There is a famous phrase, which says “there are no certainties in sport”. That’s true on the whole but it’s near as certain as can be that the US men’s Basketball team will win Olympic Gold at this year’s Beijing games.
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Up until the Barcelona games of 1992 Olympic Basketball sides had to be made up of amateurs but with professionals being allowed into the Catalan event it opened the door for American dominance. That year the NBA assembled a squad referred to as the ‘dream team’ that included the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. In fact the combined wages of the team’s roster came to around $90 million more than it cost to build the Olympic Stadium. Needless to say they went on to dominant the competition and take gold, which was the pattern until the Athens games four years ago.
Perhaps down to the popularity of the 1992 side Basketball kick started world-wide, which meant other nations ploughed money into their own leagues and players. As a result the world has caught up and the US only took bronze in 2004.
This year though they are odds on favourites with the bookies to reclaim gold and after their demolition job on china in the opening game that is probably justified. The NBA has a new focus and philosophy to regain top spot and you’d be a brave man to bet against them.
At a bigger price Argentina looks the each-way value to take silver.