Which team will maintain its ambitions of winning the FIBA World Cup? We analyze Canada vs Serbia and highlight the key betting trends and storylines you should keep an eye on.
Canada is one step away from the FIBA Basketball World Cup final game, but Serbia is a formidable opponent.
The Canadians defeated Slovenia 100-89 in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals. Canada’s offense was paced by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and RJ Barrett, who scored almost half the points.
Meanwhile, Serbia hopes to keep its momentum going after two dominating victories. On 16 of 20 shooting from the field, Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 41 points in victories over the Dominican Republic and Lithuania.
When Canada plays Serbia, it’s favored by 5.5 points. The Canadians started the tournament by winning their first three games by an average of 37 points before defeating Spain and Slovenia by a combined 3 and 11 points.
The moneyline, over/under, and spread for Canada vs. Serbia can be found down below.
| Team | Spread | Total Points | Moneyline |
| Serbia | +5.5 (-110) | o176.5 (-105) | +185 |
| Canada | -5.5 (-110) | u176.5 (-120) | -225 |
Prediction about Canada vs Serbia
The decision is quite difficult. Although Canada is the clear betting favorite, the Serbs should not be taken lightly. The Canadian big men will have their hands full with Bogdanovic, who has been fantastic, as well as Nikola Milutinov and Filip Petrusev.
Due to its superior skill pool, Canada has a modest advantage. After a devastating loss to Brazil, the Canadians have shown tremendous chemistry and resilience, so they are not predicted to give up in a close game.
Is there anyone who can stop Shai Gilgeous Alexander?
No one can dispute that. You may say anything you want about Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, or any other player, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the best player at the FIBA World Cup.
The Thunder’s leading scorer is averaging 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.7 steals through six games. He has the highest efficiency rating in the competition and is shooting 54.7 percent from the field.
Serbia doesn’t have a stifling perimeter defender it can throw on Gilgeous-Alexander, but the team is disciplined in its transition defense, which helps it avoid giving up easy baskets during fast break opportunities. It will be a long night if the Serbians don’t block as many of Gilgeous-Alexander’s roads as they can.
