker 4: gonna be doing that. If Drew Holiday is out there,

771
00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:46,919
Speaker 4: you know, shut him down a little bit. So I'm

772
00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:50,040
Speaker 4: close with you guys. Here's here's my difference, and this

773
00:37:50,120 --> 00:37:53,160
Speaker 4: is what I think. This is why I still feel

774
00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:55,520
Speaker 4: good about Team USA. If the if the chips are down,

775
00:37:56,440 --> 00:37:59,480
Speaker 4: I'm not playing Bam out of Bio at center, and

776
00:37:59,719 --> 00:38:03,279
Speaker 4: I'm not playing Draymond either. I'm playing Durant as my

777
00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:07,440
Speaker 4: international center. I'm playing Dame and Drew, and I'm playing

778
00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:11,160
Speaker 4: Middleton and Tatum. So Middleton and Tatum are on the wings,

779
00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:13,880
Speaker 4: Durant's my center. You can't do it for very long.

780
00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:17,720
Speaker 4: But there's no way you're stopping that team from scoring

781
00:38:18,440 --> 00:38:21,760
Speaker 4: because now we have five shooters. That's why the international bigs,

782
00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:25,040
Speaker 4: that's why our guys aren't the right picks. The fact

783
00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:27,839
Speaker 4: that we can't pick Bam or Draymond or Javail that's

784
00:38:27,880 --> 00:38:29,640
Speaker 4: the problem. That's why I don't like them for this

785
00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:33,480
Speaker 4: roster because when you really need a bucket, you need

786
00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:36,360
Speaker 4: to be able to space things out and when if

787
00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,680
Speaker 4: it's go bear or if it's you know, Aaron Baines

788
00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:41,200
Speaker 4: or one of the gasls. You need to be able

789
00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:43,719
Speaker 4: to space them out on the defense open everything up.

790
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:47,480
Speaker 4: So I want Durant at center in the closing lineup,

791
00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:49,799
Speaker 4: and he can do just enough defense, he can bat

792
00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:52,440
Speaker 4: the ball off the ram. He's he's been here before

793
00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:57,840
Speaker 4: for the moment. So that's my that's my lineup, Dame, Drew, Middleton,

794
00:38:58,320 --> 00:39:01,719
Speaker 4: Tatum and Durant. And give me those five guys. I

795
00:39:01,719 --> 00:39:03,600
Speaker 4: don't see any way any team in the world is

796
00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:10,239
Speaker 4: stopping those five. All right, So let's let's zoom out.

797
00:39:10,360 --> 00:39:13,120
Speaker 4: Let's take a look at a few futures here. So

798
00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:14,640
Speaker 4: I want to us you to just do our our

799
00:39:14,680 --> 00:39:18,520
Speaker 4: two favorite futures picks. So, Joe, what's your favorite futures

800
00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:19,479
Speaker 4: play on the board here?

801
00:39:20,080 --> 00:39:23,160
Speaker 5: I'm bringing it back to France, and I really like

802
00:39:23,239 --> 00:39:26,440
Speaker 5: France to medal at plus one seventy five. You know,

803
00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:28,839
Speaker 5: they have a lot of NBA talent. But the thing

804
00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:30,960
Speaker 5: that I like about them is that I definitely think

805
00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:32,920
Speaker 5: that they're going to advance. I think they're going to

806
00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:36,560
Speaker 5: be a top two team obviously in Group A with

807
00:39:36,719 --> 00:39:40,200
Speaker 5: the United States. So with that, I think the way

808
00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:42,959
Speaker 5: that the seating works and brand correct me I from wrong.

809
00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:45,400
Speaker 5: But the way the seating works that they can't really

810
00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:48,719
Speaker 5: play Team USA until the final four or so.

811
00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:50,320
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's it's kind of messy.

812
00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:55,200
Speaker 4: It's it's basically the groups determine who goes through, but

813
00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:58,360
Speaker 4: as far as they can tell, then they they recede.

