Team USA tips off the group stage Wednesday when they face South Sudan for the second time in Paris at the 2024 Olympics.

The first time these two teams faced off, USA barely skated by as LeBron James nailed a last-second layup to secure the victory.

Oddsmakers had Team USA as over 40-point favorites for that matchup and have significantly downgraded them this time around.

Team USA is just 28.5-point favorites in Wednesday’s matchup, with the total coming in at 191.5 for the 3 p.m. ET start.

The odds shift is pretty dramatic, all things considered. The USA may have been tinkering with their lineups in the first game, but the element of surprise is gone.

The USA knows exactly what South Sudan will be bringing to the table and, more importantly, this game actually matters.

Despite winning the previous game, the USA has a revenge angle as well as a “we weren’t taking it seriously” excuse built into the last game.

With this game actually having some relevance in the group stage, Team USA is in a wonderful spot to cover the spread here.

South Sudan is coming off an impressive victory over Puerto Rico in the first group stage match, so USA will legitimately need this victory to get out of their group.

Back Team USA against the spread thanks to some streamlined lineups from coach Steve Kerr and strong guard play.

PICK: Team USA -28.5 (-110)