Now down 0-2 to begin their EuroBasket campaign, Slovenia aims to turn the tide as they take on Belgium on Sunday. Belgium (1-1) is coming off a strong victory versus Iceland (0-2) and is currently sitting in second place in Group D.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Slovenia vs. Belgium
When: 5 a.m. PT, Aug. 31
Where: Spodek Arena, Poland
Watch: Courtside 1891
Just when it seemed like Luka Dončić and Slovenia were on pace to pull off a major upset victory against France on Saturday, they fumbled late in the third quarter due to their inability to get stops. The Lakers superstar once again had himself a remarkable night, putting up 39 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and two steals in 40 minutes of play, but the Slovenians just had no answer for French’s firepower.
With two games in the books, it seems the biggest underlying issues for Slovenia are the amount of points they’ve given up inside the paint as well as in transition. For a team with very minimal margin for error, the Slovenians won’t win many games if this continues. Just as much as Dončić needs help on the offensive end, more also needs to be done on the defensive side of the ball for them to start seeing ideal results.
It’s not that the Slovenians aren’t trying. In fact, leading France from the start of the game up until the third quarter was impressive. But we have to acknowledge the elephant in the room and say that, frankly, Slovenia just isn’t talented enough in this tournament. There’s only so much Dončić can do.
The good news for Dončić and his team, though, is that they’re part of the forgiving Group D, so there’s still a high chance of them finishing top four. With their games against France and Poland over with, they take on their easiest opponent yet in Belgium, who is currently ranked 40th in the world. This same Belgium team was dismantled by France (92-64) in the tournament opener.
That’s not to say that beating the Belgians will be a walk in the park. They may be without their star player Retin Obasohan, but they have the size and athleticism to expose Slovenia’s frontcourt. Look out for Ismael Bako, who is currently the team’s centerpiece. The likes of Manu Lecomte and Jean-Marc Mwema — who combined for 29 points in their recent victory — have the capability to get hot and take over.
Slovenia will also have the rest disadvantage in this one as they’re back on the court less than 24 hours since their game against France concluded, contrary to Belgium, who finished theirs four hours earlier. Whether or not this will matter is uncertain but note that one team is coming off a tough loss for the second game in a row while the other might have just found their momentum after a superb comeback victory.
Now more than ever, Slovenia must deliver its strongest performance yet. Otherwise, it may be time for them to worry about advancing.
Notes and Updates:
With France and Belgium currently occupying the first and second slots, respectively, in the Group D standings, Slovenia is all the way down to fifth with a point differential of -18. Israel is in third place while Poland is fourth. Not only do the Slovenians badly need this victory against the Belgians, but preferably also a dominant one to climb their way back up their group standings.
0 Comments