814
00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:01,279
Speaker 4: Like the top four seed are protected and then the

815
00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:04,880
Speaker 4: bottom four are their own. So it kind of depends

816
00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:08,040
Speaker 4: on which like where second place. You know, if France

817
00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:10,759
Speaker 4: wins the group, then I think they'd be safe, but

818
00:40:10,840 --> 00:40:12,680
Speaker 4: if they don't win the group of their second then

819
00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:15,440
Speaker 4: I'm not sure. So I think it's unlikely that they

820
00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:18,920
Speaker 4: would play Team USA till late. It's a little bit open.

821
00:40:19,239 --> 00:40:22,480
Speaker 5: Yeah, So I just think that it's given that it's unlikely.

822
00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:26,319
Speaker 5: At plus one seventy five to medal, I think that

823
00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:31,440
Speaker 5: there's decent odds here. You have the talent clearly so,

824
00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:36,360
Speaker 5: and they're really just behind Australia and Spain outside of

825
00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:38,520
Speaker 5: the United States. So I like that you're getting a

826
00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:41,520
Speaker 5: little bit more plus money there. So I like the

827
00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:44,520
Speaker 5: plus one seventy five on France to medal.

828
00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:47,919
Speaker 4: That's that's interesting to me because one of my picks

829
00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:50,320
Speaker 4: I was at least considering, and I'm now more hesitant

830
00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:53,600
Speaker 4: after that. Is France to be eliminated in the first

831
00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:56,480
Speaker 4: knockout game, which is at plus one point fifteen kind

832
00:40:56,520 --> 00:40:58,520
Speaker 4: of under the same logic, we're really only off by

833
00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:02,319
Speaker 4: one game there, which is I think France definitely makes

834
00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:05,000
Speaker 4: knockout play for me. I think I'm just a little

835
00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:07,360
Speaker 4: bit lower on France than you like. I think that

836
00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:11,440
Speaker 4: they are a definite tier behind Australia and Spain, even

837
00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:13,680
Speaker 4: you know, i'd put them closer in a group with

838
00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:17,160
Speaker 4: like Italy, which is another bet I'd consider for Italy

839
00:41:17,200 --> 00:41:19,680
Speaker 4: the same thing to make knockout and then lose right away,

840
00:41:20,080 --> 00:41:24,359
Speaker 4: also up at plus one hundred for them. So, but

841
00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:26,320
Speaker 4: you're right, I think France easily could beat one of

842
00:41:26,360 --> 00:41:28,200
Speaker 4: those teams. I don't think there's good but they could

843
00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:31,200
Speaker 4: beat Spain, they could beat Australia, and it's a good

844
00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:34,560
Speaker 4: point about their path too, So I may not play

845
00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:36,200
Speaker 4: that one now, but I don't think I can quite

846
00:41:36,239 --> 00:41:36,600
Speaker 4: get there.

847
00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:38,240
Speaker 1: To medal.

848
00:41:38,360 --> 00:41:42,040
Speaker 4: Also is gonna definitely mean beating at least one of

849
00:41:42,080 --> 00:41:45,600
Speaker 4: Spain or Australia and maybe both of them, and I

850
00:41:45,640 --> 00:41:48,319
Speaker 4: feel like I might just rather wait and play the

851
00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:52,200
Speaker 4: games than play the metal at that point. But it's interesting,

852
00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:55,879
Speaker 4: all right, raheem, what's your top futures play.

853
00:41:56,640 --> 00:41:58,319
Speaker 3: I'm gonna go with.

854
00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:03,840
Speaker 6: Argentina to get knocked out in a quarterfinal minus once in.

855
00:42:04,080 --> 00:42:05,120
Speaker 3: I'm not high on his team.

856
00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:07,120
Speaker 6: I think they advanced past the group stage, but I

857
00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:09,560
Speaker 6: think in a quarter fighter to get knocked out. So

858
00:42:09,680 --> 00:42:11,400
Speaker 6: I think we spoke about it earlier about how you

859
00:42:11,440 --> 00:42:14,160
Speaker 6: know you're going to struggle athletically. I think this is

860
00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:16,439
Speaker 6: the year where they just they don't have enough.

