At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the United States men’s basketball team got off to a shaky start. Gregg Popovich’s team was absolutely flat in the opener against France, and in addition to losing their first Olympic game since 2004, the US flailed down the stretch in alarming ways.
Team USA will return to the court on Wednesday morning in Tokyo, and the squad’s second opponent seems to be a more advantageous matchup. The Americans face Iran in a game in which they are favored by 40 points or more, depending on which sports betting outlet is valued. Iran has no active NBA players, however Hamed Haddadi is a former member of the Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns, and the United States will have a significant talent edge.
How Team USA will respond to early adversity is still unknown. At the same time, they have a clear road to the medal round if they win their next two games, and a squad lead by Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and (many) others should be able to rally against Iran.
Unfortunately, it could be a challenge for some to view the proceedings, as the game is set to tip off at 12:40 a.m. ET on Wednesday and without a broadcast option on the television side. The game will only be available to stream here (with a TV provider login) and Peacock is also distributing the contest with a premium subscription.
