U.S. Opens Olympic Basketball Against Yao Ming, China

China and Yao Ming open against the US on Sunday. (AP Images)"]

This will be a tall order for a team looking to make its mark.

While the U.S. Men's basketball team is the odds-on favorite to win gold this year (currently at 1/5 in the Bodog Sportsbook), they face a tall order in their opening game at the Beijing Olympics, facing off against a Yao Ming-led Chinese squad that will have practically all 1.3 billion Chinese citizens rooting them on.

The teams will meet on Sunday and the game promises to be one of the most-watched basketball telecasts of all time. With Ming being something of a national icon and young Yi Jianlian (of the New Jersey Nets) also in the mix, the Chinese firmly believe they have a shot at playing with the heavily-favored Americans.

If you think it's prime time for an upset, head on over to the Bodog Sportsbook now for all the latest 2008 Olympic Summer Games betting! From the Most overall medals to individual sports, we've got all your props, lines and futures coming from Beijing!