861
00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:19,160
Speaker 4: Yeah, that makes sense to me, kind of the same

862
00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:21,120
Speaker 4: thing we're just saying with France and Italy, Like if

863
00:42:21,120 --> 00:42:23,520
Speaker 4: you think Argentina is kind of that next tier down,

864
00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:26,960
Speaker 4: they're definitely too good, I think to not make knockout play.

865
00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:30,000
Speaker 4: But then if they just don't have it, you know,

866
00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:33,400
Speaker 4: unless unless they get a really good matchup, you know.

867
00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:35,800
Speaker 4: They we haven't said Nigeria either. They might play in

868
00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:39,600
Speaker 4: Nigeria which just trounce them. They might play a better

869
00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:43,279
Speaker 4: team in Spain or Australia. So yeah, I think that

870
00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:47,200
Speaker 4: sets up well too. So my I think my favorite play,

871
00:42:47,280 --> 00:42:49,920
Speaker 4: or at least one of my two favorite plays similar

872
00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:53,319
Speaker 4: to Joe's, but a different team. I'm going with Australia

873
00:42:53,360 --> 00:42:58,400
Speaker 4: to medal, which is at plus one ten, and I

874
00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:02,880
Speaker 4: just think Australia I don't feel good about necessarily backing

875
00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:04,880
Speaker 4: them all the way. The gold medal game depends on

876
00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:07,320
Speaker 4: the bracket a little bit. I don't feel great about

877
00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:11,000
Speaker 4: them winning the gold. Remember this team has never medaled

878
00:43:11,080 --> 00:43:14,640
Speaker 4: ever before. That's the goal. The goal is this team

879
00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:16,600
Speaker 4: wants to win a medal. They want to win gold,

880
00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:20,040
Speaker 4: but they have to win a medal. This team is good.

881
00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:23,160
Speaker 4: The pool is a little bit more open than usual.

882
00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:26,720
Speaker 4: They got a lot of veterans. They've been fourth place

883
00:43:27,080 --> 00:43:29,680
Speaker 4: last tournament, they're a fourth place at the World Cup.

884
00:43:29,719 --> 00:43:32,960
Speaker 4: In between, they keep coming up just short and getting

885
00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:35,600
Speaker 4: right there, and I feel like I think I can

886
00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:39,360
Speaker 4: see a bronze for them. But basically I think Australia

887
00:43:39,480 --> 00:43:42,120
Speaker 4: makes the Semis and if they do, you basically have

888
00:43:42,160 --> 00:43:43,000
Speaker 4: two chances to.

889
00:43:42,920 --> 00:43:43,640
Speaker 1: Win one game.

890
00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:45,480
Speaker 4: They can either win the first game and now you're

891
00:43:45,520 --> 00:43:48,359
Speaker 4: guaranteed at least a silver, or you lose and you've

892
00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:49,840
Speaker 4: got a chance to win that bronze.

893
00:43:49,880 --> 00:43:51,520
Speaker 1: And they gotta get this one.

894
00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:54,880
Speaker 4: So at plus one ten, I like Australia for that

895
00:43:55,719 --> 00:43:57,080
Speaker 4: all right, Joe, what's your other pick?

896
00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:01,800
Speaker 5: So we kind of mentioned I'm kind of high on Nigeria.

897
00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:06,480
Speaker 5: I know that they're in the same bracket as Australia,

898
00:44:07,120 --> 00:44:09,920
Speaker 5: but I think that if you can get that plus

899
00:44:10,360 --> 00:44:14,279
Speaker 5: four fifty number, I I like a little sprinkle on

900
00:44:14,360 --> 00:44:15,840
Speaker 5: them to win Group B.

901
00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:17,480
Speaker 2: I understand that it's.

