USA vs. New Zealand 2023 FIBA World Cup Odds and Preview

By Jeff Stinger • August 24, 2023

USA opens their 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup campaign with a clash against New Zealand. They are favorites to win Group C, but they should take the lessons from 2019 and use them to improve their game moving forward. Steve Kerr leads the team in search of glory. Team USA tops the FIBA Basketball World Cup odds following 12 medals in the bag, but this is their chance to become the first nation with six World Cup titles.

Meanwhile, New Zealand searches for every move in the playbook to keep the Americans at bay. With so much history and star power in front of them, the Kiwi side banks on their successful qualifying run for their sixth-straight FIBA World Cup appearance. They are eager to repeat their 2002 run when they finished in the top four.

USA vs. New Zealand 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Game Info

Ready to take off, ready to #WinForUSA #FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/5B5OkdFyum
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 (@FIBAWC) August 23, 2023

When: Saturday, August 26, 2023, 8:40 AM ET
Where: Mall Of Asia Arena, Manila, Philippines
Live Stream: ESPN+
2023 FIBA World Cup Betting Odds: USA (-36.5) / New Zealand (+36.5)

Why Bet on Team USA?

Team USA anticipates a few tough battles later in the tournament. However, this matchup with New Zealand shouldn’t give them trouble, especially now that Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped out. As they showcased in the exhibition schedule, the Americans are too talented for most teams in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Their toughness is likely to keep New Zealand trailing.

This is the perfect opening game for Team USA. It allows the squad to warm up and shake off any nerves that come with playing a highly-coveted tournament. Getting comfortable against an opponent they are far better than is a great way to start on a positive note.

The biggest query here is how Steve Kerr handles his squad. Knowing his history with the Golden State Warriors and their impressive player rotation, we anticipate quality rotation and adjustments. When the game got hairy against Germany last weekend, he opted for Tyrese Haliburton and Austin Reaves instead of Jalen Brunson and Brandon Ingram. With that, we look forward to watching other names see bigger minutes given how well they fit around each other.

Why Bet on New Zealand?

The Tall Blacks have yet to enjoy a great deal of success in previous FIBA Basketball World Cup tournaments. They currently rank 26th in the world rankings but encountered a few issues in qualifying for the World Cup. They finished top of both the groups they played in the Asian qualifiers. However, the Kiwis are yet to surpass their best-ever record since fourth place 21 years ago.

Peron Cameron was pleased with how training camp went and was particularly impressed with some of the newer players. Isaac Fotu will appear in his third consecutive World Cup. Reuben Te Rangi joins the World Cup squad for the first time in his career after missing out in 2019 due to injury.

Now they hope to do better this time but the draw introduces a massive responsibility. Group C features two tough opponents and New Zealand are playing one in their opening game. The only thing they bank on now is a solid result at the last Commonwealth Games in 2018 where they won a bronze medal. They repeated the achievement in the Asia Cup last year and should help uplift the squad.

USA vs. New Zealand Expert Betting Prediction

With a battery of prominent NBA stars and an impressive coaching panel, Team USA appears significantly stronger than New Zealand on paper. They undeniably stand as the team to beat in the group stage and knockouts. On the other hand, New Zealand takes on a massive challenge right away. The Kiwis need extraordinary collective efforts from each player to pull off a stunning upset in the first week of the competition.

Basketball enthusiasts from all over the world gear up for the highly anticipated USA vs. New Zealand matchup. The Americans are keen to bounce back from their previous World Cup run, bowing out in the quarter-finals to France. However, with a solid lineup and coaching staff, they are among the heavy favorites. New Zealand can keep the game close and cover the spread at the very least. An upset win is a tall order, but this team can do wonders if the players begin to connect.

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This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more 2023-24 NBA season previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest basketball betting odds on our online crypto sportsbook.