The US faces the Czech Republic Saturday morning and while pool play is not typically do or die, it is this time: the loser will be out. It’s not a normal situation for Team USA.
The US is obviously going to be favored and has been a different team since Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker and Khris Middleton arrived after the NBA finals and started to become factors.
The Czechs are ranked #12 in FIBA and has just one NBA player, Tomáš Satoranský of the Chicago Bulls. They just barely beat Iran, 84-78, a team the US beat 120-66.