902
00:44:17,360 --> 00:44:20,120
Speaker 5: A tough it's a tough number, it's a tough ask,

903
00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:24,360
Speaker 5: but I think that with their athleticism and the coaching,

904
00:44:24,520 --> 00:44:27,439
Speaker 5: I think that they can get through this. You can't

905
00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:31,440
Speaker 5: forget that Australia doesn't have Ben Simmons, so he's you know,

906
00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:34,920
Speaker 5: one of their best players on the team and he's

907
00:44:34,960 --> 00:44:38,600
Speaker 5: not playing in these Olympics. So I think that Nigeria

908
00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:41,120
Speaker 5: can pull off this upset. I get that this is

909
00:44:41,160 --> 00:44:43,440
Speaker 5: a tough ask, but I think that even with the

910
00:44:43,480 --> 00:44:46,239
Speaker 5: other teams, you know, with Italy there, Italy is also

911
00:44:46,440 --> 00:44:50,560
Speaker 5: a decent team. Italy could even beat Australia maybe and

912
00:44:50,600 --> 00:44:53,440
Speaker 5: give Nigeria a different way into winning the bracket, winning

913
00:44:53,480 --> 00:44:55,480
Speaker 5: the group. So I think that there's a little bit

914
00:44:55,480 --> 00:44:57,400
Speaker 5: of an opportunity here, and if you can get that

915
00:44:57,440 --> 00:45:01,560
Speaker 5: better number, I like Nigeria the win Group B at

916
00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:02,560
Speaker 5: plus four fifty.

917
00:45:02,840 --> 00:45:03,920
Speaker 2: I get that it's juicy.

918
00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:05,600
Speaker 5: I get that it's a little it's a little bit

919
00:45:06,080 --> 00:45:08,960
Speaker 5: out of the question, but but I like to play

920
00:45:09,239 --> 00:45:10,000
Speaker 5: Team Nigeria.

921
00:45:10,719 --> 00:45:12,600
Speaker 4: Reminder, by the way, we'll be covering a lot of

922
00:45:12,640 --> 00:45:15,920
Speaker 4: these games and you can follow our picks at Action Network,

923
00:45:15,960 --> 00:45:17,759
Speaker 4: so make sure to check out the articles and our

924
00:45:17,800 --> 00:45:21,000
Speaker 4: game previews and bets and everything there. Joe is all

925
00:45:21,040 --> 00:45:23,359
Speaker 4: in on Nigeria, so we'll get to see how that

926
00:45:23,400 --> 00:45:25,960
Speaker 4: plays out. All right, Rahiem, what's your last pick?

927
00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:30,200
Speaker 6: I'm gonna go with Australia to be runner up plus

928
00:45:30,200 --> 00:45:32,120
Speaker 6: two twenty. I told you, guys, I love this team.

929
00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:34,520
Speaker 6: I don't see them beat in the United States. I

930
00:45:34,560 --> 00:45:36,600
Speaker 6: guess if you want to take a if you want

931
00:45:36,600 --> 00:45:38,280
Speaker 6: to take a flyer on them to win the whole

932
00:45:38,320 --> 00:45:40,120
Speaker 6: thing and then maybe put yourself in a position, but

933
00:45:40,160 --> 00:45:41,480
Speaker 6: you're not going to really be in a position to

934
00:45:41,560 --> 00:45:44,480
Speaker 6: head because the United State is going to be a favorite.

935
00:45:44,760 --> 00:45:46,000
Speaker 6: So I was just like, I'm going to go with

936
00:45:46,000 --> 00:45:46,960
Speaker 6: the plus two twenty.

937
00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:47,480
Speaker 3: To be runner up.

938
00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:49,960
Speaker 6: I think they they get all the way to the

939
00:45:50,000 --> 00:45:52,439
Speaker 6: gold medal game. I just I think they're the strongest team,

940
00:45:52,760 --> 00:45:55,520
Speaker 6: strongest non US team, and you know, I was really

941
00:45:55,520 --> 00:45:58,080
Speaker 6: impressed by the way they beat Nigeria. You know, they

942
00:45:58,600 --> 00:46:00,800
Speaker 6: sat there, guys, and they still went out there and dominated.

