Now down to the last eight teams in EuroBasket, Slovenia looks to advance to the semifinals by winning against Germany on Wednesday. This will be Slovenia’s toughest opponent yet as Germany isn’t only undefeated (6-0) but is also considered the outright favorites.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Slovenia vs. Germany
When: Sep. 8, 11 a.m. PT
Where: Arena Liga, Latvia
Watch: Courtside 1891
Luka Dončić’s remarkable performance that propelled Slovenia to eliminate Italy was further proof that he is, without a doubt, a nightmare to go
up against in a win-or-go-home setting. It also gives Slovenia hope that they can beat anyone in this type of environment, especially if the team plays like they did in their most recent wire-to-wire victory.
As each game passes, it seems as if Slovenia keeps getting better. Much of that has to do with Dončić, who continues to put on one amazing performance after another in this generational international run that he’s currently on. Part of it is also how his teammates are rounding up to form as the likes of Alen Omić, Klemen Prepelič, Edo Murić and crew have been playing with more confidence and power.
The Slovenians couldn’t have asked for a better time to be playing their best basketball because they’re about to face their toughest opponent yet in Germany. The Germans, who are the reigning FIBA World Champions, have been the most efficient team in the competition.
They’ve won their six games by an average of 30.5 points. They’ve scored at least 100 points in four of those games with seven players averaging more than 8.5 points per game. They also have the most current and former NBA players of any team remaining, with Dennis Schröder being the most dangerous of all.
That said, there’s no doubt that Dončić will still be the best player on the floor and he’s going to do everything he can to pick Germany’s defense apart just like he did against Italy. While it’s easy to say that a one-man show can’t defeat a well-proven and experienced powerhouse team such as Germany, the Lakers superstar has made it seem possible to the point that it would be silly to doubt him. When you have Dončić on your team, there’s always a chance.
But as always, it’ll be up to Dončić‘s teammates to increase their chances of winning. The key is to continue raising their performance by knocking down their shots and winning or even staying afloat during the non-Luka minutes. Slovenia needs to also win the rebounding battle or, at the very least, don’t allow themselves to be dominated in this department, knowing that Germany leads the competition in rebounds per game (43.8). Their defense on Franz Wagner and Schröder will be crucial since they’re two of the best players on the team.
It’s important that the Slovenians get off to a strong start, similar to how they did versus Italy, so their momentum and rhythm can boost them throughout the game. Note that these two are the highest-scoring teams in the tournament, so expect a hard-fought battle on both ends of the court. It’ll be a win-or-go-home match that will feature superstar power versus depth as well as youth versus experience for the price of pride and glory.
The knockout stage of this year’s EuroBasket tournament has witnessed upsets so far. Dončić and Slovenia look to stay in line with that theme against Germany on Wednesday.
Notes and Updates:
- Slovenia is currently on a four-game winning streak.
- After his outstanding 42-point performance against Italy, Dončić is now averaging a tournament-high 34 points per game. Only Euro legend Nikos Galis has had a higher scoring average EuroBasket history.
- Here’s the bracketing for the Quarterfinals involving the last eight countries standing. The winner between Slovenia and Germany will face either Finland or Georgia.
You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.
