Philippines-Angola prediction, pick, and how to watch FIBA World Cup

The 2023 FIBA World Cup is upon us as Day 3 of the group stages takes place on Sunday, August 27th. With that said, it is once again time for our 2023 FIBA World Cup odds series with a Philippines-Angola prediction and pick.

The Philippines lost its 2023 FIBA World Cup opener in a heartbreaking 87-81 loss to Karl-Anthony Towns and the Dominican Republic on Friday. Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson led the way for Gilas Pilipinas with 28 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. However, he fouled out with under three minutes remaining as he watched his countrymen fall short to the Dominicans in the final stretch of the fourth quarter. Big man June Mar Fajardo, a six-time Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) MVP, tallied 16 points and seven boards, while Dwight Ramos added 13 markers for the host country squad.

Meanwhile, Angola also dropped in their first game in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, falling to Italy 81-67. Childe Dundao led the scoring department for Angola with 19 points, while Atlanta Hawks center Bruno Fernando added 13 points, five rebounds, and four steals. Angola had a rough start from the field, going just 35.4 percent overall, with their horrendous 4-of-30 three-point shooting accounting for most of the damage.

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

2023 FIBA World Cup Odds: Philippines-Angola Odds

Philippines: -7.5 (-113)

Angola: +7.5 (-113)

Over: 157.5 (-111)

Under: 157.5 (-115)

How to Watch Philippines vs. Angola 

TV: ESPN+

Stream: Watch ESPN

Time: 8:00 AM ET/ 5:00 AM PT

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

Why Philippines Will Cover The Spread

The Philippines may have lost on Friday, but whoever bet on them to cover the 11.5-point spread came out as winners as they only lost by six points to the Dominican Republic. Gilas Pilipinas played an inspired game as a packed crowd of 38,115 passionate fans cheered on their team. But it was not enough to overcome the 27-point effort from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Jordan Clarkson led the way for the Philippines with 27 points. He was the Philippines' only real source of offense throughout the game. If the Philippines wants to get on the win column and cover this 7.5-point spread, they will need more production from everyone else. Dwight Ramos provided a little scoring punch, but it wasn't enough for them to pull off the upset. As great as Clarkson was scoring-wise, he did commit eight turnovers in the game. Some of his errors came as a result of sloppy play, but credit Dominican Republic for making life difficult on him by sending different looks and double teams. Look for the Jazz guard to clean up his play, be more disciplined with the basketball, and make much better reads against Angola.

Coach Chot Reyes could also look to make changes with his rotation. Kiefer Ravena did play in the first quarter, but he made an immediate impact upon entering the game in the second stanza. Ravena made some high-IQ plays during his short stint, including a nifty pass on the move to a cutting AJ Edu to the basket. He was also aggressive on defense and ended up being a +1 in his seven minutes of action. It was quite baffling that he never saw the floor again after that impressive stint. Reyes should strongly consider giving the 29-year-old more burn versus Angola.

Look for the Philippines to clean up their turnovers, as they committed 19 giveaways on Friday. They also gave up 17 offensive rebounds. These two factors spelled the difference during the game. If the Philippines is able to address this, they should be able to come away with a comfortable win.

Of course, the crowd factor will always come into play. With nearly 40,000 fans cheering them on, Gilas Pilipinas should continue playing inspired ball this weekend.

Why Angola Will Cover The Spread

As for Angola, they enter Sunday's matchup as 7.5-point underdogs. Only two players scored for them in double-figures to open the 2023 FIBA World Cup. As such, they will need more production from everyone else if they want to emerge victorious against the Philippines and avoid getting eliminated from the group stage.

Angola actually held their own in the first half, as they led by as much as seven in the first quarter. They were able to keep in step with the Italians throughout the half, but Italy just stepped on the gas pedal as soon as the second half began.

Angola will need Childe Dundao to continue staying aggressive as he was really Angola's source of efficient offense in the game. His 19-point production consisted of a 6-of-12 shooting clip from the field and 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc. Despite his short 5-foot-6 stature, his aggression will be key in helping generate open looks for his teammates.

As a team, Angola made just four of their 30 attempts from three. If they are able to shoot a decent clip from long distance, they should be in good shape on Sunday.

It is worth noting that the last time these two countries faced off in the World Cup, Angola came out victorious with a three-point win in overtime.

Final Philippines-Angola Prediction & Pick

Go with the Philippines for this one. The crowd will continue to be a factor. Jordan Clarkson should also look to play a cleaner, yet more aggressive game on Sunday. Kiefer Ravena should be able to get more run and impact the game with his high basketball IQ.

Final Philippines-Angola Prediction & Pick: Philippines: -7.5 (-113)