943
00:46:01,239 --> 00:46:02,920
Speaker 6: I think, I just I just think they have so

944
00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:05,000
Speaker 6: much so I'm rolling with them.

945
00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:05,920
Speaker 1: I like it.

946
00:46:05,960 --> 00:46:08,640
Speaker 4: Australia definitely is good. They're gonna be a tough out.

947
00:46:09,200 --> 00:46:11,759
Speaker 4: I am going with the other top team in this

948
00:46:11,880 --> 00:46:16,160
Speaker 4: group or in in the Olympics, outside of Team USA.

949
00:46:16,760 --> 00:46:19,520
Speaker 4: And it would not be an official Action Network podcast

950
00:46:19,560 --> 00:46:22,600
Speaker 4: if I didn't have at least one absolutely outlandish long

951
00:46:22,640 --> 00:46:26,840
Speaker 4: shot bet. So here it is, gentlemen, I am taking

952
00:46:27,000 --> 00:46:31,240
Speaker 4: Spain plus one thousand to win the gold medal. Here's

953
00:46:31,239 --> 00:46:36,040
Speaker 4: why Spain beat Australia at both of the last two Olympics.

954
00:46:36,239 --> 00:46:40,640
Speaker 4: So Spain has Australia's number. Australia is the younger, hungrier team,

955
00:46:40,680 --> 00:46:44,799
Speaker 4: but Spain has that that wily veteran thing. When the

956
00:46:44,840 --> 00:46:47,759
Speaker 4: minutes really matter, Mark and Power are going to be

957
00:46:47,800 --> 00:46:50,799
Speaker 4: out there doing their thing together. I don't know, We're

958
00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:53,200
Speaker 4: gonna see a lot of those guys, especially Powell, but

959
00:46:53,600 --> 00:46:56,280
Speaker 4: they're gonna save it for when they have to, and

960
00:46:56,520 --> 00:46:58,680
Speaker 4: I like them in that matchup, but it gets there.

961
00:46:59,360 --> 00:47:02,400
Speaker 4: I just think if somebody is going to beat Team USA.

962
00:47:02,800 --> 00:47:05,200
Speaker 4: I think Spain is the team to do it. They've

963
00:47:05,239 --> 00:47:08,800
Speaker 4: got the veterans, they've got the while, they've been here before,

964
00:47:08,880 --> 00:47:12,479
Speaker 4: they've matched up against Team USA. It's it's the sort

965
00:47:12,480 --> 00:47:15,000
Speaker 4: of team that can keep it close and then you

966
00:47:15,040 --> 00:47:18,000
Speaker 4: see what happens. I still like usay in the matchup.

967
00:47:18,200 --> 00:47:21,680
Speaker 4: There's obviously like a huge athleticism advantage there. I'm not

968
00:47:21,719 --> 00:47:24,799
Speaker 4: saying Spain should beat Team USA as usual with the

969
00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:25,720
Speaker 4: plus one thousand.

970
00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:28,239
Speaker 1: It's not a should. It's okay, you know.

971
00:47:28,320 --> 00:47:30,800
Speaker 4: Raheema said, the implid odds are like seventy seven percent

972
00:47:30,840 --> 00:47:32,920
Speaker 4: TEAMUSA to win gold, and I think we're agreeing that

973
00:47:32,960 --> 00:47:33,440
Speaker 4: the odds.

974
00:47:33,280 --> 00:47:34,120
Speaker 1: Should be higher than that.

975
00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:38,240
Speaker 4: Well, plus one thousand is implied like nine percent for Spain.

