LeBron James, Steve Kerr Praise Brazil Before USA vs. Brazil on 2024 Olympics Bracket

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After dominating the group stage of the 2024 Paris Olympics, USA Basketball is ready for even bigger challenges in the knockout round.

LeBron James said he has been scouting Brazil ahead of Tuesday's quarterfinal matchup.

"I've watched all the games," James said, per ESPN's Brian Windhorst. "They're very dedicated to their offensive and defensive systems."

Team USA head coach Steve Kerr also had praise for his team's Brazilian opponents.

"They're very physical. I think they're the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in the tournament," Kerr said, per Windhorst. "They've got a lot of really good shooters and they just play hard.

"They compete play after play, so we'll have to be ready for their physicality and their shooting, and we need to be on edge and ready for them because they're not going to back down."

Brazil is led by international veteran Vitor Benite and former first-round NBA draft pick Bruno Caboclo.

Benite and Caboclo have led their team to record 13 offensive rebounds per game through three tournament contests, second only to South Sudan for the most in the Olympics. Team USA ranks ninth in the category with 9.3 per game.

The Americans also struggled with turnovers through three group stage games, averaging 14.3 turnovers in each victory. Kerr previously said heading into the knockout round that Team USA needs to "take better care of the ball" heading into the knockout round.

The biggest strength for Team USA will be the offensive talent of stars like James, while generating offense will be a challenge for Brazil. The Brazilians are averaging 80.3 points per game to the Americans' 105.7 per contest.

The Brazilians also enter the contest having won just a single match so far against a Japan team missing Rui Hachimura, while marking losses against Germany and France in group play.

A win over Brazil on Tuesday will send Team USA to face either Serbia or Australia in the semifinals. The Americans won't have the chance to face top-seeded teams like Germany, France or Canada unless they make it to the final, where the team is hoping to win a fourth straight gold medal.