Team USA will look to close out pool play in Group C undefeated on Saturday when they face off against Puerto Rico in men’s basketball. Fans interested in catching every moment of the 2024 Paris Olympics live should sign up for Peacock, which will be streaming every event of The Games.
The USA vs. Puerto Rico men’s basketball game is scheduled to start at 11:15 a.m. ET Saturday and will be broadcast on Peacock. Fans looking to watch can do so through FuboTV or DirecTV Stream, both of which offer a free trial. SlingTV doesn’t offer a free trial but does have other promotional offers available.
The Americans have already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals after winning their first two games over Serbia and South Sudan in comfortable fashion. They should be facing their easiest opponent of the tournament so far in Puerto Rico but more lineup changes appear to be on the horizon for the matchup with Joel Embiid set to return to the starting five after getting a DNP-CD against South Sudan. Puerto Rico enters the matchup with a 0-2 record and will need an improbable win and a lot of help elsewhere to have a chance of advancing to the quarterfinals.
Who: USA vs. Puerto Rico
When: Saturday, August 3 at 11:15 a.m. ET
Where: Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France
Stream: FuboTV (free trial); DirecTV Stream (free trial); Sling; Peacock
Gear: Shop around for jerseys, shirts, hats, hoodies and more at Fanatics.com. Fanatics also has a sportsbook.
More coverage via the Associated Press:
VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — Jayson Tatum went from not playing to starting. Joel Embiid went from starting to not playing.
The U.S. Olympic basketball team made two lineup changes for its game against South Sudan on Wednesday night, a 103-86 victory. Tatum, who didn’t play in the opener of the Paris Games for the Americans, moved into the starting lineup along with Anthony Davis.
Jrue Holiday and Embiid, who started against Serbia in the Olympic opener, were moved to reserve roles for the South Sudan game. And Embiid — a past NBA MVP — didn’t get in at all, keeping on his blue warmup pants and top for the entirety of the game.
“Last game you had a champion, All-NBA guy not playing any minutes and tonight we had an MVP not play any minutes,” U.S. forward Kevin Durant said. “They didn’t complain. We’ve got guys who stepped up and filled those roles perfectly.”
It’s consistent with what coach Steve Kerr said would be his thinking in these Olympics — that matchups and playing combinations would shape his decisions for every game in France. He’s said since the team convened for training camp nearly four weeks ago that changes would happen and so far, he’s lived up to that prediction.
“That’s how we’re going to do this,” Kerr said after the Americans beat South Sudan to clinch a quarterfinal berth. “Whatever we need to do to win each game, that’s what we’re going to do.”
It was not a surprise that Tatum was getting minutes in the second game. Kerr flatly said twice this week that the leading scorer for the NBA champion Boston Celtics last season would be in the rotation against South Sudan, and that he wasn’t for the opener against Serbia based solely on combinations.
“Jayson is the ultimate pro, a champion, and he handled it well and he’s going to be ready for the next one,” Kerr said after the Serbia game. And after Wednesday, he said he expected to go back to the starting lineup that included Holiday and Embiid.
“I think we need to give these guys more credit,” Kerr said. “They’re here to win a gold medal. They’re pros, they’re committed to each other. So, every game is going to be a little different. We’ll figure out what we need to do to win.”
Tatum is bidding for his second Olympic gold medal, after being on the team that won the title at the Tokyo Games three years ago.
“We won. I was glad to just get back out here and play again today,” Tatum said. “There was a lot of chatter over the last few days, but I was in good spirits, had a good attitude about it. It was fine. As a competitor, you want to play.”