976
00:47:38,920 --> 00:47:43,480
Speaker 4: So basically, I think if somebody would beat Team USA,

977
00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:46,319
Speaker 4: Spain is the team to do it. I think if

978
00:47:46,360 --> 00:47:49,880
Speaker 4: Spain does beat Team USA, they win the gold. They've

979
00:47:49,920 --> 00:47:52,319
Speaker 4: never gotten that gold medal yet. It's the one thing

980
00:47:52,400 --> 00:47:56,279
Speaker 4: that has has not been reached by this generation and

981
00:47:56,320 --> 00:47:59,600
Speaker 4: it's very definitely their last chance for the end of

982
00:47:59,640 --> 00:48:01,759
Speaker 4: this You can't be a goal in generation if there's

983
00:48:01,760 --> 00:48:02,480
Speaker 4: no gold.

984
00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:07,120
Speaker 1: So they need the gold. I think USA is going

985
00:48:07,160 --> 00:48:11,160
Speaker 1: to win, but you know, plus one thousand, I gotta

986
00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:12,359
Speaker 1: have my long shot in there.

987
00:48:13,000 --> 00:48:16,439
Speaker 6: We're all really really high on what Drew Holly means

988
00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:19,440
Speaker 6: to this team. I saw on Twitter the other day somebody said,

989
00:48:19,680 --> 00:48:23,280
Speaker 6: what would the GAT be between those two players if

990
00:48:23,600 --> 00:48:27,400
Speaker 6: you know, we played the NBA under fever rules. I

991
00:48:27,400 --> 00:48:29,839
Speaker 6: don't think it's very high. And I just think Drew

992
00:48:29,880 --> 00:48:32,279
Speaker 6: Holly is going to add so much to this team defensively,

993
00:48:32,800 --> 00:48:34,960
Speaker 6: and you know, getting Chris Middleton in there, I just

994
00:48:35,040 --> 00:48:37,479
Speaker 6: I think all of those scares that we had about

995
00:48:37,480 --> 00:48:39,799
Speaker 6: the United States, I think they were a little bit premature,

996
00:48:39,920 --> 00:48:41,560
Speaker 6: just as you know this team. I think one of

997
00:48:41,600 --> 00:48:43,800
Speaker 6: the things people forget is the rest of these teams

998
00:48:43,800 --> 00:48:47,719
Speaker 6: have played together for years like this United States team.

999
00:48:48,000 --> 00:48:49,960
Speaker 6: You know, they're really throwing it together on the fly,

1000
00:48:50,239 --> 00:48:53,880
Speaker 6: and we're already seeing improvement game the game. So I

1001
00:48:53,920 --> 00:48:56,000
Speaker 6: think overall, the United States should should get it done.

1002
00:48:56,080 --> 00:48:58,640
Speaker 6: And you know we all can be wearing American.

1003
00:48:58,239 --> 00:48:58,759
Speaker 3: Flags, and.

1004
00:49:01,080 --> 00:49:04,520
Speaker 4: Yeah, I trust the American team the longer the tournament

1005
00:49:04,560 --> 00:49:06,440
Speaker 4: goes here. And I think it's for that same reason.

1006
00:49:06,920 --> 00:49:09,839
Speaker 4: Once we get Drew Holliday and even Middleton over there,

1007
00:49:10,320 --> 00:49:12,759
Speaker 4: USA one of our big advantages we've always had is

1008
00:49:12,880 --> 00:49:15,160
Speaker 4: just on the wing. You know, as much as the

1009
00:49:15,200 --> 00:49:19,239
Speaker 4: game is advancing internationally, those athletic wings, that's still an

1010
00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:23,360
Speaker 4: American dominant space. So getting Middleton to be able to

1011
00:49:23,400 --> 00:49:25,839
Speaker 4: be in there, and yeah, just getting Holiday doing all

1012
00:49:25,840 --> 00:49:26,600
Speaker 4: those little things.

1013
00:49:27,320 --> 00:49:29,880
Speaker 1: My brain is screaming a recency bias at me.

