After a one-day rest, Team France and Team Japan are set for their second assignment at the Paris Olympics. As the host of the tournament, France showcased their talents and dominance in the first round, beating Team Brazil 76-66 as a good start. Despite an early stumble during the game, France soon woke up with Victor Wembanyama destroying the rim. From trailing to leading, many players from the roster stepped up for scoring and contributing defensive actions, asserting Team France as one of the most balanced teams in the Olympics and demonstrating the desire to win the gold.
Unfortunately, after tasting the bitterness from a 20-point loss to Team Germany, Japan will face another tough challenge of competing against another European top team. Against Germany, insufficient physicality and a lack of methods to rip off intensive defense resulted in Japan’s final yield, though the team proved its resilience in the first half. Combined with the World Cup matchup last year, Japan had been dominated by the same opponent three times in a row.
France vs. Japan Game Details
Fixture: Team France vs. Team Japan
Date and Time: July 30th, 2024 @ 11:15 am ET
Group: B
Streaming: Peacock
France vs. Japan Game Preview
Team France
Victor Wembanyama had proved himself as the assurance of winning battles on the international level. Last game with Team Brazil, he showed his versatility on the court, scoring a team-high 19 points, grabbing nine boards, and recording four steals. Despite a relatively fragile physical strength and immature footwork in the low post, his terrific height (7 ft 4) and wingspan (8 ft) help him to cover the deficit. Knowing Team Japan’s obvious weakness in size, Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert would form a “world ceiling” that the opponent couldn’t transcend beyond.
As a balanced team, France also gathered one of the most experienced outfield ladders in the event. Having two big men dominating the paint, veteran Nicolas Batum, dropping another team-high 19 points against Brazil, could gain more space to run and shoot from beyond the arc. Though other guards have yet to find the rhythms, playing with Japan offers them another opportunity to regain their strength in shooting.
Team Japan
Since the Los Angeles Lakers’ Rui Hachimura rejoined the team, Team Japan largely benefited as it was offered another offensive option. However, throughout the fight with World Cup champion Team Germany, Hachimura struggled to make shots under defensive pressure, though he scored 20 points, taking nine three-point attempts with only two made. But his consistency in breaking in throughout physical contacts was admirable, earning him free-throw chances.
In contrast, Yuta Watanabe, another NBA product playing for Japan, scored 16 points smoothly with four threes. But Japan should have a third scorer to step out instead of relying too much on the duo. Throughout the observation from the last game, Japan had no game plan when Coach Tom Hovasse rested both. Meanwhile, Yuki Kawamura is a key piece of the whole team’s playmaking system, who can build up multiple connections with all positions. However, the team could be stuck if the opponent defenders locked him down, which Germany already did. Against France with better heights, strengths, and sizes, Japan still left a series of problems to solve if they really wanted to make a miracle.
Possible Breakout Players of the Game
Team France
Last game against Team Brazil, Frank Ntilikina came off the bench, posting nine points by making three shots from beyond the arc. The former NBA player, currently playing for the Basketball League of Serbia’s Partizan, averaged 4.8 points and 2.2 assists in 321 regular-season games since he was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft. He is expected to burst out in the next game while Team France is struggling to make more threes.
Team Japan
As mentioned above, Japan needs a third scorer to help Yuta Watanabe and Rui Hachimura and reduce their pressure on the offensive end. Yudai Baba, who played for the G-League’s Texas Legends in the 2022–23 season, has the most appreciated balance on both ends. He will need to step up against this tough French team.
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