Canada and France will square off on Friday to begin group play during the 2023 FIBA World Basketball Cup in a battle between two of the most significant contenders. Read on for our Canada-France prediction based on the best FIBA World Cup odds.
The 2023 FIBA World Basketball Cup will begin with a pivotal matchup between Canada and France, both of which are among the biggest challengers to the USA via the latest championship odds.
But only one team will win Group H, and claiming Friday's opener will be an important first step.
Canada was originally almost a full-possession favorite in this game, but the line adjusted after it was announced that Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets wouldn't be participating. The best sports betting apps now consider this clash to be a tossup, with some shops even giving a slight edge to France.
Here is our best Canada-France prediction for Friday's FIBA World Cup matchup (odds via our
best NBA betting sites; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Canada vs. France prediction: FIBA World Cup
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This pick will likely be surprising if you've been following our Jon Metler. He's been driving the Canada hype train since championship odds were released, while also listing France as a team to avoid based on the pricing.
But this is one game, and Murray's absence certainly changes the outlook. So much so that Canada went from being a slight favorite to a short underdog. We're respecting the market and picking France to prevail in this much-anticipated showdown.
This is a really interesting matchup schematically.
Canadian guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and RJ Barrett make up one of the best backcourts in this event, and the team boasts plenty of wing depth with Dillon Brooks and Lu Dort on the roster. But there are frontcourt concerns with this team, which doesn't bode well during this particular battle.
Rudy Gobert leads France, and he can certainly overpower this competition, even if the veteran is limited in the NBA. Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum provide plenty of experience for a team with podium finishes in each of its last three FIBA events.
Jordi Fernandez (who's the associate head coach for the Sacramento Kings) is leading a young Canadian squad in his first major tournament. Canada certainly comes with a lot of potential in this event and for years to come. But experience will ultimately prevail and set the tone for the FIBA World Cup.
Canada vs. France best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | bet365 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France ML | France ML | France ML | France ML | France ML |
| -122 | -115 | -120 | -115 | -125 |
The best sports betting sites have agreed to give the nod to France, listing the team as a slight betting favorite entering Friday's matchup. Consider a live-betting opportunity if the vig exceeds -120 on France's moneyline price.
Canada vs. France odds analysis
The hype on Canada's chances cooled down a bit as soon as it was announced Murray wouldn't play. Canada's championship value moved from as short as +450 to as long as +1000. The spread for this game flipped from Canada -2.5 at FanDuel to France being -1.5 nearly across the board.
The total has also been ticking up at the best sportsbooks, trading as high as 167.5.
Canada vs. France game info
- When: Friday, Aug. 24, 2023, 9 a.m. ET
- Where: Indonesia Arena, Jakarta, Ind onesia
- How to watch: ESPN+
Canada-France pick made 08/23/2023 at 10:40 a.m. ET.
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