It’s safe to say more than a few eyes will be on Sunday’s South Sudan vs Puerto Rico men’s basketball matchup to kick off Group C play at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

That’s the attention South Sudan grabbed after a near upset over the powerhouse American squad in exhibition play leading up to Paris.

It also has them as 1.5-point betting favorites, and my South Sudan vs Puerto Rico predictions are backing plenty of scoring.
 
Check out our Olympic basketball betting picks for July 28 below.

South Sudan vs Puerto Rico prediction

My best bet
Over 167.5 (-110)

My analysis
Despite a lack of international notoriety, the system is in place for this young South Sudan team, and this collection of players is long, athletic, and has a potential breakout star in guard Carlik Jones (more on him below).
 
The team is 3-2 in its last five international games, having knocked off the Philippines and Angola at the FIBA World Cup in 2023, while beating Great Britain and losing to Argentina by nine and the Americans 101-100 — a game they led by 16 at the half.
 
Puerto Rico hasn’t looked great in the lead up to Paris. They have a win over Lithuania, but have lost four straight, which includes three straight losses by 10 points or more to Australia, Canada, and most recently Spain.
 
The lone NBA representative for PR is pesky New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, but they have some guys who can hold their own on the international stage.
 
This will be just the second meeting all-time between these teams, but there’s plenty to glean from Puerto Rico’s 101-96 win at the FIBA World Cup.
 
Alvarado didn’t play, but they held up just fine offensively, with six players scoring in double digits, led by Ismael Romer’s 16 points and 12 boards. Stephen Thompson Jr and Tremont Waters each potted 20.
 
Jones was an absolute beast for South Sudan, pouring in a game-high 35 points and 12 dimes, with four others finishing between 11 and 13 points.
 
Offense should reign supreme on Sunday: South Sudan shot 50.7% from the field and 10-for-26 from distance, a 38.5% clip, while Puerto Rico pulled down a whopping 23 offensive rebounds and shot 39.3% from 3-point range.
 
This might be each team’s best shot to get a W in a group featuring USA and Serbia, and it should show.

Get into my Car

My Carlik Jones prop: Over 17.5 points (-115)

Alvarado might be the known commodity, but Jones could be writing his ticket to at least an NBA training camp invite if he keeps this up.
 
Last year’s G-League MVP hasn’t looked out of place on the big stage, leading South Sudan with a 15-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist triple-double against the Americans. Jones went for 13 points and eight assists in the previous game against Britain. 
 
The 26-year-old averaged 20.4 points over five FIBA World Cup games, with 10.4 assists on 48.1% shooting from the field and 41.7% from downtown.
 
His 17.5 scoring line may look steep, but the guy can get buckets, and should be a big factor against Puerto Rico.

South Sudan vs Puerto Rico same-game parlay (SGP)

Tremont Waters was lights out for Puerto Rico at the FIBA World Cup, drilling 17 triples across the five-game set, topping his 2.5 3-point make line for Sunday three different times, missing another by one triple.
 
It hasn’t been so smooth of late, though, as he fell Under that total in losses to Spain, Canada, Australia, and Greece, going Over just once, in the win over Lithuania.
 
The level-up competition in the lead-up to Paris has been a struggle, so it’s safe to say South Sudan, who he lit up for a 4-for-9 mark from distance, is a welcome sight.
 
Puerto Rico dominated the boards in the FIBA meeting, ranking +11 against South Sudan. Three players had at least 11 total rebounds, with each grabbing at least five on the offensive glass.
 
Gabriel, who is arguably South Sudan’s top rebounder, had his hands full against PR, and only finished with seven rebounds in that matchup. 
 
While Puerto Rico isn’t the U.S., they have big bodies that work the glass, and that could give Gabriel problems controlling the boards again for South Sudan in the rematch. 

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

South Sudan vs Puerto Rico odds

Odds as of 7-27.

South Sudan vs Puerto Rico game info

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