Philippines vs Italy Basketball Preview: Prediction, odds and more for the FIBA World Cup 2023

Modified Aug 28, 2023 11:14 GMT

Philippines vs Italy preview and predictions at the 2023 FIBA World Cup (Photos: FIBA)

The Philippines take on Italy in a crucial game at the 2023 FIBA World Cup on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Let's take a look and preview the game, including predictions, odds and rosters. The result of this game has implications not just for this tournament but also for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Gilas Pilipinas fell to Angola 80-70 on Sunday, almost dashing their hopes of making the second round. They had an early double-digit lead, but the African giants came back and took control of the game in the second half. The Philippines will need to win on Tuesday and hope that the Dominican Republic beats Angola to force a three-way tie.

Meanwhile, Italy only needs a win to give themselves a chance of making the second round. If they win on Tuesday and Angola loses to the Dominican Republic, they will reach the next round. Gli Azzurri has a win over Angola but lost to the Dominican Republic in their last game.

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2023 FIBA World Cup game preview

The Philippines wants to force a three-way tie with Italy and Angola. However, their main priority is to win against Gli Azzurri to have a chance at qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

With Japan earning an impressive 98-88 win over Finland, Gilas Pilipinas will have to get a convincing win over Italy. If the Philippines and Japan end up having the same record at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, a tiebreaker will likely involve points differential.

Meanwhile, Italy is more focused on making it to the second round of the FIBA World Cup. They have struggled in their first two games of the tournament and were lucky to escape with a win over Angola on Friday.

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Philippines vs Italy FIBA World Cup prediction and odds

The Philippines played Italy at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China in what was a one-sided affair. Italy eventually won 108-62.

Gli Azzurri has a relatively weaker roster this time, but they're still the favorites to defeat Gilas Pilipinas. Expect a back-and-forth action in the first half before Italy takes control in the second and get a likely double-digit win.

Moneyline: Italy -950, Philippines +625

Over/Under: 166 (Italy O: -110, Philippines U: -110)

Against The Spread: Italy -13.5 (-108), Philippines +13.5 (-112)