Our 2023 FIBA World Cup coverages continues as we made our predictions and picks for this next round of group play. We head over to Group B to see a matchup between China (0-1) facing off against South Sudan (0-1). Check out our FIBA World Cup odds series for our China-South Sudan prediction and pick.
China comes into this game after a very bad 63-105 loss to Serbia. While they didn't stand much of a chance to begin with, the original betting spread was much tighter as they got completely blown out from the first quarter of play. They failed to get anything going for the rest of the game and will hope to rebound with a tighter performance against South Sudan.
South Sudan comes into this game off the heels of a solid performance against Puerto Rico. As the underdogs, South Sudan was able to lead for much of the fourth quarter and forced overtime. In the added time, Puerto Rico locked down on defense and jumped out to a quick lead, winning the game 101-96. South Sudan will look to bounce back, this time as favorites on the betting lines.
Here are the 2023 FIBA World Cup odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
2023 FIBA World Cup Odds: China-South Sudan Odds
China: +8.5 (-115)
South Sudan: -8.5 (-111)
Over: 157.5 (-111)
Under: 157.5 (-115)
How to Watch China vs. South Sudan
TV: ESPN China
Stream: ESPN+, Courtside 1891
Time: 4:00 a.m. ET/ 1:00 a.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why China Will Cover The Spread
China was able to see some success during the FIBA Asia qualifiers, but they were hardly one of the top five Asian teams throughout the process. In their game against Serbia, they did a great job of being physical early and contested on the glass for the entire game. Their offense, however, was stagnant as they shot just 38.1% from the field. Their offense also stacked up 24 turnovers and those numbers aren't going to cut it against a strong team like Serbia.
To win this game, China will have to find easier opportunities around the rim and take care of the basketball. South Sudan does a good job of getting out in transition, so it'll be crucial for China to make their possessions count and build meaningful offense in half-court situations. Timberwolves' Kyle Anderson didn't manage a single point in their last effort, so expect him to have a bigger impact in this game.
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Brazil vs. Spain prediction, odds, pick, how to watch FIBA World Cup – 8/28/2023
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Puerto Rico vs. Serbia prediction, odds, pick, how to watch FIBA World Cup – 8/28/2023
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Why South Sudan Will Cover The Spread
South Sudan came in as slight underdogs against an experienced Puerto Rico team and they were able to push the game into overtime. They had the lead a number of times late in the fourth quarter and couldn't close on their final opportunities. Still, the scoring came easy for most of the game and Carlik Jones managed 35 points on his own. With the talent on their roster to put up lopsided numbers, it's clear why South Sudan has the edge in this one.
To win this game, South Sudan will have to hustle once again and play hard for the entire game. They were extremely aggressive in rebounding the ball against Puerto Rico, so look for their efforts to translate into this one as they'll be sporting the taller lineup. They were the best three-point shooting team in FIBA Africa qualifiers at 37.6% and will look to get to that mark in this game.
Final China-South Sudan Prediction & Pick
Both of these teams came in as underdogs in their last game and picked up the loss. China severely underperformed against Serbia and it was clear that chemistry became and issue when trying to mount any sort of offense. South Sudan has played with much more flow and they could be a dangerous team if their three-ball is falling. For the prediction, let's go with South Sudan to cover the spread.
Final China-South Sudan Prediction & Pick: South Sudan -8.5 (-111)