Georgia-Venezuela prediction, odds, pick, how to watch FIBA World Cup

We're back with another prediction and pick for the final slate of games in the group stage of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. It's time for some Group F action as Georgia (1-1) takes on Venezuela (0-2) in a crucial final game of group play. 

After opening their 2023 FIBA World Cup with a 25-point blowout of Cape Verde, Georgia lost their second game to the tune of an 88-67 beatdown to Luka Doncic and Slovenia. Sandro Mamukelashvili was the lone bright spot for Georgia in that game as he notched 21 points and seven rebounds on 9-of-15 shooting. Only Kakhaber Jintcharadze joined Mamukelashvili in double-figure scoring, as he finished with 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting. Tied 1-1 in the standings with Cape Verde, Georgia just needs to win on Wednesday to lock up in the second round.

Meanwhile, Venezuela has still yet to notch a win after they dropped their most recent game to Cape Verde, 81-75. David Cubillan led all Venezuelan scorers with 15 points, while Jhornan Zamora and Garly Sojo added 14 points and 13 points, respectively. That loss was certainly a heartbreaker as it was likely their most winnable game in the group stage. They are now in must-win mode ahead of this upcoming clash with Georgia as they look to avoid elimination from the World Cup. However, they must win by at least 16 points and hope Slovenia takes care of business against Cape Verde (which Luka and co. should).

Here are the 2023 FIBA World Cup odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

2023 FIBA World Cup Odds: Georgia-Venezuela Odds

Georgia: -13.5 (-111)

Venezuela: +13.5 (-115)

Over: 160.5 (-115)

Under: 160.5 (-111)

How to Watch Georgia vs. Venezuela 

Stream: ESPN+, Courtside 1891

Time: 4:00 AM ET/ 1:00 AM PT

*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Georgia Will Cover The Spread

Georgia has quite a hefty spread to cover here. But given the competition, there is good reason to believe they will be able to cover it. Though Slovenia blew them out of the water in their previous game, they showed that they are capable of winning convincingly in this tournament as well, as they showed in their 2023 FIBA World Cup opener against Cape Verde.

While Georgia will need to win by at least 14 points to cover the spread, they do have much more firepower offensively. The presence of NBA-level talent is arguably their biggest advantage.

Sandro Mamukelashvili has been this team's leading scorer, notching 31 points through the first two games of the group stage. Tornike Shengaila has also played well, particularly in their first game versus Cape Verde where he led the Georgians in scoring with 16 points. Goga Bitzade, who is currently with the Orlando Magic, has also been a consistent threat for Georgia in the middle. The 24-year-old big man is averaging 11.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals through two games of group play.

Georgia did shoot just over 30 percent from beyond the arc against Slovenia, which may be a concern. Nonetheless, playing against a more inferior team like Venezuela should put them in good shape to advance to round two with ease.

Why Venezuela Will Cover The Spread

As for Venezuela, bettors backing them up will need to hope they don't lose by 14 points or more, but given the talent discrepancy, a massive blowout is certainly on the cards. Nonetheless, Venezuela has their backs against the wall. As mentioned, they will need to win by at least 16 points to advance to the second round. While their chances of accomplishing this may be bleak, they definitely won't go down without a fight.

Venezuela did have its chance against Cape Verde, but a cold fourth quarter where they scored just nine points pretty much sealed their fate. Overall, they shot just 38.1 percent from the field in that game. They did have their three-point shot going for them, as they connected on 37.5 percent from deep versus Cape Verde.

Looking ahead into Wednesday, the Venezuelans will need to rely on Garly Sojo, Jhornan Zamora, and Heissler Guilent — the team's top three scorers through two games so far — to lead them offensively. The 6-foot-5 Sojo is the future of this Venezuelan squad and is continuing to show his breakout in the international stage. Meanwhile, Zamora and Guilent have been mainstays in this program for many years now. With both in their mid-30s and on the way to the backend of their careers, Zamora and Guilent may be more motivated than ever to lift Venezuela in what could be their do-or-die game against Georgia.

Final Georgia-Venezuela Prediction & Pick

Go with Georgia on this one. They should be able to easily take care of business and put this Venezuelan team out of its misery. Though 14 points may seem a lot, Georgia is capable of blowing out less talented teams, much like they did against Cape Verde. They also have the advantage of having some NBA talent such as Sandro Mamukelashvili and Goga Bitzade on their roster.

Final Georgia-Venezuela Prediction & Pick: Georgia: -13.5 (-111)