1014
00:49:30,000 --> 00:49:33,279
Speaker 4: We just watched it all happen, but we know why

1015
00:49:33,320 --> 00:49:37,160
Speaker 4: they were so good. So get Drew and get Chris

1016
00:49:37,360 --> 00:49:41,080
Speaker 4: over to Japan. Keep them safe, put them in bubble wrap,

1017
00:49:41,360 --> 00:49:44,560
Speaker 4: get them on the plane. Give Devin Booker some headphones

1018
00:49:44,600 --> 00:49:46,359
Speaker 4: and let him like sit way in the back away

1019
00:49:46,360 --> 00:49:48,640
Speaker 4: from those guys, because that poor dude on a long

1020
00:49:48,719 --> 00:49:52,799
Speaker 4: flight to Japan. But yeah, I think, I think could

1021
00:49:52,840 --> 00:49:56,279
Speaker 4: be a rocky start. But group play doesn't matter so much.

1022
00:49:56,320 --> 00:49:59,040
Speaker 4: Everyone take a deep breath. Let's see what Team USA

1023
00:49:59,120 --> 00:50:01,120
Speaker 4: can do. Let's see if they can get through to

1024
00:50:01,160 --> 00:50:03,719
Speaker 4: the end. All right, Well that is going to wrap

1025
00:50:03,760 --> 00:50:07,440
Speaker 4: it up for our Olympic Men's hoops preview at Action Network.

1026
00:50:07,960 --> 00:50:09,680
Speaker 1: Reminder that we've got several.

1027
00:50:09,400 --> 00:50:13,120
Speaker 4: New podcasts debuting this August from Action Network, including one

1028
00:50:13,440 --> 00:50:17,359
Speaker 4: just for NBA betting. So to hear myself for him,

1029
00:50:17,560 --> 00:50:21,279
Speaker 4: Matt Moore, the whole crew from our NBA team this offseason.

1030
00:50:21,400 --> 00:50:24,880
Speaker 4: Next season, make sure to subscribe to that new podcast

1031
00:50:24,920 --> 00:50:27,640
Speaker 4: feed which doesn't exist yet, but we will announce here

1032
00:50:27,719 --> 00:50:29,719
Speaker 4: on Action Network Podcast. Make sure to get you a

1033
00:50:29,760 --> 00:50:32,399
Speaker 4: link for that, so stay tuned for that. We will

1034
00:50:32,400 --> 00:50:35,799
Speaker 4: have a very special NBA Draft betting preview next week

1035
00:50:35,840 --> 00:50:39,400
Speaker 4: here on the podcast. Make sure to download and subscribe

1036
00:50:39,400 --> 00:50:42,120
Speaker 4: and use the Action Network app. All of our articles

1037
00:50:42,120 --> 00:50:44,200
Speaker 4: will be on there, they'll be on the website. We've

1038
00:50:44,239 --> 00:50:47,920
Speaker 4: got previews and everything we've mentioned. For Olympics men's hoops,

1039
00:50:48,000 --> 00:50:50,920
Speaker 4: we've got NBA Draft scouting profiles and props for that

1040
00:50:50,960 --> 00:50:53,560
Speaker 4: coming a week from now. Free agency is just around

1041
00:50:53,640 --> 00:50:58,120
Speaker 4: the corner. Twenty twenty two Futures MVP. The NBA never sleeps.

1042
00:50:58,120 --> 00:51:00,799
Speaker 4: It's a twelve month sport. So we just ended. We

1043
00:51:00,840 --> 00:51:02,720
Speaker 4: got a day off, and we're off and running again.

1044
00:51:03,360 --> 00:51:06,360
Speaker 4: Of course, stay tuned for NFL Fantasy College Football, a

1045
00:51:06,360 --> 00:51:10,399
Speaker 4: lot of podcast episodes to come. NFL kickoff forty nine

1046
00:51:10,520 --> 00:51:14,239
Speaker 4: days away, But who's counting for Raheem and Joe. I'm

1047
00:51:14,280 --> 00:51:16,759
Speaker 4: Brandon Anderson and we'll catch you next time on the

1048
00:51:16,840 --> 00:51:18,279
Speaker 4: Action Network Podcast