Last summer, my thirst for basketball during the NBA offseason was quenched by the Paris Summer Olympics.
There were so many exciting moments from the Avengers. LeBron James walked off with the MVP (14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game), including a triple-double in the semifinals game against Serbia.
Steph Curry responded from a rough start to shine when it counted the most.
This summer has gifted me EuroBasket. The European super-tournament that attracts NBA talent alongside FIBA mainstays.
EuroBasket kicks off on Wednesday, and here are my predictions (order of finish) for Group Play.
Group A
Serbia is the overwhelming favorite in the Group. Not only do they have Nikola Jokic, but they have ten players with NBA experience. Six are currently playing in the NBA, and four others have played in the league.
For all the talk about Serbia-Latvia (Jokic vs. Kristaps Porzingis), the game I’m looking forward to the most is the Serbia-Turkey matchup.
Jokic against Alperen Sengun in International play. It’s a chance for Sengun to show that he can carry his national team the way others have.
That game has been perfectly placed as the last game of Group Play, and in a perfect world, the game would decide who gets first place.
Group A Order of Finish:
Serbia
Turkey
Latvia
Czech Republic
Estonia
Portugal
Group B
What’s not to like about Germany? It starts with Dennis Schröder and Franz Wagner.
Schröder’s impact on Germany’s national team has been just as good as Dirk Nowitzki’s. Even though traditional European pain in the butt, Lithuania, is in the Group, it would be shocking if Germany doesn’t run away with Group B.
Speaking of Lithuania, Jonas Valančiūnas is still an effective international player, who, outside of Germany, the other teams in the Group don’t have a good match for.
Finland and Montenegro are the biggest beneficiaries of having Sweden and Great Britain in the Group. Both teams have a star, Lauri Markkanen for Finland and Nikola Vučević for Montenegro, to advance to the quarterfinals.
Group B Order of Finish:
Germany
Lithuania
Finland
Montenegro
Sweden
Great Britain
Group C
Is it time for Spain to take a step back?
It might finally be time, as the Spanish team no longer has the Gasols, Ricky Rubio, Rudy Fernandez, and Sergio Rodriguez.
Greece has Giannis Antetokounmpo and a bunch of back-of-the-rotation guys. That’s why I’m picking an upset in the Group.
I’m going with Italy and their well-balanced roster that includes Simone Fontecchio, Saliou Niang, and an aging Danilo Gallinari.
The game to watch in Group Play is Spain vs. Greece. That game could be for second place in the Group.
Group C Order of Finish:
Italy
Spain
Greece
Georgia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cyprus
Group D
You want to talk about the toughest Group to predict.
I went back-and-forth between a France team that doesn’t have Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, or Evan Fournier and Slovenia, and a in-shape Luka Doncic surrounded by a bunch of role players.
Despite my persistent questions about France’s backcourt and their missing stars, I barely picked them to win the Group. It’s tough because without Wembanyama and Gobert, it’s feasible for Doncic to beat France by himself.
Group D Order of Finish:
France
Slovenia
Isreal
Poland
Belgium
Iceland
