Olympic Basketball Bracket 2024: Men's Semis TV Schedule, Live Stream and Odds
The final four teams in the men's basketball bracket at the 2024 Summer Olympics are set. And the United States remain the nation to beat in Paris.
The Americans are looking to capture their fifth consecutive gold medal and their eighth over the past nine editions of the Summer Games. In order to do so, the U.S. will need to beat Serbia in a semifinal matchup on Thursday, then win the gold medal game on Saturday.
France and Germany are facing off in the other semifinal matchup, with the winner likely advancing to face the United States for the gold.
Here's everything you need to know heading into the semifinals of the men's basketball Olympic tournament in Paris.
Men's Basketball Semifinals Schedule, Odds
Thursday, Aug. 8
France vs. Germany (-4.5), 11:30 a.m. ET, USA Network, Peacock, NBCOlympics.com
United States (-17.5) vs. Serbia, 3 p.m. ET, USA Network, Peacock, NBCOlympics.com
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
France vs. Germany
Of the two semifinal matchups, France-Germany is likely to be the more competitive contest.
This is uncharted territory for the Germans, who have never previously played in the semifinals of the men's basketball tournament at the Olympics. They defeated Greece in the quarterfinals on Tuesday to earn their spot in the semis, with Franz Wagner scoring 18 points to power them to victory.
Germany's best placement at an edition of the Games came in 1992, when it finished seventh. This year, the Germans are unbeaten, having gone 3-0 in the group stage before its win over Greece.
The Germans already own a victory over the French, too. Germany defeated France 85-71 in group play last Friday.
France will be looking to avenge its lone loss thus far. The French own a 3-1 record after recording an 82-73 win over Canada in a quarterfinal matchup on Tuesday. Guerschon Yabusele scored 22 points and Victor Wembanyama had 12 rebounds.
If France wins in the semifinals, it will be guaranteed a spot on the podium for the second straight Olympics. The French won the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games. That was the first time they had medaled since taking silver in 2000.
Although Germany will be favorited heading into this matchup, France has an opportunity to pull off a win and get revenge.
United States vs. Serbia
Serbia has earned a men's basketball medal at the Olympics once. That happened in 2016, when the Serbs took silver after losing to the U.S. in the gold medal game in Rio de Janeiro.
In order for Serbia to win another silver (or its first gold), it will have to get past the United States, which won't be an easy task.
The Americans are 4-0, with all four of their victories coming by at least 17 points. They beat Brazil 122-87 in Tuesday's quarterfinals, as Devin Booker (18 points), Anthony Edwards (17) and Joel Embiid (14) led them to the win.
The U.S. opened group play with a 110-84 victory against Serbia. Since then, the Serbs have gone 3-0, with their most recent win being a 95-90 overtime triumph over Australia in Tuesday's quarterfinals. Nikola Jokic tallied 21 points and 14 rebounds in the victory.
Jokic is one of the best players in the world, and everybody on the U.S. roster knows that, considering they go up against him throughout the NBA season. But it will still be tough for Serbia to upset the United States in the semis.
Anything is possible, but it would be quite a surprise if the Americans don't advance to the gold medal game, as they should do so handily.